POVO Journal 2017 - Women's Edition 10 by POVO Afrika

ISSUE 10: GRACEFUL WOMEN ARISE DEC 2017 POVO - PEOPLE OF VALID OPINIONS

COVER PAINTING Charity Manema

The Confessions of a Political Bootlicker

Brains Bones & Words

Astonishing the Gods

Zimbabwe Forget Tomorrow, Today is All You Really Have

Culture

Can you do the same to me – Husband

Zimbabwe Weya Art

Sexual Reproductive Health And Rights

Trapped (Nine to Five)

Irreplaceable Loss of My Mum

THE BEAUTY OF LIFE

Mhandara

Balancing the customer service equation

GERTRUDE T BVINDI

SIBUSISIWE ZILAWE

PFUNGWA NYAMUKACHI

ISSUE 10: GRACEFUL WOMEN ARISE DEC 2017

POVO - PEOPLE OF VALID OPINIONS

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POVO JOURNAL is published by POVOAfrika Trust. Opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of POVOAfrika Trust nor any of their partners. The information and views set out in this journal are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official opinion of POVOAfrika Trust, nor any of their partners. Neither POVOAfrika Trust nor any person acting on their behalf may be held responsible for the use which may be made of the information contained therein. Neither are they responsible for siting references within articles or credits to photos supplied, this is the responsibility of the contributor. Rights to the photographs and articles remain with the photographers and with the authors respectively. Contact them respectively for reproduction. While all care has been taken during proofing, errors and omissions may slip through and we sincerely apologise for these.

CHISHUVO CHIVASA

TAPIWA GAMBURA

ORPATIENCE MURINGAI

CHARITY MANEMA

TADIWANASHE BURUKAI

NOKULULEKO TLADI

YOLANDE FARAI NYAMUGAMA

TATENDA NDOVE

TANATSEI GAMBURA

SHAMISO NYAJEKA

www.povoafrika.org Women of Valour Issue 10

The Confessions of a Political Bootlicker POLITICS

Gertrude T Bvindi

thrive on the misery and obvious fascination of politicians with my guts to speak my “mind”, the intellect I exhibit freely , above my ability to say the very things they want to hear. It’s easy to lure a 50 something year old woman into my corner. Meaningless statements like “mhamha, you look fabulous, that dress’s colour brings out your eyes”; open doors for me, even when the depths of my mind, cannot fathom why on earth a woman that age, looking like a pumpkin, would choose to wear a tight fighting dress, showcasing all those uneven curves, bumps, lumps and dimples on her badly aging body. The women, I am sure, have all seen my sex- tape. Well, I wonder why we call it a tape when everything is digital now? Anyway, story for another day. As I was explaining, these women are hungry for the attention that their clueless; patriarchal husbands waste on slay queens my age. The women are easily drowned in the sea of men in the political arena that by the time they finally make it to the top, they are unable to decipher why no attention is given to them at all. For the majority, carpet interviews, with old men who give arguably the worst possible coitus, made long and unbearable by enhancers; 4

THE POVO JOURNAL December 2017

Times are hard for the ordinary young person in this ailing economy! Zimbabwe has seen the death of many young people, emotionally, physically and financially. Hopes have been crushed, dreams shelved; as many youths strive to survive- but not I.

supports their elevation into these positions of power. They easily alienate and eliminate other women seen as threats and probably going through the same paces they did for promotion. It’s a vicious circle; all their dirty shenanigans are hung out in the open for the attention of anybody who cares to look. They however act all prim and proper in public. So, I am positive it is no surprise that they like to pretend they know nothing about things I recorded in a heated session with a girl I hired for that very reason, and yet if you pay attention, they give me the knowing eye. What is a little bad sex with a middle aged woman who has kids my age, if it gives me an audience with people in high office? Morals and principles have obviously limited the paths of many a young people- but I am stopping at nothing! They are insatiable, you show a few moves she knows nothing about from her encounters with those inexperienced old geezers, and she will tell all her friends. Before you know it, I have all sorts of appointments to “discuss” issues of national importance; I am being courted to stand in for them when they need a youthful face and above all, I am rolling in money.

It is one of my, errm, regulars, whom had clear information on all the things that I had been posting on my social media pages. Young people are easily fooled into thinking that I had predicted all the happenings with the “coup- not so coup”. Surely, after having been kicked out of the revolutionary party, many of these people to keep a public stance that I was not to be entertained. She gave me timely information that made many people believe that there was a hope for a new dispensation in this godforsaken place; despite the numerous opportunities to the immoral. Unfortunately many do not know, there are laws of loyalty that all the people who have ever associated with this institution follow to the tee. What many see as a cult is run on the basic principle of “respecting your elders” and when rewards are being dished out; young people have to attach themselves to their own self- branded blessers. I have a few of my own. I made a name for myself through them. Truth is, you can say a lot of stupid things and get away with it, because of whom you have in your corner. Now to the crux of the matter, many of you people – including you reading this right now-

have consistently called me a bootlicker. I would rather call it seizing an opportunity or opportunities in their lifetime. It is necessary and important if I am to go anyplace politically; if I am to achieve any of my financial independence goals and it is certainly worthwhile to be able to give my son a life my mother could not afford to provide for me. Nevertheless, I can also reap benefits on the consistently stern and reproachful looking men who run the political affairs of this country. I do not want poverty in my life, so I am prepared to work with them. I am chasing my own version of a good life when I front for them in deals, when I bring some of the hottest girls to their gatherings and annoyingly boring parties, knowing very well that at the end of the day one of them will get a bad lay and end up with thousands of dollars in her purse. So there you have it, I have pretty much unlocked myself to you, and knowing you lot, you will be happier criticising me and making all sorts of jokes in bad taste. If I were you, I would seek an opportunity in all the change happening around us, and make things happen for myself. Many are clueless and do not discern the times, but I promise you this; our country will never be the same again. Its ciao from me- let me go chase that money baby!

