Kufusa Mari Project Launched in Mutasa District

By Regai Tsunga
Tuesday was a day of celebration in the Mutasa District of Eastern Zimbabwe, as the ASAP Africa Zimbabwe team finally launched the ISL project. Over ninety women and children were presented with certificates recognizing their achievement and proficiency in managing internal savings and lending activities.The launch came almost one year after the signing of the project agreement by Plan International and ASAP. During the three-year project partnership ASAP will improve the household security and income for over 2000 individuals mostly women and children through providing training in the internal savings and lending methodology. This delay was caused by the unilateral ban of NGO operations by the Government of Zimbabwe in 2008 following the disputed “harmonized” national elections. The ban was only lifted in September 2008 at which time programming also resumed. The day was marked with testimonies by Kufusa Mari participants showcasing products, demonstrating how the project was making a difference in their lives through the use of drama, and encouraging others to participate. Mrs. Portia Chitendeni explains: ”We are three in our club and in October last year we borrowed zwd 90,000 from the project. If was not easy because we were grappling with inflation, but we managed to buy 6 kgs of sugar that we exchanged with three buckets of maize. We sold them at 600 Rand and we changed 50 rands for us to return the zwd 90,000 we had borrowed. We sent someone o South Africa to buy some blankets and from there up to date we are buying and selling property. We never lack anything to eat or school fees for our children and our husbands are really supportive of this project. Kufusa Mari Project has really changed our lives.” Pictured here, Headman Sanyamandwe addresses the crowd that gathered at Pafiwa School for the celebration. Government officials from various ministries were present in support of the launch and these included officers from the Ministries of Women Affairs, Education, Local Government, Youth, Agriculture, Social Welfare and Health. ASAP' Country Director, Regai Tsunga (purple tie) hosted the Program Support Manager from Plan International, Dr Batholomew Mupeta and a team of other Plan staff that included the Resource Mobilization Manager, Mr Makoni and the Mutasa Program Unit Manager, Mr Stanley Dawa. Dr Mupeta expressed profound satisfaction at the progress the project was making and looked forward to increased cooperation between his organization and ASAP. He encouraged the Mutasa community to participate in this community managed micro finance project and improve the quality of their lives. Mr. Tsunga recognized the hard work and achievement of ASAP's Kufusa Mari field team, a group of talented professionals headed up by Joseph Miti (on the right) in Zimbabwe, as they enjoy the day and participate in the celebrations. Tsunga also expressed joy that the project was progressing well despite the previous challenges relating to the NGO ban, political polarization, restrictive and counterproductive national monetary policies and the hyper-inflation. He said the use of multiple currencies notably the USD and Rand following the suspension of Zimbabwe dollar as official tender will result in enhanced project impact.

The Big Read

Next week, April 20-26, is Global Action Week. The Global Campaign for Education is asksing individuals and communities to read a story and sign a petition on behalf of the millions of people worldwide who cannot read or go to school. On June 16, the Big Read book and collection of petition signatures will be delivered to President Obama. Click here to go to The Big Read to learn more about joining this effort.

ASAP’s BTG Project Contributes to Ministry of Education 100 DAY TARGET

by Regai Tsunga
In Zimbabwe the Ministry of Education, under the new inclusive unity government, has identified provision of text books as a top priority. A 100 day target has been set to reduce the student to text book ration to 1:3 to allow for meaningful use by pupils. For some schools, the textbook to pupil ratio had gone up to 1:40. In such a situation the children sit in threes with the one at the center having the book directly in front while the other two flank the child at the center and read from either side.ASAP is happy to be contributing to this target again this year through the Bridge the Gap Math teacher training project, which is already making a difference at Grade 7 level by providing Math revision materials for pupils in 2009. Previously, through a Rotary sponsored a literacy book drive, by working together, the Peachtree City Rotary Club, along with the Fayette Daybreak, Fayetteville & Borrowdale Brooke (Harare) Rotary Clubs, ASAP was able to provide two 20 foot shipping containers of gently used reading and text books to improve the situation in the BTG schools.

ASAP was honored by a recent visit by the Provincial Education Director for Manicaland, Mr. Peter Muzawazi. During discussions, he informed ASAP’s Bridge the Gap Project Manager, Collins Mutsvairo (center), of the new initiative.From a textbook survey conducted by the Ministry in the province, the text book situation in most schools had deteriorated to unprecedented proportions. After the teacher, the textbook is regarded as the next most important and indispensable resource for effective teaching and learning.

