Achievements and Performance History:
The YWCA has excelled in the following areas expanded below:
- It has a well-established membership driven Constitution that is amended as and when required during the Council meetings that are held once every two years. These meetings provide democratic spaces for the election of new leaders and the organization has regularly held them to fulfil its Constitution’s obligation.
- Produced leaders through the World YWCA sponsored International Training Institute, Internships, local and World Council and Africa Regional meetings as well as workshops. Some of the leaders have gone on to serve in government and public sector bodies, civil society as well as in the international spheres, including as World YWCA Board members. Some leaders have been influential business leaders. Some have been successful leaders of female-headed households who have cared for and educated their children due to economic empowerment skills provided by the organization.
· The YWCA established 50 branches nationwide with members in all the ten provinces of the country. Each branch is run by an executive committee that replicates the national structure. This structure allows more women to become leaders at local levels and to run their affairs.
· Y-Teen programmes which targeted young girls, developing their leadership qualities and creating safe spaces for the young ones. The Y-teen programmes provide a fertile ground for the development of inter-generational leadership. Some of the young women have become leaders in the various structures of the organization alongside their older and more experienced leaders .Others became national or branch committee members.
· The YWCA supported the World YWCA to establish the Mozambican YWCA by providing them with leadership training including inviting them to attend a Council meeting at the Gweru Centre as part of mentorship.
· The organization was selected to represent the World YWCA at different events comprising HIV/AIDS and Women, Reproductive Health, Women and the Environment (through Appropriate Technology), Commission on the Status of Women, Beijing Conference, UN Sustainable Conference and others.
· It established a tree planting program to create awareness on preservation of the environment as well as the nutritional value of fruit trees at homesteads and at YWCA centres. Additionally, it established nutritional gardens to feed families and for income generation.
· Continues to run successful vocational training programs for young women some of whom have found employment in industries or run their own businesses as well as apply the knowledge in their daily lives.
· Hosted the YWCA Africa Regional and Southern African Regional meetings on behalf of the World YWCA. Such meetings provided opportunities for networking, training in various skills including ICT and others. Young women particularly benefitted by playing various roles in conference settings like meeting delegates on arrival, writing reports and participating and interacting with international delegates.
· The organization has run YWCA centres and hostels for decades and has demonstrated strong project management skills during challenging times that include covid-19 times. In this regard it has hosted important community and national events that have contributed to the awareness of the impact of the YWCA in the lives of women and girls. It has instituted pre-school education for infants in most centres to reduce the unpaid care and domestic work for women, availing them time for self-development.
· Environmental Conservation through Appropriate Technology Development. Contributed to national development through educational and rural outreach programs on the use of appropriate technology and other skills. Such technologies include the drum oven for baking bread and buns, the charcoal fridge, water purification using sand, paper recycling, soap making, tie and dye making and others.
· Belongs to the network of the National Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (NANGO), Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe as well as a member of the Grassroots Women’s Network. Such membership has allowed the organization to take collective action on pertinent issues with like-minded organizations for example in the development of the Domestic Violence Act, commemoration of Rural Women’s Day, World AIDS Day and others.
· An associate member of the Zimbabwe Council of Churches that shares its Christian identity and service to communities’ ethos. Putting its faith in action for social change forward, the YWCA has been able to bring together women and girls of different faiths to work together and develop their communities.
· Regularly participated in national processes through election observations of harmonized national elections.
· Contributed to providing a safe and conducive accommodation environment for tertiary education students at its hostels.
· Conducted community Innovations In Response to Covid-19 in 2020 thus reducing the vulnerability of women and girls through improved income, relief and education during the COVID-19 crisis through providing start-ups and scaling up of business entities under safety and health protocols
· Contributed to the recognition and respect for women’s leadership through women-led community projects (nutritional gardens, granary storage units, drum ovens, educational centres, production of sanitary ware, hostels).
· Provided counselling services to GBV members especially during the pandemic.
· Mobilized and continues to mobilize dignity kits for vulnerable girls and schools at the same time offering Sexual and Reproductive health information to them.
· Worked with Agri-bank, now AFC Holdings to offer financial literacy trainings to women and girls.
· Offered Digital Literacy Training programs to rural young women and girls and issued certificates of attendance.
· Worked together with Women’s Emancipation Dream since 2020 to target vulnerable mothers with babies as well as with children with disabilities.
Structures of YWCA Zimbabwe
YWCA shall have the following organs:
a) The YWCA Council Meeting and the Extra ordinary Council Meeting
b) The National Executive Committee
c) The Regional Committees
d) YWCA Local Branches
e) The Secretariat
Membership
YWCA is a membership based organisation, where members are affiliated through annual subscriptions and the contribution used towards activities and project that enhance their wellbeing. Members have branches and groups according to their residential location and areas of interest in terms of business ventures, making it easier to work with them as per group that is led by a branch chairperson. Every quarter members have meet and make plans for the following quarter in line with their informed action plan. Members determine the direction in which the organisation goes as well as the leadership for both the region and the national board members. The apex of these meetings is the YWCA Council which is held after every 3 years to determine the new board leadership.
Why Join?
Be part of YWCA Zimbabwe today and unravel a host of benefits for yourself such as exposure to networking and collaborative events, access to vast knowledge within the women’s movement, safe spaces and dialogue spaces, empowering activities, learning opportunities that seeks to unite women, unleash their collective power and reach their full potential as well as leadership opportunities within the broader association.
How to become a member
· Pay an annual subscription
Contact the following in your respective provinces for more information on Call or WhatsApp
· Mashonaland and Harare: 0771098264
· Midlands: 0772837343
· Matabeleland and Bulawayo: 0771072988
Support Us
By being a paid up member and actively taking part in all YWCA programmes
By contributing financially towards the equipping of women and girls to fulfil their potential
By collaborating with us and participating in activities for a collective and more meaningful voice