Brains Bones & Words POETRY

Sibusisiwe zilawe

Paths of my destiny are filled with thorns and thistles

POET

Not only where I walk but where I lay my head to rest. Rest is my God given ability, the way my body is capable of deciphering the message from my brain that screams these bones are wasted! Rest! Lay them down! See if my bones crafted by the almighty are able to decipher a message from my brain that dictates to my being that all in me needs to retire then it must be for a reason A reason to be restored, renewed, reinvigorated, resuscitated See my brain works in wonders, Much like my creator he works in mysterious ways. I bet you all wonder what I’m going on about? I also wonder the message I’m meant to deliver See I heard him say rest and I wondered why I heard him say rest and I thought it was for my bones It got me thinking If my bones can decipher a message from my brain to lay these bones then what power does the God who crafted these bones and composed this brain have. I’m telling you it all started from REST, this wonder I have at his magnificence My God who created the brain that can dictate to my being and my bones that can decipher a message from my brain that these bones need to rest. I’m confused about my brain, I don’t know the message I’m meant to send. The only thing I’m sure of is the God who composed my brain, for a reason he gave me a season This season to wonder about my brain and my bones To write it over and over and over again To get confused about brains and bones and words But to always be clear about his amazing wonder About his majesty, king of glory To spread the word of his grandeur, my saviour The joy of my life, love of my life Redeemer, saviour the one who found me when I was lost Rescued me from my confusion, my foolishness Cleaned me dressed me up and loved me just as I am Don’t get confused about his love. Women of Valour Issue 10

Astonishing the Gods BOOK REVIEW

Pfungwa Nyamukachi @iPfungwa

was both extremely excited and extremely nervous at the prospects of being on radio but I had to say yes. This has been my favourite read of this year! In preparation for my radio debut, I re-read the novel and again I just fell in love. I fell in love with Okri’s poetic, masterful weaving of words and story. The novel is about a young man’s journey of discovery which begins with him discovering that he is in fact invisible and lives in this world of invisibles! At school he finds that the world he lives in, is nowhere in the books he reads. Ha?! How could this be? This becomes his consuming passion, his quest to be “seen”, to become “visible”. He runs away from home on his search and the novel details this pilgrimage. He encounters things, many things - beautiful women, beautiful art, and beautiful music. He encounters other invisibles, invisible guides, angels and spaces. Places where people don’t name things, because naming things makes things lose their true meaning. Places and people who store treasure quite apart from what he knows. He

THE POVO JOURNAL December 2017

In November, I got my 2-minutes of fame on national radio (SAFM). A first for me. I had been asked to contribute a book review of one of my recent reads, Astonishing the Gods by Nigerian author, Ben Okri.

asks questions like “If you don’t want things to disappear, what do you do”? He is answered: “we think of them. We dwell in them. We let them dwell in us”.

are. Then, not long afterwards, half dead and half alive, unable to breathe and unable to die, you will become the statue of your worst and weakest self.”

He encounters his fears and comes to know his courage. In one of the most profound scenes in the novel, he encounters a terrifying suspended bridge that is held in place by “only the person crossing it”.

The lesson there in being that, WE are the substance that holds our world and indeed Grace favours the courageous.

To help him make his decision, to cross or not to cross, the young man asks; “And what lies below? I mean, if I should fail to hold it (the bridge) up while crossing what would I fall into? I ask because I do not see any water underneath.” He is told there is indeed no water underneath. He weighs his options and asks, “What if I do not cross the bridge?” He is answered; “You will be nowhere. In fact you will be worse than nowhere. Everything around you will slowly disappear. Soon you will find yourself in an empty space. Then you will stiffen. You will lose all life. You will become the image of what you essentially

He encounters other sojourners. He learns much. On the theme of love, the young man learns - “Happy are those who are still, and to whom things come. Answers are like that. They go to those who expect them. So, if you want to find something, find it first. But how? (Asks the young man). His invisible guide replies: “Find it in yourself, I suppose”. ‘You talk in riddles” (young man remarks). Guide replies: “The simplest things are riddles and paradoxes. Have you heard about people looking for love? They never find the love they are looking for. Those who find love, find it in themselves…. for them it was always there. Love was always alive in them. It was always there. Everywhere. They merely invited it and it came. They merely were, and

it was attracted. Love goes to where love is. And where love is, love is never lost. Lucky are those who know how to find, for they will never lose things”. On defining time, significance, value and how to “astonish the Gods”, the young man is told: “Time is different here. We measure time differently, not by the passing of moments or hours, but by lovely deeds, creative accomplishments, beautiful transformations, by little and great perfections. Size is also measured differently here. For us, something is great if it is beautiful, if it is true, and if it has life”. “The most difficult thing for us is to do things which achieve permanence in the higher universe, and which are unseen, and can never therefore be destroyed…..…sometimes – very rarely – but sometimes nonetheless our highest creative acts, our highest playfulness, our self-overcoming, our purest art, our ascending songs, by some mysterious grace, transcend so many boundaries and enter so many realms that we occasionally astonish the gods.” Astonishing the Gods is beautifully written. Ben Okri writes in this enchanting, fairy tale, whimsical way. It is funny. It is poetic and full of “quotable quotes”.

Mostly though, it is deeply profound. It asks poignant questions, ‘the meaning of life” type of questions. In it Okri offers pearls of wisdom, that I find useful and enlightening for the season of life that I find myself. A season where I am seeking to define what time, age, beauty, love, worth/value, fear and power, mean to me.

