Sir Nigel's Journey…

This year, HIFA commences on the 1th May and ends on the 6th May. For more details – HIFA_2012_Programme_web1

Somehow little ME was asked to host this TEDx event. Naturally I was honoured to play any role associated with any TEDx events especially the Zimbabwean kind. The theme was ‘Be the Change’. I interpreted that to mean be the change in your own community. The 4 live speakers reflected this very well I thought. The event started at approximately 6:20pm with an introductory video from Chris Anderson and I gave a few housekeeping rules which included amongst other things the 5 minute Q&A session after each live presenter.

Izwi

The first speaker was IZWI. Essentially Izwi is a platform for the youth to share and discuss common issues. 2 young ladies, both still studying, spoke passionately about how the group was assisting them in realising their own career aspirations despite the various hardships they both face. For more information, please check out their website and their twitter account is @Izwi_Africa.

SIFE – MSU (Midlands State University)

This group got the crowd pretty excited from the onset. In summary, they’ve found a way of turning 60 kgs of plastic into 60 litres of diesel. The project has actually been entered into the Dell Social Innovation Challenge and the link to their page is Boost SIFE. It is presentations like this one that reiterate the point I’ve been making for over 2 years now. Our nation needs to have a conversation. It is conversations like these ones that highlight how important events like this are to the community. I spend a lot of time reading and researching what is happening in and around me and I didn’t know about this project. Well done to the TEDx organisers for providing an outlet so the MSU team could showcase their project. I am thoroughly excited about the future of the MSU team and what this project can do for Zimbabwe, especially when all you need to do is find an open space somewhere in the urban areas and you will notice huge piles of litter which incidentally includes the plastic these guys require for their project. For more information please contact them via email on mboostsifemsu [at] gmail [dot] com.

A 10 minute break followed the Boost SIFE short Q&A session. The break is always an interesting period of any event like this I believe. It gives an opportunity for the speakers to mingle with the audience and have a one-on-one chat regarding their respective projects and/or presentations. Given the presentation by the SIFE-MSU team, there was great interest in their project so the break saw them inundated with various queries from the audience.

Following the break was this interesting and honest TED video from Theo Sowa: We Need The Voices of African Women. I URGE you to stop reading, watch this video and come back to the blog afterwards. So much truth packed into that video and once again it reminded me that us Africans need to be well represented at various worldwide forums so our voices are heard. I was once again reminded that it is often so easy to ignore the African voice.

It was very strategic that the next live speaker was none other than: -

Fungai Machirori

I finally got to meet the woman behind www.herzimbabwe.co.zw. Her presentation resonated with many in the audience and it was well timed given the previous video (which I hope you’ve watched). According to the TEDx info brief : – ‘Fungai Machirori has worked in HIV/ AIDS communication since 2006. She is also a published author and poet. She also maintains her own blog: Fungaineni. Most recently Fungai released a poetry anthology with three other Zimbabwean women titled ‘Sunflowers in you Eyes’. She is the founder of HerZimbabwe, an online platform for young women to share their personal stories’. Fungaineni resides here.

Fungai spoke about how HerZimbabwe was born and what she hopes to achieve with this special project. Some interesting facts – when the website was launched, it crashed after over thirty thousand hits on its first day. Since then, it continues to make inroads and they receive various correspondence from Zimbabwean women planted across the globe.

Limbikani Makani

Limbikani is someone I’ve known ‘virtually’ for a few years now. IF you’re interested in Tech in Zimbabwe and you don’t know what he does and/or his involvement, then you need to follow him personally on Twitter and check out the website he runs – Technology Zimbabwe  also known as TechZim on Twitter. Limbikani is someone I would and often probe about what’s going on within the technology arena in Zimbabwe. He has and continues to provide information on the local landscape and have a wealth of knowledge to share. Please subscribe to the TechZim newsletter (I have).

His presentation revolved around the internet and urged us to collaborate more with our various projects. He spoke passionately about open source solutions and how useful it is to access information via the internet and how it is changing the way Zimbabweans view the world and indeed vice versa.

