Empowering Change: AFWAG Calls for Sustainable Funding to Champion Gender Equity in Zimbabwe through Leadership, Resources, and Collaboration

By Gracious Daniels

For gender equity to flourish, there is need to empower leaders through targeted development , ensuring access to essential resources via strategic partnerships, and fostering collaboration among social entrepreneurs. This holistic approach creates a supportive network that drives systemic change and promotes sustainable impact across communities and organizations.

Against this background, Alliance for Women and Girls (AFWAG) held its inaugural networking gathering in Zimbabwe.

The gathering was aimed at fostering a sense of community by encouraging interaction and connection between Zimbabwe network members. This was coupled with featured insights from Vongai Nyahunzvi, AFWAG’s chief executive officer, and Ratidzo Njagu, executive director of the Kunashe Foundation, among others.

AFWAG aims to serve as a vital catalyst that empowers and amplifies the efforts of leaders and organizations in Africa committed to achieving gender equity and empowerment. It focuses on three core areas: leadership development, access to essential resources, and partnerships with local and international bodies. This strengthens the fabric of support among social entrepreneurs by facilitating knowledge sharing and collaboration.

Speaking on the sidelines of the AFWAG founder and chief executive officer Dr. Vongai Nyahunzvi urged the government to continue its support, stating, “As Africa’s population is projected to double by 2050, it is imperative that we advance issues affecting women and girls. We need the government to keep the doors open for us to operate transparently and effectively.

“We aim to build a powerful network where individuals support and collaborate with one another. A key goal for us is to ensure that the initiatives undertaken by these organizations are sustainable.

“We recognize that working in isolation often leads to unsustainable outcomes.

“We talked a lot about how we also continue to work with the government and also local authorities to make sure that the initiatives go further and go far,” Nyahunzvi said.

Nyahunzvi added many organisations present reported working under Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with various ministries, including those focused on youth and women’s affairs.

“One of the things I think most of these organizations here are getting support or they have got MOU to work with the government so we want to applaud the government for supporting the efforts that they are doing.

“I think we almost heard from Kunashe Foundation, for example, that they are working with the Ministry of Youth, they are working with the Ministry of Women, so we just want to appreciate and we say to the government keep supporting these guys and this organizationkeep leveling the playing field.”

Kunashe Director, Ratidzo Njagu emphasised the necessity for consistent funding that does not compromise the mission of these organisations.

“I believe some of our challenges have revolved around funding—specifically, securing consistent and sustainable resources without compromise. Additionally, building enduring partnerships with other organizations is crucial. Often, organizations view each other as competitors, but what we truly need is increased collaboration,” she said.

Njagu pointed out the need for a robust youth policy and a menstrual health strategy to facilitate greater participation of young women.

“In terms of the legislative space, we have found that it is quite accommodating to our work but we would love to see more women and young people involved and accounted for and included in terms of their social and economic development.

“And things like a strong youth policy and strategy for the country as well as a menstrual health policy and strategy to be able to see a lot of young people and young women in particular participating,” she added.

The network gathering concluded with a call to action for both organizations and the government to prioritize collaboration and sustainable development in their efforts to uplift women and youth in Zimbabwe.