Ben Okri OBE FRSL (born 15 March 1959) is a Nigerian poet and novelist. Okri is considered one of the foremost Afrikan authors in the post-modern and post-colonial traditions, and has been compared favourably to authors such as Salman Rushdie and Gabriel García Márquez. Ben Okri is a member of the Urhobo people; his father was Urhobo, and his mother was half-Igbo. He was born in Minna in west central Nigeria to Grace and Silver Okri in 1959. His father, Silver, moved his family to London when Okri was less than two years old so that Silver could study law.[6] Okri thus spent his earliest years in London and attended primary school in Peckham. In 1968 Silver moved his family back to Nigeria where he practised law in Lagos, providing free or discounted services for those who could not afford it. His exposure to the Nigerian civil war and a culture in which his peers at the time saw visions of spirits, later provided inspiration for Okri’s fiction. - WIKIPEDIA

The novel explores so many of these and other themes. The dominant being the themes of visibility vs. invisibility; ego vs. egolessness; significance vs insignificance - the power and place of each of these opposites, these dualities which we inhabit all the time. Best of all it is Okri that everyone will understand and finish! My first encounter with Okri was a couple of years ago, with his novel Songs of Enchantment, which when I started reading, flew over my head. I didn’t understand it. I have no shame admitting this, as I will attempt again. So, it was wonderful to find another book of his that I fell deeply for, and can now highly recommend.

Buy Book - https://www.amazon.com/Astonishing-Gods-Ben-Okri/dp/0753808641 Other books by Ben-Okri

PHOTO SOURCE

BARBRA ANDERSON

This is not a new novel, it was originally published in 1995 but, it is a timeless read. So, if you are in the market for a great read, do make Astonishing the Gods by Ben Okri, your next one.

Women of Valour Issue 10

Zimbabwe Forget Tomorrow, Today is All You Really Have BOOK REVIEW

Chishuvo Chivasa

he days now robbed of strength were long and brutal and yet she would not falter the beast’s honour. Surely tomorrow’s debts would be paid tomorrow. Surely, rectitude would ensure that the beast respect the standing agreement. Notwithstanding today passed unencumbered by injustice as she realises that today is now longer than a single day. Her strength chained and unharnessed now lived in a very distant future. As if to reward her patience with crumbs of hope, she experiences slight changes in her circumstances. Desperate to see the fulfilment of her dreams, she solidifies the lie; “suck it up Zimbabwe” tomorrow will be better than today. Today adorned in her colours, she marched the streets and demanded a reckoning with the beast. At the end of the day exhausted, having pushed back the doubts, she lays down, certain that tomorrow will be better than today. As sleep wraps its vice about her, those all too familiar doubts return. Alas, she is living in a fool’s paradise. How can a slave dream of being free and not be laden with guilt? How can Zimbabwe expect a future that she cannot see in her heart? How can she trust that the beast will settle her debt?

THE POVO JOURNAL December 2017

For years, her altruistic nature compelled her to “suck it up” in expectation of a better tomorrow. For years, the rest of her battled, holding out against dark visions of herself feeding a gambler’s fallacy. Arming herself with strength, she peddled the dream in the hardest of times, making a plan by transforming her meagre trinkets into survival implements. Bartering with an unscrupulous resident beast, she exchanged today’s strength for tomorrow’s relief.

A few children with her in slavery have taken up arms to “fix” their predicament through revolutions, dialogues, marches, flags in hand, on their knees, in the classroom, in boardrooms and in the prisons. Conscientious sons and daughters have taken posts on her breached walls to secure this all-illusive future. They have assumed the responsibility of securing tomorrow for the next generation. Tomorrow must be planned for and prioritised. Right? “That is correct. Wait for tomorrow, for without patience the future will not come”, in unbridled pleasure, the beast, retorts. Precious and yet naïve Zimbabwe. What kind of a future refuses to be determined today? A future so far removed from the current day that you must hold vigil for it as if it were an infallible prophet’s word. A future propelled by intense suffering and a longing for relief,

yet incapable of offering any real gains today. Surely tomorrow’s freedom is a pipe dream that will not materialise in any future tomorrows. Oh how complex time is. Today, tomorrow and the future. Shall they not resolve their differences? Has the beast been true in auctioning tomorrow as today’s superior alternative? Shall Zimbabwe sink into hopelessness? Should she throw in the towel and resign herself to a future founded on crossed fingers, weak knees, empty pockets and a growling belly? Perchance, Zimbabwe’s idle strength is best harvested today. Perhaps it is time for a change. Perhaps it is time to chart a new path towards the future. A compassionate wind blows a few choice words into her weary and despondent heart. Zimbabwe, say no to tomorrow. Say no to the future. Say no to endless pining and dreams meant to pacify you. Do not neglect

today. Invest in the day and cash in today! Do pursue tomorrow’s joys losing sight of the current day’s pleasures. Today is laden with opportunities. Today’s strength must not be gambled for an unknown tomorrow. If strength is absent today, what hope is there that it will be present tomorrow? Slowly, reluctantly she listens and considers. Perhaps the way to garner momentum for tomorrow is to invest in today. Perhaps, to protect tomorrow she must cash in her strength today and receive her interest daily. The numbness of her head gives way to sense as she considers the very real needs of the day. Her life must be accounted daily. Surely, she can make today count. Surely, she must retract her agreement with the beast. Harnessing strength today, secures this today and tomorrow. Today and tomorrow, both belong to her. She does not need the beast’s counsel or his wares. He owns neither the current day nor the future. Will she dare demand more from her “todays”? If today is not held accountable, tomorrow will be an irresolute wager. This is what her past has shown her. All that she has pursued but did not account for daily remained elusive and out of reach. Today is the day of salvation. All that she needs is within reach, today. Today has