In Summary

I walked away from this event and felt that I gained a new perspective on various projects that are going on in and around the community. I was really inspired by what I saw and heard. One aspect resonated for me, and that is change (in the non political sense), doesn’t require that much effort. As people, I find we often over complicate things. I learnt change starts with you first. Naturally it could affect the members of your family and then the wider community. I believe that is one effective method of changing a community – start at home. Don’t be afraid to run with that ‘crazy idea’ you have or become the changemaker you were destined to be. You have no idea where this path will take you until you try.

I learnt that we need each other. As much as I have tried (and trust me I have), I cannot achieve as much I do without the other people around me. I need them and whether they admit this or not, in some way they need me too. Together we can. I firmly believe that collaboration is vital if Zimbabwe is to truly achieve its potential.

I encourage those who can, to attend the next TEDx events. This is only one of the national conversations currently taking place and you’re all invited to participate.

Till the next TEDx event….

Aluta continua

African Union Youth Volunteers Corps (AU-YVC) is a continental development program that recruits and works with youth volunteers, to work in all 53 countries in Africa.

AU-YVC promotes volunteering to deepen the status of young people in Africa as key participants in the delivery of Africa’s human development targets and goals. It brings people together to share skills, knowledge, creativity and learning to build a more integrated Continent.

Requirements:

- Africans or youth of African decent

- Age 18 – 34

- Youth with post secondary certified training and qualifications

- Available to dedicate 12 (twelve) months (extendible) for volunteer work

- Good knowledge of at least one official AU languages (Arabic, English, French, Portuguese) and willing to learn others

- Verifiable experience in past volunteer work of minimum 1 year

Apply Today & become a Youth Volunteer! Visit: www.africa-youth.org/auyvc

The future is not fixed. We all have a hand in how it plays out. TEDxChange is a partnership of TED and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, designed to act as a catalyst for global conversations on ideas worth spreading on health, development, and education issues.

TEDxChange 2012 is convened by Melinda French Gates and hosted by Chris Anderson

The current economic climate has drawn our focus to immediate needs closest to home. But now, more than ever, it’s critical to keep sight of the fact that we are part of interdependent, global community. And too many within that community cannot meet their most basic needs: food, clean water, life-saving medical treatment and vaccines.

We can’t proceed with business as usual.

On April 11, 2012, we’ll take a step back and look at the big picture: Why should we, as a society, continue to invest in global health and development? How can we work across borders and political boundaries to make positive change? And what returns can we expect on our investments?

For more details on the speakers and the event itself please visit this link: -http://www.facebook.com/events/265185083571226/

Venue: - Alliance Francaise, 328 Herbet Chitepo Avenue, Harare, Zimbabwe

Time: - 6pm to 9pm

Harare, March 14, 2012: The U.S. Embassy Public Affairs Section (PAS) is supporting Zimbabwe’s first ever ‘ladies night’ at Harare’s premier journalist meeting place, the Quill Club, on Thursday.

“The Quill Club is an institution in Harare and we are eager to see the women journalists have their say there,” says Sharon Hudson-Dean, Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Embassy. “This ladies night is part of Women’s History Month and will include a panel discussion of gender in the media. It is also part of our year-long mentoring program for young women journalists to help them improve their reporting skills and take on higher-level responsibilities in their professional work.”

Since September 2011, PAS, in partnership with local NGO Humanitarian Information Facilitation Centre (HIFC), has been supporting a unique one-year program – the Women Journalists Mentoring Program (WJMP) – for young Zimbabwean women journalists to develop better professional writing and leadership skills. Program activities have included on-on-one pairing with experienced mentors; group meetings and discussions with seasoned journalists from Zimbabwe and the United States; and specialized training sessions within and outside the country. There are thirty participants in the program drawn from various media houses, including ZBC, Zimpapers, Alpha Media, the Daily News and regional newspapers.

Panellists at the event will include Barnabas Thondlana, former Quill Club chairperson, veteran journalist Grace Mutandwa, and Hudson-Dean. The Quill Club is the prime meeting place for local and foreign journalists in Harare and hosts regular discussion sessions with business, political and civil society representatives. Stanley Gama, editor of the Daily News, chairs the current executive and is deputized by documentary film maker Richard Mashave- ZimPAS© March 14, 2012

The United States Embassy is supporting a brainstorming session to raise awareness about the 2011 Apps4Africa: Climate Challenge.  The March 6 session will take place at the Media Centre in Harare starting at 8.30 am. The goal is to develop local solutions to climate change adaptation in southern Africa. Targeted participants include: civil society players, policy makers, academics and technology innovators.