Small World Indeed

Tom Arsenault, ASAP's President, enjoyed sharing information about ASAP's program last week-end on a spectacularly beautiful spring day on the riverfront in Savannah GA.

Michelle Riley, from the Freeplay Foundation happened to stop by ASAP's information booth. Michelle is the only US staff member of this Foundation, which is based in South Africa and the UK. ASAP provided Freeplay's hand cranked radios to rural schools in Zimbabwe for years. The majority of rural schools where ASAP works do not have electricity, so with Freeplay radios, schools could access educational programming as well as short wave broadcasts which were not subject to government controls.

There are no coincidences and we look forward to building on the synergy between Freeplay and ASAP as we work to improve the daily lives of the rural poor in Africa.

Savings Brings Smiles

By Regai Tsunga
It is once again all smiles as these ladies from Sherukuru Village in Mutasa go through their routine savings and lending Session. These pictures, taken by Collins Mutsvairo today, show that saving in USD has brought much joy and relief to ASAP’s VSL groups. The value of savings is now guaranteed and the prospects for handsome returns on their investments are huge. Click here to read more about ASAP's VSL project.
Having seen all their savings in Zimbabwe dollars eroded and made worthless manure by the rampaging inflation, it was all gloom and doom for the otherwise enterprising rural women. The dollarisation of the Zimbabwe economy has resulted in the virtual condemnation of the local currency as all goods and services are now sold in the stable USD, South African Rand and the Botswana Pula.

ASAP Field Officers continue to maintain high visibility within the communities to instill confidence given the previous recent negative experiences with the Zimbabwe Dollar.

ASAP Africa Spring Newsletter

We are delighted to share our spring newsletter with you today.
Click here to learn about all the new activities going on at ASAP in Malawi and Zimbabwe.

We welcome your questions & comments and appreciate your interest & support.

CORDAID official visits ASAP projects in Malawi...pledges financial support

“What is crucial in your programs is that the poor themselves harness their own capabilities to become the real actors and agents in development, shaping all development processes and projects affecting them”. This comment came from Mark Rietveld, CORDAID´s Program Officer responsible for Entrepreneurship Sector, after spending the day hosted by the ASAP Malawi team on March 26. Mark visited ASAP in Malawi to get a sense of what was happening on the ground and establish a long-term relationship. His visit included a meeting with management staff at the ASAP Malawi Offices and field visits to the project sites.

The visit gave Mark an opportunity to hear and see for himself what ASAP had achieved within three months with financial support from CORDAID.
After the meeting with management it was time to match office reports with what had been done at community level. In this picture Mark listens to presentations from local leaders at Jailosi village.Here he was briefed by community leaders and Village Savings and Lending group leaders. The local leaders commended ASAP for changing the mindset of community members and giving them skills and knowledge to be able to find solutions to their economic problems using the locally available resources.

They also expressed their desire for ASAP to increase the number of field staff so that the program can service more villages within the community in view of the high demand for ASAP services.
In this picture Mark is welcomed at Chazunzika village by dancing VS&L group members.
Pictured here are jubilant VS&L group members dancing after explaining and showing the visitor how they mobilize savings and lend the money among themselves as Mark looks on.

ASAP in tireless efforts to mitigate the impact of looming hunger in Chikwawa ...distributes fifty treadle pumps to affected households in Malawi

In a move that has been described as first of its kind by both the District Commissioner (DC) and District Agricultural Development Officer (DADO) for Chikwawa, ASAP in collaboration with its developmental partner, Total Land Care (TLC) distributed treadle pumps and farm input packs to fifty community members that have been severely hit by the widespread drought in Chikwawa district. This was done with a view to helping the affected community members to start small-scale irrigation. Pictured here are ASAP Program Manager (left), Victor Katchika-Jere, receiving a truckload of treadle pumps and farm inputs from TLC´s Irrigation Specialist, Mlozi Banda.The irrigation package comprises user-friendly and modern “super money maker” treadle pumps and accessories, maize, bean, tomato and onion seed and fertilizer, and is worth US $360. In a bid to fight dependency syndrome and enhance the self-help element, ASAP distributed the irrigation packages to beneficiaries at subsidized prices and not as free handouts.
Before distributing the irrigation package ASAP in collaboration with TLC organised a two-day small-scale irrigation training for the fifty recipients. The group comprised men and women from six villages. Participants were trained in treadle pump assembling, dismantling and maintenance, plot layout and construction of canals. In the picture here, training participants brave the scorching sun to take part in a plot layout session.At the end of the two days of hard work and in-depth discussion, women participants could not help to take to the floor to celebrate their acquisition of new skill and knowledge in style. “This has been a life-changing experience. How I wish ASAP had started their activities in our communities ten years ago! Our situation would have changed for the better by now,” said Chief Chazunzika´s wife who was one of the participants to the training and is captured in this picture leading a group of dancing women.
ASAP is implementing the Chimvano pa Chuma Project (CCP), “Unity for Economic Growth” in the Chichewa language in Chikwawa. The goal of the three-year project is to enhance the socio-economic status at household level for 16,433 beneficiaries living in marginalized communities.