flavours and gifts not present in tomorrow. Today she must rally her strength to attain today’s gains. Tomorrow’s gains are dependent on the current day’s gains. Therefore, today she has a duty to stop all nonessential activity and focus on breaking her chains. One broken bracelet today weakens the beast’s leash. One thought dismantled today, refutes his wisdom. One poison expelled today restores her health. Tomorrow holds no special advantages over today. Today is really all she ever has. Tomorrow is not going to be crime free if she does not stop crime today. Tomorrow is not going to be corruption free if she overlooks bribes today. Tomorrow her family is not going to be stronger if neighbours rear her children. Wailing will not cease whilst her children perpetrating violence run amok. Today is not going to attract investors if she peddles tales of a better future but offers no real gains. Workplace injustice will continue until she stops being afraid of being dismissed by the beast. Her young entrepreneurs will struggle to flourish if her older persecuted entrepreneurs continue to be exempt from her ruins. Her leading boisterous children will not accomplish without her technocrats babes. Unity within her walls will not rebuilt itself without her demanding more from herself today.

PHOTO SOURCE

Chishuvo Chivasa

Zimbabwe nothing you relegate to tomorrow will be a part of your future. Execute and cash in today. Today is your future. Today is your tomorrow. Today is really all you ever have. Do it now, whilst it is still today.

Women of Valour Issue 10

Culture CULTURE

Tapiwa Gambura

hat is it to be Afrikan? Is it to wear loincloths and borne meaningless traditions through the centuries all in the name of “preserving culture”? Before race, religion, gender or tribe, we are human. The very essence of who we are is to evolve, to learn, and to be better than what we were before. But how do people grow if they are blindly grappling with their failing cultural practices? If the point of humanity is to grow from a previous state of being, how then can we blame Afrika for remaining stagnant throughout the years, when many of us still believe that the only way for us to move forward is by going back to the lives that our ancestors once lived? Colonisation left a societal vacuum. It became evident that our once strong cultures could no longer keep up with the people that we had become, and so a confused set of ideals grew to fill the void – the idea that one must be either strictly western or Afrikan and nothing in between. And being Afrikan was being the Afrikan that remained untainted by foreign influence - the Afrikan that retained the old practices that their grandparents upheld to keep the honour and essence of Afrikanism. That ideology would have worked if our way of life had not completely shifted from what it had been before. The patriarch who flourished in the days of hunting for virility 10

THE POVO JOURNAL December 2017

noun. The integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief and behaviour that depends upon the capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations.

no longer existed in the Afrika that the colonialist gave birth to – his role in the home and in the society, had been levelled down. This patriarch had to learn that he is equal to a woman. He had to learn that aggressiveness and physical strength no longer equalled to prosperity. But how can he learn if his people are still holding onto the flimsy strings of their past? There is an unspoken fear that once we let go of “our culture” we will lose ourselves - we will cease to be a people of Afrika and instead become a people of nothing. The colonial master would have won. But that is not the case. The war has ceased to be between the colonial master and his subject, but rather between the Afrikan warring with himself, caught between questions of whether to be the Afrikan that existed before colonisation or to be the Afrikan that moves with the times and creates his own way of living according to the environment that he lives in at a certain point in time. This Afrikan must learn to define his continent by his own standards, and not by those laid out by his predecessors. Take wearing waist beads as an example - agonising for a woman to wear and humiliating for her to remove. Their purpose lies in the pleasure of a man and the appeal that a woman holds over him - they are to mould a woman’s body to please

the man. Their whole m e a n i n g is a direct manifestation of the patriarchy that exists in our culture. However, a 21st-century woman, who is trying to assert her equality with a man will refuse to remove these beads again in the name of “preserving culture”. But is it our culture or the culture of our ancestors when they did not know better? It is the culture that they adopted as it was the only life they knew how to live. But a new life has been presented to us and it is time that we took control of it. We have been given free reign over our future, it would be unwise to paint this blank canvas with the same brush that we used to paint our past with.

We cannot continue to justify a culture whose existence hinders the progression that our continent needs. Culture was made for humans to exist in a way that they could, and so if our lives have moved from the ways that it was centuries ago, can our culture not shift in the same fashion that our lives have? We cannot live to suit a certain culture, rather culture should be made to suit us. Culture may well be one of the many reasons that Post Colonials tend to have identity crises. It reinforces the idea of creating societal brackets such as those that existed during the colonial era. One becomes torn between who they want to be and who society has forced them to be. It is what says, “You cannot do this because you are not white,” or “you are Afrikan so you must do this”. It is what will continue to dictate our future until we finally begin to take control of our own destinies.

of Afrikan descent makes us Afrikan enough. Letting go of traditions that are detrimental to the progression of society does not make us any less Afrikan than our ancestors. It is not some terrible taboo. It simply means that we have grown and learnt from those that came before us. Anything that is not growing is dying. Remember that. Afrikan renaissance lies in a cultural revolution. But this does not mean unearthing the past to try and fit together fragmented histories. It simply means defining our own ways of life by the way that we see fit. We must make it distinctly ours because we have the right to live the way we want to. We have the right to emancipate ourselves from culture, and the first step to doing this is by realising that we do not owe it to anybody but ourselves t o

live a certain way. We have no name to live up to. We do not all need to speak incantations and know how to ululate and perform certain rituals if we do not want to. That does not make us Afrikan, we make ourselves Afrikan because to be Afrikan is to be human. We are Afrikan not because of our culture. We are Afrikan because we are human.