“We are excited that Zimbabwe is one of the four countries in southern Africa eligible to participate in this contest.  It is an excellent opportunity to highlight Zimbabwean solutions, innovations, and technologies to address climate change,” says Jillian Bonnardeaux, Acting Spokesperson at the U.S. Embassy.  “We support Zimbabwean participation in this competition and in doing so demonstrate our commitment to the growth of science and technology fields in Zimbabwe.”

Other eligible countries are Mozambique, Botswana and Madagascar.

The brainstorming session will be facilitated by Marieme Jamme, head of Spotone Global Solutions, the accredited organizer of the contest which will also support the winners with their marketing and communication strategies. The session will explore possible technology options to climate change challenges in Zimbabwe based on an understanding of current issues of climate change in the country. The contest builds on the outcomes of regional climate change adaptation workshops organized by the Adaptation Partnership, which includes the United States and more than 20 other countries.

2011-12 Apps4Africa: Climate Challenge promotes African solutions to climate change. Winners of the contest will be announced in April and they will receive prizes, including cash awards. Challenge partners, including TED Conferences and Indigo Trust, contribute technical assistance, prizes, and follow-on support for the new applications developed.

For more information, please contact Sharon Hudson-Dean, Counselor for Public Affairs, E-mail: HudsonDeanS@state.gov Tel. +263 4 758800-1, Fax: 758802, cell +263 912 559 784

Or

Mariéme Jamme, Group CEO, Spotone Global Solutions (London)

Contact contest coordinator at spotone@apps4Africa.org or visit us on the web

at www.apps4africa.org

I have spoken to many people about the Indigenisation & Economic Empowerment laws in Zimbabwe. I am still trying to fully grasp what all this actually means to me as a Zimbabwean. How does it assist the people I know (or more importantly those people I don’t) who could actually benefit from the various programmes the government have either put in place or intends to put in place?

Nevertheless, I have come to the conclusion that BEFORE we speak about Indigenisation in Zimbabwe, we should perhaps read or at least preview the documents attached below. We might actually be surprised…

Indigenisation Regulations

http://www.box.com/embed/xxehd3p9vb0gggq.swf

Here is the Seeff 1st Quarter Real Estate Report: - First_Quarter_Property_Report[1]

 

I firmly believe Zimbabweans have every right to know how the diamonds are adding value to their own lives. Here’s a Global Witness report dated February 2012 entitled Diamonds A good deal for Zimbabwe? What are your thoughts?

The 2012 budget will focus on the following issues:

1. Consolidating macro-economic stability, founded on an anti-cyclical macro-economic framework;

2. Deliberate focus on inclusive growth with jobs;

3. Attending to the issue of capital formation through Public

4. Sector Investments, with special emphasis on completing outstanding capital projects as opposed to green fields;

5. Ensuring and establishing food security;

6. Redesigning the financial services sector to promote savings, financial deepening, viability, sustainable finance to the business sector, as well as reduction of financial sector vulnerability;

7. Decentralising allocation of resources, with special emphasis on even and equal treatment of Provinces;

8. Investment in social services delivery, in particular health and education;

9. Creating a conducive “Doing Business Environment””;

10. Monetising the Peace Process, in particular the Constitutional

11. Referendum, National Healing and the GPA democratisation imperators;

12. Tackling critical enablers, in particular energy, water and sanitation; and

13. Special focus on rural under-development through addressing rural energy, water and agriculture.

Biti’s focus is ‘the pursuit of inclusive growth, growth with jobs is the focus of this budget’.

Key budget points:

Domestic Developments:

1. Overall growth rate to the end of 2011 is still projected at 9.3%

2. This growth momentum is anticipated to be maintained in 2012 at 9.4%, underpinned by further positive performance in finance (23%), mining (15.8%), tourism (13.7%), agriculture (11.6%), manufacturing (6%), and transport and communication (6%).

Of the transport and communication, ICTs account for 55%, reflecting the large investments being made in that area.

