The membership value proposition and servicing are in line with the objective; To promote and facilitate the collective agenda-setting, interaction, consultation, and exchange of information and experience with and among NGOs operating in Zimbabwe.
Our work on an Membership Support Services
This is in line with the objective; To promote, coordinate and organise the participation and contribution of Non-Governmental Organisations in Zimbabwe in the development discourse of Zimbabwe, AND also; To create and identify opportunities for NGOs to pursue their visions and missions at the same time building members’ capacities, resources, and synergies.
NANGO programmes revolve around the coordination of NGOs operating in Zimbabwe that are implementing various interventions at different levels. With a membership of 1 246, we make efforts to create platforms where members and non-members can engage in dialogue and exchange information.
NANGO programmes are key to ensuring institutional strengthening of members that results in the creation of strong institutions. Continuous CSOs coordination and capacity strengthening are absolute prerequisites to allow civil society to influence and shape domestic and international public policies. NANGO’ approach to the need for continuous capacity strengthening is needs-based, uses a peer-to-peer approach, develops leadership, promotes expertise and innovation, reflection and the exchange of best practice amongst its members at the national, regional and global levels.
During the previous years, the association has conducted a wide array of coordination and capacity strengthening programmes in the thematic areas of communication, fundraising and resource mobilisation, financial management, strategic change management, corporate governance, participatory budgeting, MDGs and SDGs sensitisation, advocacy and lobbying, citizen participation in political processes, conflict resolution and organisational development, amongst other initiatives.
Creating Platforms For Engagement & Unified Agenda Setting
The creation of platforms allows for the proffering of solutions that will ascertain the creation of a conducive operating environment that enables NGOs to achieve their missions and mandates. The organisation has over the years conducted the NGO Director’s Retreat that has acted as a platform for directors, development partners, private sector and government officials to engage and develop reform matrixes for the civil society sector.
Capacity Strengthening of Civil Society in Zimbabwe
NANGO seeks to strengthen the institutional, adaptive and programming capacities of Civil Society organisations in Zimbabwe for them to effectively fulfil their missions and visions through driven training and non-training services.
During the previous years, NANGO has conducted a wide array of capacity enhancement programmes in the thematic areas of child budgeting training, communication, fundraising and resource mobilisation, financial management, strategic change management, corporate governance, participatory budgeting, MDG sensitisation, advocacy and lobbying, citizen participation in political processes, conflict resolution and organisational development, amongst other initiatives.
Our work on an CSOs Coordination and Capacity Strengthening
This is in line with the association’s objective; To create an enabling and conducive operating environment for NGOs necessary in ensuring sector independence, improved accountability, and fulfilment of institutional mandates.
A friendly operating environment is needed to facilitate the effective implementation of CSOs actions, which will have positive downstream multiplier effects to communities that these entities serve. Further to this, CSOs play a very pivotal role in facilitating and advancing the creation of opportunities for citizens to become drivers of social, political, and economic change that is characterised by democracy and good governance.
Despite a multitude of serious political, social and economic challenges, NANGO has actively pursued the creation of a positive and enabling operating environment for NGOs by mitigating against negative policy and legislative frameworks, whilst at the same time rallying the sector to actively demonstrate its capacity to self-regulate. From the historic lobby effort against the draconian NGO Bill of 2005, NANGO has continued to advocate the Zimbabwean government to consider enabling instruments for CSOs operations. The sector is faced with a more restrictive bill – the PVO Amendment Bill – gazetted by the government of Zimbabwe to regulate the activities of NGOs. Several NANGO members have already indicated difficulties in their operations due to the government’s interference in their activities.
When the pandemic hit the country in March 2020, the government of Zimbabwe announced a national lockdown in an attempt to contain the spread of the coronavirus. Though merited, CSOs operations have been impacted hugely as a result of COVID-19 induced restrictions. This has further impacted the operating environment as it presented increased difficulties for the CSOs operating environment. Various civil society organisations have attested that both the pandemic and government measures impact heavily on their day-to-day operations.
It is important to acknowledge the growing reality of a shrinking space for civil society actors in Zimbabwe. Various legislative, administrative and policy instruments being introduced have great implications to shrink civic space. International collaboration among civil society networks, social movements and activists is increasingly criticised, penalised and criminalised by governments.
NANGO offers continuous support to its members in the fight to create an enabling environment for civil society organisations by developing solidarity between the platforms.
To promote an enabling environment for civil society organisations – both online and offline – the organisation is involved in the creation of platforms for engagement and unified agenda-setting using the multi-stakeholder approach.
Our work on an Enabling Environment
NANGO is committed to ensuring the active involvement and meaningful participation of CSOs in policy advocacy crucial for the formulation and implementation of policies that are pro-people. NANGO makes deliberate efforts to inform and educate its membership to ensure their effective participation in policy processes, informing and influencing decision-makers in support of evidence-based policy change and policy implementation, including resource mobilisation. It aims to inform and influence decision-makers and influence those who have the formal power to make change in society. The ultimate goal of policy advocacy is to achieve a desired policy change or ensure that an existing policy is implemented.
Our work on Research, Policy Advocacy and Agenda Setting
