Zimbabwe Reviews Laws Limiting Foreign Investment

Zimbabwe's Indigenization and Economic Empowerment Act, which came into force in March 2008, limits foreign stake holdings in companies in the country to 49% while a 51% stake must be held by local investors. Economic Planning Minister Elton Mangoma was reported as saying allowable shareholding may be increased to as much as 100% in some sectors. To read the entire article click here.

Luring foreign investment back to Zimbabwe will be an uphill battle. In September 2008 the World Bank's International Finance Corporation announced in their Doing Business Report 2008 that Zimbabwe is one of the worst countries in the world to do business in. To access this report click here.

Your Donation Helps Save Lives

More than a year after the signing of a power-sharing deal aimed at rescuing Zimbabwe's shattered economy, young people are still leaving the country in droves, seeking a better life in South Africa.

Although many Zimbabwean asylum requests are rejected, until its economy starts to recover, people will continue to risk their lives crossing the crocodile-infested Limpopo river to earn the hard currency their families need to buy food back home.

Click here to read the entire article recently written by Pumza Fihlani of the BBC News, Musina.

Your donation to ASAP Africa helps families generate enough income in Zimbabwe, by providing micro-finance skills training. These activities, along with enhanced agriculture production helps families to thrive during challenging economic times without risking their lives for survival.

Zimbabwe Military Deploys to Remove Country's Remaining White Farmers

Since 2000, over 4,000 farms have been redistributed in Zimbabwe. Today, the effort continues although there are few productive farms left. According to VOA, the military has now been deployed "... was ordered by the Joint Operations Command, which brings together top-level officials of the Defense Forces, Zimbabwe Republic Police, Central Intelligence Organization and the prisons." To read the entire article click here.
For further discussion click here

ASAP Africa Winter Newsletter

Please click here to read ASAP's winter newsletter. Thank you for your interest!

Holiday Greetings from Tom & Elizabeth

ASAP Africa's President, Tom Arsenault and
Executive Director Elizabeth Bara, in the US, send these words:

We believe anything is possible.
That’s what inspires us in our work.
We share this belief with many of you.
This shared faith is the driving force behind our work.
We are thankful to be truly happy and to have all that we need.
Let us discover and learn new things together in the New Year.
We appreciate your support whether large or small.
Have a Blessed Christmas and a Wonderful New Year.

Holiday Greetings from Regai Tsunga

ASAP Africa's Country Director in Zimbabwe, Regai Tsunga, send these words:

2009 has come and (almost) gone. Through our projects, we at ASAP Zimbabwe are pleased to have made a positive impact on the lives of thousands of poor and vulnerable men, women, youths and children to whom our interventions were directed. We owe this success to the cooperation and support we received from our funding partners and other state and non state actors.

From the Country Director and staff at ASAP Zimbabwe, we wish all our partners, project participants and stake-holding public the best for the festive season as we celebrate the end of another year. We thank you most heartily for your support during 2009 and look forward to the strengthening of our relationship in 2010 and beyond.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!!

Holiday Greetings from Victor Katchika-Jere

ASAP Africa's Country Director in Malawi, Victor Katchika-Jere sends these words:

UN loophole sees Mugabe join climate talks

Copenhagen - Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe arrived in Denmark on Tuesday to attend United Nations climate talks, despite Western sanctions on his travel and public disapproval from his Danish hosts. Denmark's Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said that Mugabe was allowed to attend the Copenhagen climate conference because of rules that permit him to attend UN meetings, over-riding European Union and United States travel bans. "That is the spirit of the UN - that the world needs a place where we can meet with those we basically don't like. And I guess that is how you can characterise the person you're asking about," Rasmussen said when questioned about Mugabe. Mugabe's arrival prompted local media to ask whether Danish leaders would shake the 85-year-old African leader's hand and whether, as elder statesman, Mugabe will be seated next to Denmark's Queen Margrethe at a dinner on Thursday for heads of state and government attending the climate conference.

Low Input Garden Philanthropy in Zimbabwe

Production from low input gardens (LIG) near Mutare has been so successful that LIG farmers chose to support other vulnerable individuals with products from their respective gardens by donating a week's supply of vegetables (rape, spinach and tsunga) to needy institutions in the area. This included St. Josephs Infectious Disease Hospital, Sakubva Eye Unit and Zororai Old People's Home.
ASAP is one of the Mutare base partners in The Joint Initiative Project, which is working to reduce urban vulnerability in 12 communities in 6 urban areas throughout Zimbabwe. LIG includes training in how to establish low income gardens; land preparation, seedling preparations and maintenance, mulching, inter cropping, compost making, record keeping, keyhole gardens set-up(pictured) and seed retention.

Featured here in her low input garden in Sakubva with her daughter-in-law and grand daughter is Mrs Eldina Chandakabata.

Inspiring Words from a Student Philanthropist

"I give because in my life, others have helped me move forward. You may not be able to give millions, but a little goes a long way in other countries. Some of us will waste money on useless items that will only bring us joy for a short time, but donating to a worthy cause that will truly help others, that will bring me greater joy in life. Find a project, any project that speaks to you and donate whatever you can!"

These inspiring words came in response to the question - Why do you give? Whatever your unique reasons, we hope you will consider making a year-end contribution to ASAP Africa as we work together to make poverty history. Together we will succeed!

