Tsungirirai Welfare Organisation
DUE: 17 JAN 2024
Historical Background of Tsungirirai
Tsungirirai is a Shona word meaning to persevere and be courageous. The organisation was founded by the late Mrs. Phillipa Henderson in 1994. Witnessing the ravaging effects of HIV/AIDS in the early 1990s in the Norton community, Mrs. Henderson moved into action due to her compassionate and mission-focused nature. Thus, in 1994 she initiated Tsungirirai and became the founding Director of the organisation. At first, the organisation started by offering counselling and home-based care services for HIV-affected and infected persons. Two years later, the organization got registered through the Ministry of Public Service, Labour, and Social Welfare in 1996 as a formal welfare organization that focused on HIV/AIDS programming. Since its inception, the organisation had a two-tier governance structure comprising of a 5-member Board of Trustees at the top followed by an Executive Committee made up of 7 members. However, due to new regulatory requirements of the Private Voluntary Organisations (PVO) Act, the board of trustees is no longer applicable thereby rendering it redundant.
Programmes offered by the organisation have evolved over the years being shaped by the changing HIV and AIDS environment. At inception, the organisation’s core focus was on the provision of home-based care as many people were being discharged from the hospitals while in bedridden condition. Thus, the Home-Based Care (HBC) project was among the first major initiatives of the organisation. Still within the formative years albeit at a later period, HIV prevention activities like stepping stones and Auntie Stella initiatives were also implemented to increase awareness on HIV/AIDS. These educational programmes had a massive impact on the community with a core focus on preventative measures aimed to reduce the rate at which people were being infected. During the period of the late 1990s and early 2000s, a lot of children were orphaned due to the effects of the pandemic, and many more were left vulnerable due to be bedridden nature of their infected parents and the loss of bread winners. This increasing incidence of Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVCs) resulted in the organisation broadening its scope to include OVC programming to ensure strong social safety nets for affected children. Currently the organisation is servicing more than 22 000 children in Norton, Chegutu, and Zvimba.
Number of positions
We are seeking to fill in 2 voluntary positions which will be vacant in March 2024 when 2 members of the board’s term comes to an end.
Duties and Responsibilities
The organization invites applications from suitable candidates who are passionate about HIV & AIDS interventions through child protection and safeguarding, economic empowerment, educational assistance, Gender Based Violence, among other interventions targeting Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) and their families.
Qualifications and Experience
Tsungirirai seeks Board Members with the following assets:
Significant experience in championing children’s rights and welfare
Demonstrable ability to provide strategic direction and steer organizational development
Experience and or passionate about HIV & AIDS intervention, OVCs and their families
Gravitas to lead a Community Based Organization and commitment to the vision, mission and values of Tsungirirai.
Ability to Fundraise and build strategic partnerships for the organization.
Past experience in similar roles will be an added advantage
The two new board members may take up the position of Treasurer and secretary respectively hence persons with an accounting background will be prioritized for one position whilst for the second position it is open to business people, leaders of NGOs, professionals including those in medicine, public health, social work, among other qualifications suitable for the position
TO APPLY
All candidates who meet the above specifications should submit a short letter of interest with an attached CV describing the relevant skills they can bring to Tsungirirai Board by email to [email protected] citing the post being applied for in the subject line
Submit by close of business: 17 January 2024