Prayers for ASAP Field Officer's Family

Kenneth Bariri's wife and his 9 month year old son were attacked by cholera on Thursday 19 March 2009. Nurses at Elim Hospital treated the patients and sprayed the whole family members by disinfectants. The two are now in stable condition under detention and close surveillance at the hospital. We pray that they soon recover.

There have been over 4,037 deaths from cholera in Zimbabwe since the outbreak began in August 2008. ASAP field officers are actively involved in cholera prevention in the areas they serve, working together with Catholic Relief Services and UNICEF.

In Malawi last week, Jeanette Batiste was surprise the discover her neighbor's child was also suffering from the disease. To date there have been three cholera cases reported in the Chikwawa region of Malawi.

Chikwawa District Faces Looming Hunger...as widespread drought destroys crops

Submitted by Victor Katchika-Jere
Pictured here is Mrs Mashaweni of Jailosi Village in Ndakwera whose maize crop has been affected beyond redemption. Chikwawa is one of the districts in the Shire Valley where ASAP is implementing the Chimvano pa Chuma Project (CCP). The project comprises Village Savings and Lending (VS&L) Project along with small-scale irrigation and conservation agriculture activities in order to improve livelihoods of the beneficiaries and enhance food security at household level. The demand for such initiatives has heightened due to the continuous and widespread dry spell, which the district is experiencing and has lasted for over four weeks.
The absence of rains coupled with hot weather conditions have led to serious crop conditions. The two project sites for ASAP in the district; Ndakwera and Kabwatika are among the hardest hit according to the recent press release from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security.
In these two areas, the maize crop has reached permanent wilting point such that it would not recuperate even if the rains started falling normally today. While there has been total loss of some maize, the drought tolerant crops like sorghum and pigeon peas are withstanding the dry spell. Thanks to ASAP´s seed multiplication initiative beneficiaries are able to access these drought tolerant varieties!
In view of this development, ASAP is mobilizing communities around small-scale irrigation. ASAP has already planned to provide 50 treadle pumps at subsidized prices to some of the affected community members to start small-scale irrigation using the dams which were constructed to harvest water at the time when rains were falling normally.

Schools in Zimbabwe Open

Schools finally opened in Zimbabwe on March 2nd. Normally the school year begins in January, so there is some catching up to do! This is the fifth and final year of ASAP's Bridge the Gap (BTG) Math education project and teachers and students are working hard to produce results.ASAP, and all other organizations working to improve the quality of life in the Nyanga district of rural Zimbabwe came together for a meeting with Acting District Education Officer Mr. Haukozi before school reopened. It is because of Mr. Haukozi's written request for the BTG project in 2004 that ASAP works in Nyanga District today. As he stated in his letter "...Math stimulates logical thing and develops inquisitive minds."

Cholera in Zimbabwe

Medical experts have forecast that a worst-case scenario in Zimbabwe's rampaging cholera epidemic could see earlier predictions double to 123 000 cases and go beyond May this year. Just over a week ago, according to the Zimbabwean Association of Doctors for Human Rights (ZADHR), the epidemic passed Africa's worst, in Angola in 2007, when over 82 000 people were infected with the highly infectious water-borne disease and 3 204 died. Late last year the World Health Organisation estimated that the worst-case figure could reach 60 000 cases, a level passed already in January. By Friday last week the WHO had recorded 84 027 cases, with 3 894 deaths recorded in Zimbabwe.

Your donation to ASAP today will help prevent the transmission of cholera in the rural villages of Eastern Zimbabwe. CLICK HERE to donate now.