Give Unique Gifts from Africa that Support ASAP

Africa Direct generously contributes to ASAP when you purchase selected items. With over 17,000 pieces in stock, Africa Direct features the largest online selection of African art, African baskets, African tribal masks, African bead work, Trade Beads, Ethnic Jewelry and African Weapons, you'll find something truly unique. Click here to visit the Africa Direct web site.

Happy Holidays!

"Dollarisation in Zimbabwe has brought back the good old days for some. The pictures taken yesterday show Xmas preps are in full gear in Mutare. Such scenes had long disappeared and had become long pipe dreams for most residents of Zimbabwe in the last few years." Regai Tsunga, ASAP's Country Director shared these photos today of Mutare, Zimbabwe's version of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade.

Last year the holiday season in Zimbabwe was dismal for many with inflation of 400,000,000% gripping the country! It seems a lot has happened in a year. Even that terrible inflation is now under control. But the rural folks are still suffering.
ASAP has much to do and your help is greatly needed to help us continue our good work.

Obama Awards Zimbabwean Women

This evening President Obama presented the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award to Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA). ASAP congratulates WOZA and hopes this award will draw attention to the plight of all the women struggling to survive in Zimbabwe today - tenacious, hardworking women enduring unspeakable hardships to provide for their families.

It was the first time in the award’s 24-year history that Senator Kennedy did not present the honor in memory of his brother. “Ted knew that Bobby’s legacy wasn’t a devotion to one particular cause, or a faith in a certain ideology — but rather, a sensibility,” Mr. Obama said. “A belief that in this world, there is right and there is wrong, and it is our job to build our laws and our lives around recognizing the difference.”

Click here to read more about the ceremony.

Click here to read more about ASAP's work to empower rural women in Zimbabwe during these tremendous times of hardship.

ASAP Africa photo is a winner!

Congratulations to Kirsten Sorenson for creating the award winning poster using this photo, taken by ASAP Africa in rural Zimbabwe.
The poster was created to promote the 20th Annual Cascade Festival of African Films in Celebration of Black History Month at Portland Community College Cascade Campus in Oregon. To read more about the festival click here.

The New Wave of Farming in Africa

As we plan our Organic Fertilizer Project at ASAP Malawi, I came across this interesting story.

ILA GORONGOSA, MOZAMBIQUE - When he started tending this field, not long after the end of his country's long civil war in 1992, Joao Jongue's neighbors thought he was foolish, even crazy.

He didn't burn the cornstalks at the end of the season, but left them on the earth to rot. He mixed tomatoes and peanuts in with the corn. When mice started eating the decomposing vegetables, rather than clear the field, he brought in cats.

"My partner, he didn't agree with this sort of farming," says Mr. Jongue, smiling in the shade of his wide-brimmed straw hat. "So I did it myself."

Now, 15 years later, the soil of Jongue's machamba (small field), is still moist brown, and the corn reaches toward the cobalt-blue sky. His neighbor's plot is dusty and red, but Jongue's yields are still large enough that he can sell half of his crop at the outdoor market in this sunny, brightly painted town. Meanwhile, representatives of international development projects are coming to visit – asking how, in this overly farmed region, he's had such success.

Jongue's plot is a model of what many local aid projects would like to repeat across this region: organic farming, African style.

For many Americans, the idea of "organic food" is connected with high-end grocery stores. But here, "organic" has a different face. A growing number of development experts, as well as local agriculturalists, see organic farming as a way to achieve food security and slow deforestation – two big challenges in rural sub-Saharan Africa.

(The above article was written by Stephanie Hanes of the Christian Science Monitor)

No ban on Zimbabwean diamonds

Zimbabwe is not suspended as was proposed, a joint work plan was adopted by this plenary meeting, said outgoing chair of the Kimberley Process (KP) and Namibian deputy mining minister Bernard Esau on Thursday.

Click here for more details.

24 HOURS LEFT TO ACT: Ban Zimbabwe Blood Diamonds – AVAAZ Petition

Lobbying group AVAAZ are calling on people to sign a petition that they can deliver to diamond regulators meeting in Namibia this week. We have only 24 hours to gather as many signatures as possible. Please sign the petition and then use the AVAAZ tool on their website to send the petition link to as many of your friends and relatives as possible. The diamond regulators meeting in Namibia this week will decide whether to suspend Zimbabwe and stop Zimbabwe from selling blood diamonds on the world market.
Click here to sign the petition
Click here to read more

DRC President Visits Zimbabwe in Regional Mediation Effort

Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) President Joseph Kabila is in Harare today, where he is expected to try to mend the widening cracks in Zimbabwe's unity government. To read more click here.

Aid Groups Fret About Zimbabwe Unity Govt Disarray

Daniel Molekele reports today "Aid workers said Wednesday the disarray of the government of Zimbabwe is putting its most vulnerable citizens at risk as hunger and disease threatens to sweep the country.
Zimbabwe's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai announced last week he was withdrawing indefinitely from a unity government that has been troubled from the moment its ministers were sworn in in February." To read the entire article click here.

Happy Mother's Day!

October 15th is World Rural Women's Day.
The day provides rural women and their organizations with a focal point to :
1. Raise the profile of rural women,
2. Sensitize both government and public to their crucial, yet largely unrecognized roles, and
3. Promote action in their support. Initiatives on how to celebrate this day are left to individual organizations and communities, according to their own traditions and requirements. Activities or events should be concrete and visible. This action undertaken by rural and farming women in all parts of the world on the very same day, in a spirit of solidarity and cooperation, would strengthen the impact of the day.
To read more click here.