PHOTO SOURCE

POVOAFRIKA

Being born of Afrika and being

Women of Valour Issue 10

Can you do the same to me â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Husband POETRY

Orpatience Muringai POET

As a woman of morals, I do respect you, I listen to you , I smile at you, then, Can you do the same to me. I was taught by my elders that I should make you happy always, Cook for you, Wash for you, Iron for you, So can you make me a cheerful woman of yours. I was taught to treat you like a child, To love you to the fullest, Not to shout at you, Not to anger you, Can you do the same to me Treat me like a child who needs all the love, Love me to the fullest, Do not shout at me, Do not anger me, Return all good things I did for you, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what I want. I am proud of you, You are always on my mouth wherever, whenever I am, Always think of you, then, Can you not take my love for granted, Because I want you to do the same to me. Marriage is all about love, Marriage is all about respecting one another, Marriage is all about care, Marriage is all about trust, So grow and reap love you married couples.

THE POVO JOURNAL December 2017

Zimbabwe Weya Art

Village Life 3

Teaching about HIV & AIDS

In our country Zimbabwe women play an important role looking after the family. They carry firewood, thrash rapoko, cook for their family, do the washing and dig the garden. They also fetch water whilst their children will be playing games such as skipping rope. I am a woman, I love scenes. Thank you for supporting.

Rudo, Ruth and Farai are carrying firewood. Mrs Guta and Sekai are winnowing. Some women are pounding maize. Mrs Zuze is doing the washing. Mrs Ruzhowe and her family are digging the garden. Tomatoes are also sold in the village. Mrs Fere is carrying a huge pumpkin.

I live in Chendambuya, a village Near our house there is a very big muzhanje (wild loquat) fruit tree. Many people in our village visit our homestead in order to collect mazhanje. These fruits are very sweet. It is an indegenous tree found in the Eastern Highlands of Zimbabwe.

The villagers of Zvimba went to a nearby clinic to be taught about HIV & AIDS. A health organisation and a nurse were telling people how HIV is prevented. People were urged to get tested freely and were told to use condoms to prevent the diseases.

Women of Valour Issue 10

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Village Life 2

PHOTO SOURCE

Village Life 1

Charity Manema

C h ar i t y M anema

SEXUAL REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND RIGHTS SEX

Tadiwanashe Burukai

or the past 9 years I have dedicated most of my time as a peer educator in High school through out to college till now in my professional life. I have noted that most people were like me having assumptions of what sexual reproductive health and rights is and not truly understand what it is. This article seeks to share educational information and possible someone will benefit from it. It’s a brief article of SRHR. It’s for everyone male or female. Enjoy! What is sexual reproductive health and rights? (SRHR) SRHR is the concept of human rights applied to sexuality and reproduction. It is a combination of four fields that in some contexts are more or less distinct from each other, but less so or not at all in other contexts. These four fields are sexual health, sexual rights, reproductive health and reproductive rights. In the concept of SRHR, these four fields are treated as separate but inherently

THE POVO JOURNAL December 2017

I remember when I was 16 years old and I was in High school that was the first time I heard that statement. All I have ever heard was human rights, HIV/AIDS, issues of contraceptives and abortions. I never truly understood what it meant and what it stood for until I began to participate as a peer educator. Engaging with fellow peers, trainings, conference and other educative platforms I began to grasp the concept and I found my calling and passion.

intertwined .SRHR extends to the equal opportunities, rights and conditions of all people to have a safe and satisfying sexual life, and to be able to decide over their own bodies without coercion, violence or discrimination. 1

Sexual and reproductive health and rights encompass efforts to eliminate preventable maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity, to ensure quality sexual and reproductive health services, including contraceptive services, and to address sexually transmitted infections (STI) and cervical cancer, violence against women and girls, and sexual and reproductive health needs of

1 IPPF Charter on Sexual and Reproductive Rights (2013) the rights to sexual health and reproductive health. http://ippf.org/resource/IPPF-Charter-Sexual-and-Reproductive-Rights

adolescents. Universal access to sexual and reproductive health is essential not only to achieve sustainable development but also to ensure that this new framework speaks to the needs and aspirations of people around the world and leads to realisation of their health and human right . 2

Pheeeeww that was a mouthful hey, let me make it short sexual reproductive health and rights assert for rights that pertain to sexual health life and of reproduction of an individual. These are a component of human rights. These rights include but not limited to:

2 WHO (2016) Sexual and reproductive health and rights: a global development, health, and human rights priority. http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/publications/gender_rights/ srh-rights-comment/en/

The Right to Life

The Right to Liberty and Security of the Person

The Right to Equality, and to be Free from all Forms of Discrimination

The Right to Privacy

The Right to Freedom of Thought

The Right to Information and Education

The Right to Choose Whether or Not to Marry and to Found and Plan a Family

The Right to Decide Whether or When to have Children

The Right to Health Care and Health Protection

10.

The Right to the Benefits of Scientific Progress

11.

The Right to Freedom of Assembly and Political Participation

12.

The Right to be Free from Torture and Ill Treatment

What is sexual health? “Sexual health is a state of physical, mental and social wellbeing in relation to sexuality. It requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the

possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence .” 3

I find this to be the most interesting part of SRHR. It’s not about our physical health but sexual health is our values, our sense of self, our self-image and the quality of our relationships. It’s how I see myself and how I perceive everyone else around me. My sexuality and how I choose to explore it. Sexual health is also including the way religion, morals, friends, age, body concepts, life goals and self-esteem shape your sexual self. Understanding sexual health, it’s not just sex, it fosters and encourages the development of good relationships throughout our lives . 4

attainable standard of sexual health; to pursue a satisfying, safe, and pleasurable sexual life; to have control over and decide freely, and with due regard for the rights of others, on matters related to their sexuality, reproduction, sexual orientation, bodily integrity, choice of partner, and gender identity; and to the services, education, and information, including comprehensive sexuality education, necessary to do so . 6

The Platform for Action from the 1995 Beijing Conference on Women established that human rights include the right of women freely and without coercion, violence or discrimination, to have control over and make decisions concerning their own sexuality, including their own sexual and reproductive health . 7

