Lower Guruve Development Association Experiences
By Sekai Janga
My encounter with the National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO) brings about memories of joy. My name is Sekai Janga, the Executive Director of the Lower Guruve Development Association. This Association is headquartered in Guruve District. Its field offices are located in Mbire. Mbire is in the remotest part of the Country which Borders Zambia to the North and Mozambique to the East. This is one part of the Country which is usually forgotten when it comes to development initiatives due to the long distances from the cities and the harsh weather conditions. Mbire is tsetse and mosquito-infested and is characterised by high temperatures and rough roads. It is an area that is usually neglected because of the “along road bias” among development partners where partners prefer areas that are easily accessible.
My knowledge of NANGO dates back to 2012 when my former Executive Director, Ephraim Murendo told me that we were now a NANGO member. He consistently attended the Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) Forum and the famous Director’s Summer Forum year after year after which he would always give feedback to the senior management of the Association. These initiatives were the NANGO brainchild. Senior management also always looked forward to hearing new and exciting developmental knowledge from NANGO. My direct connection with NANGO was in 2018 when I was asked by the former Director to arrange for a dialogue with the Doma community in the remotest part of Mbire District. The Doma people are indigenous people who have nomadic tendencies and have for a long time lagged behind in terms of development. In the past, this community was treated as unimportant and developmental decisions were made on their behalf. I was thrilled and anxiety was written all over my face as I waited eagerly to hear about what NANGO had in store for the Doma community. I was also surprised when on the day the secretariat came, the Executive Director for NANGO was also amongst the team which showed the importance NANGO gave to the underprivileged. NANGO upheld the “Leave No One Behind” concept. The objective of the visit was to cascade information on Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP) and the national development agenda to the underprivileged.
The engagement process was unique and relevant. The community was happy. They made their contributions and got the clarification they wanted.
In 2019 NANGO also convened a stakeholder workshop in Mbire. This workshop was graced by political leaders, District Heads of Departments. By then the devolution process was vague to many people but NANGO unpacked the Devolution process to the Mbire community. This was very much appreciated by Mbire communities. The regular engagement with NANGO was motivational to me and I began to appreciate NANGO more.
When misunderstandings between the Government and NGOs grew, NANGO constantly engaged with the government and opened up platforms for discussion on crucial issues such as unpacking the NGO bill and the possibility of initiating a self-regulatory system for NGOs. NANGO was and is still taking its liaison role. Several online meetings were organised and open discussions were and are being conducted with relevant line ministries and other organs that are relevant to the development agenda. This has made me understand several issues around the development agenda. In October 2022 I managed to attend the NGO Directors’ Summer Retreat. The Summer Retreat created linkages among key development stakeholders. Among them were funding partners and service providers such as banks and audit firms. It also created a platform where NGOs interacted.
The programme contained key issues such as audits, relationships with funding partners, what to watch out for when seeking funding, the future of development initiatives for the Country, lobbying and advocacy issues, and also taking care of our health as development workers. It was a mouthful programme. For me, this was an eye-opener and it helped a lot since I was only a year into the directorship. I had become a director after the untimely death of my former Director and no handover and takeover had been done. Trying to knit together issues was difficult but this Summer Retreat equipped me. I am now a better Director and our organisation is continuously getting stronger. I am now a NANGO board member who is eager to learn and to positively contribute to the well-being of other small NGOs.