Gross Capital Formation:

1. Countries such as China and India with gross capital formations of more than 50% and 32% of GDP, respectively, have managed to sustain high growth rates of more than 8% annually

2. For developing countries such as Zimbabwe, gross capital formation of at least 30% of GDP is required to facilitate high and sustainable growth rates.

3. Between 2009 and 2010, the country’s gross capital formation remained below 30%, ranging between 15-22% of GDP and is expected to remain within that range in 2011 .– 2012

Foreign Direct Investment:

Zimbabwe’s capital account inflows, thus, remain a sad story, with 2011 foreign direct investment levels at US$125 million.

Agriculture:

The agricultural sector requires more than US$2 billion annually to fully take advantage of its potential the projected growth in agricultural production

of 11.6% in 2012 takes account of the number of financing facilities established by Government, the banking sector, co-operating partners, seed and fertilizer suppliers in support of the preparation for the 2011/2012 agricultural season.

Mining:

1. The 2011 growth for the sector estimated at 25.8%, marginally down on the initial forecast of 33%.

2. In 2012, mining is anticipated to remain the major driving force behind overall economic growth, benefitting from further private capital injections, firm international commodity prices and anticipated initiatives to minimise electricity supply interruptions

Manufacturing:

1. Further recovery in both agriculture and mining should have positive spill over benefits for manufacturing industry, which is projected to register a 6% growth in 2012.

2. Challenges to be overcome include mobilisation of additional lines of credit for industrial re-tooling and other working capital requirements.

3. Sub-sectors anticipated to drive growth in manufacturing will include food stuffs (6%), wood and furniture (8%), metals and metal products (11%), and non-metal products (25%).

Capacity Utilisation:

1. Developments during the first half of the year to June 2011 indicate that overall average capacity utilisation in the manufacturing sector improved to about 57.2%, compared to 43.7% last year

2. Capacity utilisation in some of the higher performing sub-sectors is set to significantly improve, from current average levels of around 65%.

3. Capacity utilisation in such sub-sectors as clothing, textiles and printing is set to remain poor, with levels of as low as 20% anticipated in some industries

4. Major factors constraining capacity utilisation include low product demand, obsolete machinery susceptible to frequent breakdowns, lack of working capital and raw materials

Electricity:

1. Notwithstanding targeted and on-going rehabilitation programmes at Hwange, Kariba and small thermal power stations, power supply remains a major challenge for economic recovery.

2. In 2011 alone, about US$40 million was disbursed for the energy programmes, however, resulting in only un-sustained marginal gains in power generation

3. The targeted power supply in 2011 of 1 600 MW remains a challenge, as only an average of 1 105 MW has so far been realised, though some output improvement from 952 MW in 2010.

4. In 2012, electricity output is projected at 1 244 MW, reflecting only a 4.5% growth, a far cry from power supply levels required to drive sustainable increased production activity power supply remains a major noose around the economy.

5. Uninterrupted electricity supply will, however, hinge on sustained investments in power generation and transmission which, will require the contribution of all beneficiaries

Tourism:

1. Further work towards overcoming negative perceptions over our country is required.

2. Some success towards re-branding Zimbabwe’s tourism facilities and infrastructure under the theme – “Zimbabwe: A World of Wonders.” coupled with the self-evident reduction of internal disharmony over the last 35 months, is being noted.

3. The successful bid by Zimbabwe to co-host with Zambia the 2013 United Nations World Tourism Organisation General Assembly is, therefore, a positive development for the country. Successful hosting of this event should further boost tourist arrivals.

4. The partial recovery of tourism has seen growth in average bed occupancy from 36% in 2010 to 37% in 2011.

Information Communication Technology:

1. Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector remains one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy. According to the International Telecommunications Union (ITU), Zimbabwe was ranked 124 out of 152, jumping four places from the 128 it was in 2008

2. Concurrently, the voice penetration rate or tele-density has improved, reaching 68% in 2011, of which mobile penetration accounted for 65%, making Zimbabwe one of the countries with the highest rates alongside South Africa, Botswana, and Mozambique.

3. However, the internet penetration rate at around 13% remains below the international levels of 26.6%, although above the regional average of 11%.