What are sexual rights? Sexual rights entails individual right to control one’s body and their sexuality without any form of discrimination, coercion, or violence is critical for individual empowerment. Without sexual rights, one cannot realize their rights to self-determination and autonomy, nor can they control other aspects of their lives . 5

Sexual rights embrace certain human rights that are already recognized in national laws, international human rights documents, and other consensus documents. They rest on the recognition that all individuals have the right—free of coercion, violence, and discrimination of any kind—to the highest 3 WHO (2015) Sexual health Definition http://www.who.int/topics/sexual_health/en/ 4 Options of Sexual Heath (2016), Sexuality https://www.optionsforsexu-

At the 14th World Congress of Sexology (Hong Kong, 1999) , the WAS adopted the Universal Declaration of Sexual Rights, which includes 11 sexual rights: 8

The right to sexual freedom.

The right to sexual autonomy, sexual integrity, and safety of the sexual body.

The right to sexual privacy.

The right to sexual equity.

The right to sexual pleasure.

The right to emotional sexual expression.

6 International Women’s Health Coalition (2013) Sexual rights are Human Rights 7 Cook, Rebecca J.; Mahmoud F. Fathalla (September 1996). “Advancing Reproductive Rights Beyond Cairo and Beijing”. International Family Planning

The right to sexually associate freely.

The right to make free and responsible reproductive choices.

The right to sexual information based upon scientific inquiry.

10.

The right to comprehensive sexuality education.

11.

The right to sexual health care

generated. It is the mechanism of species continuation. There are two means of reproducing: asexual and sexual reproduction. So let’s look at sexual reproduction in human being. 10

What is reproductive health? Reproductive health, therefore, implies that people are able to have a responsible, satisfying and safer sex life and that they have the capability to reproduce and the freedom to decide if, when and how often to do so. It asserts that men and women ought to be informed of and to have access to safe, effective, affordable and acceptable methods of birth control; also access to appropriate health care services of sexual, reproductive medicine and implementation of health education programs .

Reproductive rights” are the rights of individuals to decide whether to reproduce and have reproductive health. This may include an individual’s right to plan a family, terminate a pregnancy, use contraceptives, learn about sex education in public schools, and gain access to reproductive health services . 11

Let me try to make it more relatable I am a 19 year old woman and I have decided to have sex, I start asking myself questions like what if I get HIV? Where can I get condoms? What about contraceptives? Getting tested? As an individual you are entitled to reproductive rights that are 12.

Right to Comprehensive information and education to answer all those questions.

13.

Right to family planning methods(condoms, pills, anti and postnatal care).

14.

Right to legal and safe abortion; the right to birth control

15.

Freedom from coerced sterilization and contraception

16.

Right to access good-quality reproductive health care

17.

Right to education and access in order to make free and informed reproductive choices.

18.

Right to receive education about sexually transmitted infections and other aspects of sexuality, and protection

In simpler terms reproductive health is about if, when, how and with who (my favourite being with who issues of consent and age of consent come into play). Reproductive health looks at myself and what I choose to do (consent) and with whom (sexual partner and age) and how we would do it (sexual expression). Thus sexual health focuses more on individual choose and preference. What are reproductive rights? Reproduction is the process by which new organisms are

Perspectives. International Family Planning Perspectives, Vol. 22, No. 3. 22 (3): 115–121.

5 International Women’s Health Coa-

8 14th World Congress of Sexology c/o University of Hong Kong Queen Mary Hospital Pokfulam, Hong Kong Cod.

lition (2013) Sexual rights are Human Rights

P. 12 email: HRMCNML@hkucc.hku.hk http://www.glink.net.hk/~hksea/was/

alhealth.org/sexual-health/sexuality

9 Hall; Stidham, Kelli; Moreau, Caroline; Trussell, James (2012). “Determinants Of And Disparities In Reproductive Health Service Use Among Adolescent And Young Adult Women In The United States, 2002-2008”. American Journal Of Public Health. 102 (2): 359–367.

10 ED-Informatics (1999) , what is the difference between asexual reproduction and sexual reproduction EdInformatics.com 11 National CASA Association, (2015), what are reproductive health rights? Women of Valour Issue 10

from practices such as female genital mutilation12. This includes right of men, women, youth, and intersex rights. Why should know about sexual reproductive health and rights? One might ask why bother? Why should I read on and be informed about sexual reproductive health and rights? What help will it be if I read? So you will be able to make your own decisions about your bodies and your lives. As an individual or as a couple you need to know because you are either abstaining or sexually active and need to be informed about that decision you are making. Also you care about people’s rights to access information, education, and services. You need to know about HIV/AIDS and STIs. As a person in a community who has sisters, brothers and an individual you would need to know about child marriages, human rights and sexual reproductive health rights. Where can I get more information?

Trapped (Nine to Five) POETRY

Nokululeko Tladi POET

Work binds my mind, My eyes made blind No room to breathe My soul besieged My dreams are bound in gaffer tape O’er my vision a curtain draped From 9 to 5 I cease exist But I‘ll never live if this persists We live in chains When will this change? What might become If nothing’s done?

Health centres

I’ll lose myself

Health oriented organizations like SAYWHAT, ZNFPC, NAC, PSI, New start centre etc

Oh I can’t pretend

Websites of organisations

reputable

12 Amnesty International USA (2007). “Stop Violence Against Women: Reproductive rights”. SVAW. Amnesty International USA. Retrieved 2007-12-08.

