By A Correspondent- Small non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have bemoaned the bureaucratic challenges impeding their registration saying debate around the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVOs) Bill had made the situation worse.
The organisations also argued that they were not consulted.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa has referred the PVOs Bill back to Parliament for further debate.
“There was no consultation really for us the small players. So we would read about it … A number of organisations have been trying to register and the process itself is very long and winding. The documents that are required just to register a PVO are a mammoth task to even think of,” We Act For Her (WAFH) founder Tsitsi Chitsike said.
“But small organisations have been making efforts to meet the requirements to make sure that they deliver and get registered.”
WAFH collaborated with the Talia Women’s Network to launch awards for various players in the NGO sector to help support and recognise the work being done to improve communities and the lives of the underprivileged in Zimbabwe.
The awards also seek to recognise, acknowledge and honour efforts made by NGOs, non-profit organisations and private sector organisations which are contributing to the enhancement of livelihoods in Zimbabwe.
Chitsike said: “We are working to ensure that we support NGOs’ work in our communities and make sure that they continue with their mandate. We have outstanding actors in disability inclusion.”
She noted that there were some NGOs making sure that people with disabilities were included in the work being done across the country.
“We have outstanding founders, for example. We have so many founders of NGOs. So we are looking to ensure that we recognise these founders and the work they are doing and the initiative that they took to just say we are registering something,” she said.
However, Talia Women’s Network founder Saliwe Zakariya said most small organisations were facing funding challenges.
“That’s the major issue that we have. Like I mentioned, we have limited funding coming into this country and so many players, such that the competition is high. Also new entrants into the sector find it difficult because of all the stringent requirements. Sometimes they will say three years audited accounts, yet you are in your first year of operation. How do I get there?” she said.
Meanwhile, Conscious Development and Empowerment Trust scooped the outstanding actor in community empowerment and social impact award, Sanitary Aid Zimbabwe received the outstanding actor in sexual and reproductive health award, while SayWhat was awarded the outstanding children and youth rights organisations gong, among other winners.
-NewsDay