4. Cumulatively, the three mobile service providers share close to 8.1 million subscribers, up from 7.7 million last year

Transport:

1. Rail transport is the most competitive mode of transport for bulk goods internally, and with external markets

2. The poor state of our rail transport system and network continues to undermine the competitiveness of Zimbabwean goods in markets

3. Major challenges at the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) relate to run-down track, obsolete signalling systems and rolling stock.

Construction:

1. Construction activity is often a useful barometer for underlying business activity in any economy

2. The stabilisation of the macro-economic environment since 2009 has allowed the construction sector to slowly emerge from the crisis of the past decade, with positive growth of 1% estimated for 2011 and 1.5% for 2012

3. Challenges related to intermittent supply side bottlenecks of such critical inputs as cement and bricks, coupled with under-capitalisation of the major construction companies and liquidity constraints, all serve to limit the sector’s capacity to seize on emerging green shoots of economic recovery.

4. With gradual improvement in investment in the production of the key building materials such as cement and bricks, activity in the sector is set to improve

National Housing:

Government has availed the US$25 million facility in 2010 through the IDBZ for housing projects in various local authorities.

Of this amount, US$14.8 million has so far been spent on various housing projects in a number of local authorities, which include:

• Willowvale Flats; Sunway City, Dzivarasekwa and Marimba in Harare;

• Lower Paradise in Marondera

• Mbizo in Kwekwe;

• Chikanga in Mutare;

• Parklands in Bulawayo;

• Checheche in Chipinge; and

• Nemamwa in Masvingo;

• Spitzkop in Gwanda; and

• Tshobani in Chiredzi.

Inflation:

1. Since the inauguration of our Inclusive Government 35 months ago, inflation management and oversight remains the apogee of our macro-economic targets

2. Annual inflation, which started the year at 3.5%, dropped to

3. 2.5% in the second quarter of the year. By the third Quarter of

4. The year, inflation was on the rise, reaching 3.3% in July, 3.5% in August and 4.3% in September. Month on month inflation also oscillated in almost the same pattern.

5. Developments in the month of October witnessed some reversal, with monthly inflation falling to 0.1%. Monthly inflation in September was 0.8%, a level last registered in March. The significant deceleration in inflation during October saw the year on-year inflation falling to 4.2%.

6. The major drivers of inflation so far in 2011 have been housing and rental costs, alcohol and food.

7. There was a sharp increase of 0.5% in food prices between August and September, related to unwarranted retrogressive price adjustments on some basic commodities, following review of import duties.

8. International oil prices have been volatile and mostly on the decline from April 2011. However and surprisingly, there was no corresponding movement in domestic prices

9. Our domestic price developments also reflect the economic integration pattern between our economy and that of South Africa, a major source of our imports. Some of the price movements in South Africa are reproduced asymmetrically in Zimbabwe.

10. Government review of utility tariffs has also had a bearing on inflationary pressures in the economy, in particular the 31% electricity adjustment in September 2011

11. Projections to year end, however, show annual average inflation remaining within the targeted range of 3.5-4.5%.

12. Our inflation levels remain within the SADC macroeconomic convergence criteria thresholds.

Financial Services:

1. There is no doubt that, over the last 35 months, developments in the financial sector have been progressively upwards, with the deposit base now estimated at US$3.3 billion by end of September 2011.

2. It is estimated that over US$2 billion remains outside the formal banking system, on account of absence of incentives and historical confidence concerns, among others

3. In 2012, the deposit base is estimated at above US$3.8 billion, of which about 80% will be available for lending.

4. Lending to the productive sectors grew to US$2.59 billion over the period, constituting 78.4% of total deposits. Primary beneficiaries were in the sectors of agriculture (18%), manufacturing, (20%), distribution (19%) and mining (6%).

5. However, compared to previous years, there is a gradual shift in the proportion of lending towards services, construction, communication and individuals, while the share of lending to agriculture, mining and manufacturing remained relatively stagnant.

6. Beneficiaries continue to face high lending interest rates of about 15-30%, against deposit rates of as low as 0.2%.

The entire 2012 National Budget Statement is located here – http://www.zimtreasury.org/downloads/930.pdf