THE POVO JOURNAL December 2016

I must abandon Or turn out a phantom

Irreplaceable - Loss of My Mum

WOMANHOOD

Yolande Farai Nyamugama

ur home was always full and she always made sure we never felt it and that we were well taken care of. I remember how she stretched the little we had so that everyone got a piece of the pie. Perfect, no, but she was the closest thing to perfect I have ever known and may ever have the opportunity to meet. She worked hard, she pushed hard and she loved hard. I remember the call that morning that she was not responding and I remember my cousin asking to speak to my husband because he could not break the news to me. I remember my husband telling me that Mum was not well and that an ambulance had been called to attend to her. Although I tried to believe what he said I knew deep in my soul something was wrong. I felt a lifting in my spirit which was unexplainable. I remember driving to my childhood home and finding my Uncle and my Pastor standing outside our gate and trying to comfort to me. I remember shunning them and heading straight into the house. I remember seeing her lying lifeless on her bed. I remember asking her to wake up and asking what I was going to tell my children, especially my son, who was the apple of her eye. I remember the removal of what was now her body because her soul had lifted from her.

It all happened in a flash. One minute she was there and the next she was gone. It was the most heartwrenching moment in my life. A life changing event which 8 years later still seems like a dream. My Mum was the most loving, most gentle and most welcoming person I have ever known.

I remember taking her phone and my phone and calling everyone I could think of and informing them that Mum was gone. Although I said it over and over again, it would not resonate with me. I was all mechanical. My Mum, my best friend, my confidant, my shoulder, my strength, the love of my life was gone, gone and never to return. I remember how it hurt and how I could not bring myself to cry. All I wanted to do was scream. I wanted to call my Dad, who had passed away 10 months earlier, that Mum was no more, that I was alone. I remember going into work mode, almost on remote control, as I started what was to be the funeral arrangements of a beautiful soul. I remember decorating the hall where her funeral service was to be held and making sure everything was perfect in her favourite colours – yellow and white. I remember all this but I don’t

ever remember grieving the passing of my mother. I was numb, not for a day, not for a week, not for a month but for over a year. That is how long it took me to finally come to terms that my Mum was no more. I remember the grief and the sorrow that followed. I remember the pain and the sadness that followed. I remember the thoughts of not wanting to live anymore because “how could I live without my Mum?” I remember the suffering and the pain that this grief caused my family – my husband and our 3 children. I remember falling into depression and falling so far I was no longer reachable. Nothing mattered. Not my husband, not my children and not my family. All that mattered was the pain and the sorrow I felt. I remember the visit to the Psychiatrist and refusing to speak because I had been forced to speak to him. I remember the

day I broke and bore my soul to him. I remember the feeling of relief to finally have someone who understood my pain and wanted to help me to deal with my sadness. I remember the healing process, long as it was, it all paid off. All I now have are the memories of how it felt then. Now I focus on how much I loved my Mum and how she would want me to live and love like only she knew how. Death and loss is cruel. Grief is a journey and not a destination. We all grieve differently. Some deal with loss better than others and there is no prescribed time for one to heal from the process. All we can do is be there to “listen” and just love and care for our loved one. I know my Mum is gone but I live everyday with the memories of the joy she was to my life and how having her in my life was the best thing I ever had. Rest in peace my Angel.

My Mum, my best friend, my confidant, my shoulder, my strength, the love of my life was gone, gone and never to return. I remember how it hurt and how I could not bring myself to cry. All I wanted to do was scream. Women of Valour Issue 10

THE BEAUTY OF LIFE PHOTOGRAPHY

Tatenda Ndove PHOTOGRAPHER @Iam_Tate_N

henever I take photographs I am exercising my passion, and I do have fun while I am at it, but itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more than that. Somehow my photographic eye is looking for what is beautiful but in a unique way. It could be in the pose, it could be in the angle or the artistic element within the photograph, at the end of the day I want to capture that which is beautiful in the moment. Beauty can be found in everything that surrounds us; somethingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s are obvious some not so much. A picture of a ring can appear as just jewellery but there is so much that can be drawn from it, in a not so ideal location amazing fantastic pictures can come from it, and it is definitely one of the things that makes me appreciate photography, it trains my eye and myself to find that which is good attractive and beautiful in places at times we might not perceive to find such. With so many negative things that happen in our lives and the world we live in my aim is for my work to deliver positivity and allow everyone to see and recognize that which is beautiful.

THE POVO JOURNAL December 2016

Mhandara POETRY

Tanatsei Gambura

With twisted, dry lips and a lazy, self-righteous gracelessness, Aunts, fat and fraying, wait for me to greet them first. A careful cupping of the hands, A modest (dishonest) tilt of the head to the floor And then an applause. With practice and ease, They have pleased everyone but themselves. They are to be commended, Applauded. “Yuhwi! Are those breasts? When did they grow? Tell us.” (I am the succeeding novice, see). I look like all their regrets –audacious. I arch my back, Drawing all attention to the succulent, Round swelling of my breasts. Breasts rich with firm virginity A young girl at her beginning, Full of life, full of choice, Full of a wicked liberty they were never allowed to indulge in. They will throw tongues at me for this vulgar performance And I will smile as I listen to the desperate jealousy in their voices. They think I am too young to have an opinion, But they are too old to be so foolish. These depths are unfathomable, I am the result of eventful years. You want to prepare me to be somebody’s wife. Tatenda Ndove

Have you prepared anybody to be my husband? You have not. You have prepared a stable for mysterious cattle.