Creative Synergy

ASAP is honored to be a part of Seeds to Cedars a beautifully inspiring creative endeavor by Jessica Davis. Please click here for a preview.


About the Film Maker
I was born and raised in Saudi Arabia. My father was employed
by an oil company based there and I did not come to live in the
states permanently until I was 13. During my time there I was present
to witness the Gulf War. Since that time I have felt strongly drawn
to philanthropic causes and ending global suffering. The task felt so
large, and impossible. During the course of my life, I have witnessed
the “impossible” become the possible. This inspired me to have the
desire to make others aware of how they can not only make the impossible
happen, but allow others to also experience the miracle of it.
Assisting one life can in turn assist the world.

Jessica Davis – Film Maker, Small Business Owner
filmmaker@seeds2cedars.com

".. by looking at the children"

ASAP field officers live in the rural communities where they work, becoming a resource and asset to that very community. From this perspective, the positive impact of the village savings and lending, small business and agricultural skills training are obvious, just by looking at the children in the village. But to donors from the outside of these communities it may not be so obvious. Zimbabwe is experiencing unprecedented hardships, with inflation reaching over 400,000,000%!
During a meeting last week between ASAP, Concern World Wide (CWW) and the European Commission, the question posed after the first year of the three year project - does active participation in savings clubs REALLY improve lives in this environment?
Joseph Miti, ASAP’s Field Operations Manager had to do some convincing, explaining how the 500 resilient and resourceful women already involved the project have adapted the savings club methodology to meet the unprecedented challenges and hardships of life in Zimbabwe today.
The meeting ended on a happy note as ASAP’s Country Director Regai Tsunga and CWW’s Adgar Montalbaa agree to continue the project partnership to work together to benefit an additional 1,000 women and girls in the Katarere area of rural Zimbabwe in the next two years.

Savings and Sorghum in Malawi

Nellie Chisale & Lingstone Ganamba, ASAP Africa Malawi field officers are ready to go out to the communities for a series of progress review meetings.

Getting there can be half the battle now, during the height of the rainy season.

Pictured here, Lingstone and Nellie monitor fertilizer application and scout the garden for a possible attack of pests and disease. This is part of ASAP's sorghum seed multiplication project at Jailosi in Ndakwera area. There are fourteen community members that are participating in the sorghum seed multiplication project in Ndakwera area alone. Each community member has a 0.2 of a hectare. All the fourteen are members to different Village Savings & Lending savings club groups which will be trained by ASAP in managing internal savings and lending and small business skills training.

A Picture = 1,000 Words

Saving Lives in Zimbabwe

For many of us it is difficult to visualize what exactly Cholera prevention looks like in rural Africa. Knowledge is the key where resources are scarce. Life-saving re hydration for someone stricken by Cholera can be as basic as sugar, salt and water. Alfred Jagada, ASAP's Project Manager, shares these photos from a recent staff training session in rural Zimbabwe where over 3,300 have already died from the disease. ASAP is working together with Catholic Relief Services and UNICEF to help prevent the spread of Cholera in the Eastern districts of Zimbabwe.

ASAP Working Together with TLC

In order to ensure food and economic security at household level, ASAP works in close collaboration with Total Land Care (TLC) an organization which specializes in conservation agricultural technologies. TLC, through ASAP, recently supplied twenty-eight community members with sorghum and pigeon pea seed for multiplication. The rural farmers entered into an agreement with ASAP to buy their yield at an agreed price with a view to ensuring that the seed benefits more households within the community. ASAP provides technical support to the participating community members and pictured here is a happy farmer (in a white T-shirt) explaining to ASAP Field Officers Lingstone and Nellie (from left to right) how the pigeon pea crop is fairing in his garden at Kabwatika in Chikwawa district. This was during one of the recent monitoring visits.

ASAP Program Expansion with Catholic Relief Services

ASAP Zimbabwe, in partnership with Catholic Relief Services and UNICEF, will be expanding our work to Chimanimani District. The mountainous area is 100 km south of ASAP's Mutare-base and borders Mozambique. Pictured here, Chimanimani Rural District Council Chief Exec. Officer, Mr Harahwa welcomes ASAP's Country Director, Regai Tsunga to the District at an introductory meeting held yesterday. The two discussed ASAP's activities and how best to work together to benefit the residence. The work will not be easy. With a population of of over 92,800, 48% who are suffering from food insecurity, and 35 deaths from the recent Cholera epidemic ravaging the nation, ASAP's program combining long-term household security and cholera prevention will play an important role in alleviating suffering in the District.

