Zimbabwe

The MBB Zimbabwe Initiative educated coordinated and built capacity among civil society in order to facilitate peaceful change and enhance community problem-solving in Zimbabwe.

In September 2009, a project team traveled to Zimbabwe to conduct an assessment for the project.  Following the initial assessment trip by four MBB members and three Rotary International members, MBB received a $5,000 grant towards the cost of training NGOs in Bulawayo that were working to reduce violence among youth in rural areas.

Team Leader:

• Lavina Hall

Team members:

• John van Merrienboer, Netherlands,
• Tom Fiutak, USA,
• Sharon (Sheri) Maier, USA

In July 2010, two MBB project team members, one from the U.S. and the other from the Netherlands, spent two weeks in Zimbabwe. The first week was spent in Bulawayo conducting negotiation and mediation training with representatives from NGOs, clergy members, educators and community organizers working with rural youth and interested in creating "opportunities for peace", the theme of the training.

The two members then spent several days meeting in Bulawayo and Harare with NGO, civil society and government staff to plan further programs on trauma awareness and community healing in areas with experience of extensive violence between ethnic and political groups. Future work on that along with plans for transitional justice and reconciliation dialogues were not pursued due to lack of funding and the project ended in early 2011.