PHOTOGRAPHY

You will die bef

Women of Valour Issue 10

Balancing the customer service equation

BUSINESS

Shamiso Nyajeka Customer Service Expert @ShamiNyajeka

he internet and its related technologies have definitely made a significant impact on the way business is done. For instance, customers have better access to product information and are able to transact instantly at the click of a button. Consequently, competition for customers has become more aggressive as geographical boundaries rapidly disappear. The customer experience is now a key factor in the consumer decision making process. After all, customers are the lifeline of organizations hence; they deserve all the pampering and attention. Having once been a frontline employee, I have grown to appreciate customer service from the other side of the equation; that of delivering rather than receiving services. Frontline employees are a vital link between the organization and its customers, yet it is quite tempting to forget that they are also internal customers of the organization. They do not only deliver services but also contribute immensely toward the sustainability and growth of the business. Essentially, customer service personnel are tasked to sustain the business by delivering an excellent service

THE POVO JOURNAL December 2017

Customer service is undoubtedly one of the most topical issues in organizations across the globe. Today’s customers are highly knowledgeable and aware of their rights, needs and wants more than ever before.

that not only draws clients but also retains them on behalf of the employer. Whilst there are extremely high expectations of frontline staff, very little is known and appreciated with regards to the activities that take place ‘behind the scenes’. It is obviously not the intention of this article to divulge the intricacies of the activities that take place behind the counters. Rather, it is a call to decision makers to facilitate even better service delivery by considering the contact staff’s part of the equation. A key issue which many frontline workers have to deal with, at least in Zimbabwe and other developing nations, is that of inadequate resources. It is really amazing how contact staff often have to exercise ingenuity in a quest to satisfy the customer. Often times (and mostly unknown to both employer and customer) frontline staff go out of their way to deliver an acceptable service to customers, covering up for what the employer has failed to provide. This can be anything really, from using personal phones, compromising one’s safety and unfortunately lying to customers when the truth

would be totally unacceptable and ridiculous to the customer. Yes, this is unfortunately a reality of service delivery. Employers should provide adequate resources for seamless service delivery. Apart from Inconveniencing customers, the lack of sufficient resources also frustrates and demotivates frontline staff. Inasmuch as employees are expected to deliver an excellent service, it is only fair to provide the requisite resources. Whilst it is appreciated that everything cannot always be perfect, run outs of resources should not become a norm. When it does happen it needs to be properly managed in order to avoid frustrating, demotivating and expecting employees to work out some unimaginable miracles. When an employee improvises and shows resourcefulness it is certainly commendable. However, to continuously expect maximum returns with very little investment is problematic and could well be a ticking time bomb. Training is crucial in attaining service excellence. Failing to properly train frontline staff is detrimental to the service

encounter. The fast paced global village is making it more and more important for organizations to keep up with trends in their various industries. Failure to do so could result in obsolescence and eventually loss of business. To this end, there is need to consistently train contact staff on the latest trends be it latest versions of working systems, industry regulations or customer expectations. For instance, it is truly frustrating for a client to wait an additional minute simply because the one serving them is still struggling to operate the newly installed system. Making sure that front liners are well trained and confident enough to serve customers in the trendiest way is a huge asset and should not be overlooked. Lack of synchronization of the various departments in a company also has adverse effects on frontline staff. A spirit of ‘us’ and ‘them’ is prevalent in many organizations. Frontline staff (and even staff from other departments) do not know where they fit into the whole organization. What role do they play? What is the significance of their respective duties in the overall performance of the company? What are the implications of their actions? How do they contribute to the organization’s goals and mission? Failing to answer these questions can have far reaching effects on the service provider. Customer contact staff and

indeed every other person in the organization should know where they fit into the equation and how their actions impact on the entity’s success or failure. Such knowledge enhances staff performance as they feel they are making a meaningful contribution to the organization’s success.

While there is a great persuasion to only focus on the external customer in a crisis, it is even more important to consider front liners as they are evidently an important part of the equation. To balance the equation, management should take heed of customer contact personnel. They should ensure that they are

well equipped to handle the prevailing crisis. By so doing, staff become more confident and capable of assisting clients during the hard times. Failure to consider customer service staff in such scenarios worsens the service encounter and further complicates service recovery. The effects could be

quite detrimental, as some clients would walk away straight into the open arms of competitors. It has often been said that it is easier to save a new customer than gain a new one, but I believe it is even easier to retain an existing customer than losing and trying to save one.

PHOTO SOURCE

BARBRA ANDERSON

A moment of truth gone awry is a nasty experience for the customer....and yes of course even for the person serving the customer. Unfortunately, most times when the service encounter fails to live up to expectation, the man or woman delivering the service has to face the music alone, even when it is clearly a management or organisational issue. Some managers and supervisors have an amazing way of suddenly vanishing into thin air when service delivery goes bad. There just isn’t anyone to explain the circumstances to customers, leaving the front liners to bear the brunt of the justifiably, enraged clients. Be it a delayed flight, a super slow service in the bank or poor mobile network connectivity, management or whoever is in charge should ensure that necessary steps are taken to not only inform customers and explain the hitch but also to provide extra support to service personnel. Keep them informed of measures being taken to rectify the problem. Advise them on what to tell customers and provide them with necessary resources to manage the situation. When the system has gone down, activate manual back up and provide the requisite resources such as stationery and additional communication channels. All efforts should be made to maintain seamless service delivery. As rightly stated by Donald Porter, “Customers don’t expect you to be perfect. They do expect you to fix things when they go wrong.” Women of Valour Issue 10

Contributors

Tapiwa Gambura

Chishuvo Chivasa

Orpatience Muringai

Nokululeko Tladi

Tatenda Ndove

Tadiwanashe Burukai

Gertrude T Bvindi

Be a part of the Movement! Charity Manema

Shamiso Nyajeka

Yolande Farai Nyamugama

Pfungwa Nyamukachi

Sibusisiwe zilawe 22

THE POVO JOURNAL December 2017

Tanatsei Gambura

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Adaptation Success in 05 Buhera

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Communities Reduce

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How Local communities’ livelihoods are being transformed in Zimbabwe

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Interview with Hon. Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri (MP) Minister of Environment, Water and Climate

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Women of Valour Issue 10

COvER iLLUSTRATiON

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ChARity MANEMA