UNICEF supports ASAP's work in Zimbabwe

Today, ASAP in Zimbabwe is proud that UNICEF has contributed to their ability to effectively prevent Cholera by contributing a vehicle. As part of ASAP's ongoing partnership with Catholic Relief Services, ASAP joins together with the international community in working relentlessly to prevent the spread of Cholera in Eastern Zimbabwe. Pictured here, Michael Nemaunga, Collins Mutsvairo (center)ASAP's Bridge the Gap Education Projects Manager, and David Nyakatawa are happy knowing that the children of Zimbabwe will receive life saving information on Cholera prevention during this urgent time of need.

Save Zimbabwe Now

Please click on the link to sign the petition to stop the suffering in Zimbabwe Today!
Please sign this petition now

A Quote from President Obama

"To those leaders around the globe who seek to sow conflict, or blame their society's ills on the West — know that your people will judge you on what you can build, not what you destroy. To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist."

ASAP works to prevent the spread of Cholera

Over 2,200 people have died from the Cholera epidemic ravaging Zimbabwe today. With over 42,000 cases reported, ASAP has shifted focus to respond to this urgent need. How to prevent contracting and spreading this highly contagious disease is crucial information urgently needed by the population. ASAP is responding and pictured here, Joseph Miti, ASAP Africa's Field Operations Manager is working to develop an immediate action plan.

Does Education Save Lives?

According to a Jan 8 IRIN article "Education, a long-neglected sector in emergency response according to some aid groups, is gradually being seen as vital in crises, but donor reluctance to fund it persists partly because they do not see it as life-saving, aid experts say."

In Zimbabwe, ASAP knows only too well how education becomes a low priority in times of crisis.

"We must shift our obsession from how people are dying to how people are living.” Read the entire article- CLICK HERE

"We are happy with the reception so far"

Last week the ASAP Africa Malawi team launched the Village Savings and Lending project and began community field work after months of preparations. The team reports a good turn out of people coming to the meetings, especially considering that it is rainy season, when most people are busy in their gardens. Pictured here, Nellie Chisale, ASAP's field officer, is addressing chiefs and leaders prior to the general communities held in the Ndakwera area.

Why doesn't anyone care???

Our local mayor decided the other day that our city is now his. "Peaceful City is mine." he declared. So the recent election was for not. He has refused to leave his post even though he lost the election. People are at a loss and don't know what to do. He is even having the police arrest members of the opposition who are clamoring for his departure, all on trumped up charges.
It is quite a predicament we are in. Some folks are calling for the state militia to come in and depose him but he has a lot of friends in local politics and it seems no one has the political will to take him out.
Meanwhile the local services continue to decline which is why he lost the election. This is a city that recently was the fruit basket of the South and now imports all it's fruit. People in Peaceful City are suffering and no one on the outside seems to care. Can this be real or just a bad dream?? ;)

It's A Small World Indeed

Janette Batiste, ASAP's Malawi Program Coordinator enjoyed a bit of leisure time in Zanzibar last week and shares this photo.

Super Achievers! Sarah Liparulo & Samantha Parry

Sarah Liparulo & Samantha Parry wanted to make their senior project at Lakeland High School in Pennsylvania really count. When Sarah first sent and email to ASAP early in 2008 she was frustrated and discouraged. Her enthusiasm to contribute significantly to an organization that helps to empower impoverished women in Africa were repeatedly ignored until she contacted ASAP.

Since that day, Sarah and Sam have raised $1,245.04 for ASAP Africa! According to Sarah, "We could have picked a simple, easy project to do to help us graduate, but we chose to take on the world. It brings tears to our eyes when we realize how much money we have raised."It wasn't easy, and even through personal crises and bureaucratic delays that would have disillusioned many, Sarah and Samantha never gave up!

At ASAP we are elated that two seniors "on a mission"will contribute significantly to ASAP's work to improved the income and household security of women in Zimbabwe, where the collapsing economy and cholera epidemic are devastating an already impoverished nation.

Winter Newsletter Available

The 2008-2009 Winter Newsletter is up for viewing on the ASAP website. You can access the letter here or from our website, www.asapafrica.org. Read about all of our recent activity and plans for the future.

New Grant Funding Partner!

