Peace clubs sprouting in Tsholotsho

Heal Zimbabwe Trust has said the Isolezwe Peace club in Tsholotsho North, Ward 1 and Kugara Hunzwanana Peace club in Mazowe, Ward 11 have utilised collaborative neutral platforms to preach the message of peace in their communities.

The Trust said the two clubs who are part of many peace clubs formed by HZT in local communities with the niche of promoting peace and community cohesion met on 21 July with other villagers and carried out nhimbes for the underprivileged as a social responsibility act.

"The nhimbes managed to bring people from different political and religious groupings and tribes together to work and foster a culture of tolerance within communities where people from diverse cultures and affiliations can work together regardless of political, tribal and religious differences," said the Trust.

"The Kugara Hunzwanana Peace Club in Mazowe met at a homestead belonging to the Zvanyanya's family in Motsi village ward 11 and assisted them in repairing their toilet which was destroyed by incessant rains that left a trail of destructions in the area. 30 Peace club members repaired  the toilet, a bathing area and also gave groceries to the family."

The Trust said Chairperson of Kugara Hunzwanana Peace Club, Hilton Chironga, commended community  members who had come to participate in the nhimbe and highlighted the need for communities to strive for a peaceful and prosperous environment that values and cherishes the importance of tolerance and community cohesion. He said such oneness contributes towards peace, stability and community development.

"In Tsholotsho North Ward 1, Isolezwe Peace Club also met and organised a clean-up campaign at Samahuru Clinic which serves the local community," said the Trust. "The nhimbe was attended by 48 community members from different wards within the proximity of the clinic. In attendance were also two Headmasters,  Ntaka from Samahuru High School, and Nkomazana from Samahuru Primary School."

The Trust said they both commended the work being done by Isolezwe Peace Club which has managed to bring people from diverse backgrounds to work towards community development and peace.

"The work of Isolezwe Peace Club has managed to bring tolerance and understanding to this community, through the work that they have done, we now relate better and services at our local clinic has improved because we now interact more with the staff here because the peace club created that platform", said Nkomazana.

The community collaborative platforms also served as an opportunity for community members to discuss issues that include the functions and roles of the National Peace and Reconciliation Commission (NPRC) and the role of traditional leaders in conflict mitigation and peace building.

The discussions especially on the NPRC during the two activities left the communities with the zeal to mobilize other members and leaders to lobby for the full operationalisation of the NPRC.