ASAP is pleased to announce the receipt of a EUR 20,000 grant in support of ASAP's Village Savings and Lending pilot project in Malawi from the Catholic Organization for Relief and Development Aid. Cordaid serves all aspects of development cooperation: emergency aid, structural poverty alleviation and healh care, working closely together with local organizations. ASAP looks forward to working together with Cordaid to help those in rual Malawi improve their own lives through micro-finance and entreprneurship projects.

ASAP 2007/2008 Annual Report

All of us at ASAP Africa are pleased to share our 2007/8 annual report with you.

It is a time of desperate need in Zimbabwe today and we need your help more than ever. We hope you will add ASAP to your Christmas list this year as we work together to make poverty history.

Giving Thanks

The Thanksgiving holiday has said its goodbyes and we are now all gearing up, sweeping our chimneys so the old man in red does not develop respiratory issues as he slides down them to deliver our iPods, cell phones, and in my case, new hubcaps. I'm sure as we were all sitting around our tables with family or friends taking in an average of 3000 calories (according to www.acefitness.org), there was too much happiness to think about parts of our planet where people don't fret over burning the sweet potatoes, but whether they'll have enough water to make it through another day. One place on our mind at all times at ASAP is, of course, Zimbabwe. According to recent articles, the citizens of a country once known as the "breadbasket of Africa" are now resorting to finding bugs on sticks, even termites to aid their hunger. Mothers are desperately pleading for help to feed their malnourished children, but their cries are increasingly answered with silence. To exacerbate the food crisis, cholera and anthrax are making their way through the country threatening humans and livestock. Due to unbelievable hunger, some are still ingesting the infected meat, making the severity of the outcome largely unknown and dangerous.

One may ask themselves whether this is all due to politics, but at this point the situation is so hard to unravel the important thing is getting these people help. So while most Americans ate their fair share of yams and sipped on egg nog before going and spending a total over $40 billion in stores on "Black Friday" (which is well over the $2 billion GDP of Zimbabwe in its entirety, and that figure is likely exagerated), those in Zimbabwe were wondering why they do not have the abundance such hard working people deserve. All of us having access to read this blog, or to clean water and sanitation, should be so thankful and so happy for the many things we are given in life, and keep in mind over the holidays those that are unable to rush the entrance of department stores for sales on HD TVs and other electronics whose operational techniques are mysteries to most of us that own them.

The following were referneced in this post:
CIA World Factbook- Zimbabwe
The Independent- World News

New Office in Malawi

When people go to work, they shouldn't have to leave their hearts at home.
-Betty Bender

Our ASAP Malawi staff have created a new home for their work in the Chikwawa district. The small sea-foam green building with a satellite protruding from the roof (picture below) might not be similar to high-rise office buildings that carry suits from floor to floor in boxes rising and falling on ropes that are strong enough until they aren’t (picture not included), but this office indeed has heart, excitement, compassion, and running water. Why should we not rejoice? This office will be the point where many will begin their journey to independence, to better education and health, and to a world where progression is valued equally with cultural preservation. Our staff is thrilled to report the recent construction of their desks and that they will imminently enjoy the internet (the IT worker should arrive between tomorrow and the next business month).

However, the Chikwawa office is not only a place of business. It is an assembly point for the community where residents will acquire the skills necessary to grow and increase their productivity. The building is beautiful in its own right, and the staff in each ASAP location is more than ecstatic to have a solid foundation for our work, but the work they are completing in the structure has a value of much more than any building the world has to offer.

The Chikwawa office

Victor enjoying the new sink

Jeanette (top) and Owen use their desks to their full potential

The Elders Set to Visit Zimbabwe

The Elders, a group of twelve global peace activists, is sending three prominent members to Zimbabwe in hopes of fostering some sort of moderation in the increasingly precarious political and economic situation. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter, former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, and Graça Machel, an international activist for women’s and children’s rights and wife of Nelson Mandela, are set to arrive in the country on the 22^nd of November and begin a purely humanitarian mission.

The Elders are hoping to raise awareness of the factors causing Zimbabwe’s decline as international attention has drifted elsewhere while Zimbabweans continue to suffer. The belief is that with more attention on the experiences of the people, the developed world will be more inclined to demand action. Some impart that even these experts are underestimating the state of Zimbabwe at the moment where disease such as cholera is rampant, and poverty coupled with powerful nation sanctions are distressing the common man more than the ruling parties. Although the group has emphasized that their trip is only to look at the humanitarian aspects, there is no feasible way the world-renowned figures can exit the nation without suggesting the political deadlock be resolved. It is their duty as resolution architects to insist on aiding the afflicted who have endured crisis after crisis. However, with leaders such as these tending to their aid in the nation, the situation gains a hope it did not possess before.

More information can be found in this SW Radio Africa article.

Uncertain Future for Power Sharing

Zimbabwe power sharing talks seem to have taken a downturn in the past days. While external international influences have applauded the idea of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader, Morgan Tsvangirai to take the post of Prime Minister and let long time president Robert Mugabe keep his seat, the two parties could not agree on cabinet positions and the break down of power. Zimbabwean citizens needed these deals to succeed as they are making their way through inflation rates of over 200,000,000% and a labor market where only 20% of adults are formally employed. Private donors claim they will not send aid until the opposition MDC has a significant say in government doings. As it stands, Robert Mugabe may be able to form a new government within the week after election and political strife that has lasted since March of 2008. However, some are calling on the United Nations or other international bodies to oversee negotiations, as food rations as well as other aid forms are being cut and the Zimbabwean people are feeling the effects of a government whose limitless power has ruled for almost 30 years.

To read more about the situation in Zimbabwe visit the BBC article referenced in this post.

Good News When It's Lacking

Let’s briefly paraphrase recently covered news headlines

Global Economy Left for Dead, Can’t Afford to See a Doctor

Earthquakes Rattle from Pakistan to Texas

And for you tabloid enthusiasts:

Angelina Admits Love Affair, All of Celebrity Population Follows

It’s not outrageous to claim that “good news” is hard to find and that can be especially true in the international development field. Perhaps we are only exposed to the dismal news to elevate network news ratings, increase the price and sales of our beloved newspapers, or even to keep anti-depressant drug manufacturers in business. No matter what the reason, we can all agree that the unhappy stories are keeping us away from the truly important reports; the ones that we read and help us decide to keep on keepin’ on. At ASAP, one achievement will always outweigh 100,000 losses (although we occasionally thank our stars we have more achievements than losses), and this is why we report our news, free of charge. Donations always welcome.

Our work in cultivating self-reliance is not complimented by all, but when one hears a story like that of Queen’s, the disagreement felt by many quickly turns on its head.

Queen was not lazy, unintelligent, or any negative adjective to be filled in. She was young, widowed, trying to feed her daughter, and a victim of circumstance. When her husband died, she found herself out on the streets but had a clear vision of what she wanted for her and her little one, independence. She was only given $100 from a micro-financing program, an amount most of us consider practically unhelpful, but through selling simple products like popsicles to her local community, she harbored enough profit to move on to selling electronics and other supplies vastly unavailable in her home of Zimbabwe. Today Queen and her daughter happily call Canada home. She is obtaining a graduate degree focusing in Development Studies, and her daughter is now able to study at a university as well. All of these possibilities were made available to Queen because of a simple $100 loan from an organization not unlike ours. We heard from Queen through the glories of cyberspace, in an email she sent commending our work. We not only appreciate her encouraging words, we appreciate knowing that the work we do is life-changing.

Surely, our business isn’t perfect and we all come across pitfalls, but in a world where bad news sells, one can always find words of kindness.

ASAP Invited to Teach Africa

Saturday, November 8th, social studies and language arts educators from all over the state of Georgia are set to enhance their knowledge of global issues, and ASAP Africa has been invited to speak concerning their expertise. Elizabeth will be speaking on behalf of ASAP Africa and could not be more excited to do so. The Teach Africa conference will be presented in association with the Africa Society of the National Summit on Africa and the Discovery Channel Global Education Partnership, with funding coming from the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Educators will be enlightened in advanced techniques for teaching Africa in the classroom, a territory that is still largely untouched, even after elementary school.

ASAP will be among international delegates including Faida Mitifu, Ambassador from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Edith Ssempala, Acting Senior Vice President for External Affairs, the World Bank and former Ambassador of Uganda to the US, who are opening the conference. The day will be filled with cultural enrichment events in the areas of geography, history, government, health and more, which will enable these teachers to inform students of the opportunity and optimism seen in Africa today, rather than the desolate stereotype many believe as truth. The theme of the program is “Africa in Transition”, which is also a theme at the core of ASAP’s work. All of the ASAP staff is enthused by this invitation which shows that we have many allies in our fight to end poverty.