Volunteering for Development in Zimbabwe is a committee comprised of volunteer involving organizations focused on improving volunteerism in Zimbabwe. The committee's objectives include raising awareness of volunteerism, identifying best practices, facilitating dialogue on volunteerism, and promoting the International Volunteer Day. There are some common misconceptions about volunteerism, such as it only involving amateurs or being limited to formal NGOs, but volunteerism can take place anywhere and anyone can participate, including through online opportunities. The presentation provides information on how individuals can get involved in volunteer opportunities either locally within their community or through online global platforms.

1. Volunteering for Development in Zimbabwe
Date: 05 February 2015
Title: Building Communities that Cares through Volunteerism.
Presenter: Zacharia Mhuruyengwe (Chairman-Volunteering
for Development Committee)
“We are prone to judge success by the index of our salaries or the size of
our automobiles rather than by the quality of our service relationship
to humanity” Martin Luther King jnr
Email zmhuruyengwe87@gmail.com
Mobile +263733573864
Skype zacharia.mhuruyengwe
Facebook www.facebook.com/pages/volunteerzimbabwenetwork

2. Overview
• Who we are
• Objectives
• Misconceptions about Volunteerism
• Ways to Volunteer

3. Chipo: a recent Graduate from the Midlands State University and Volunteer enjoying a
photo shoot after teaching Chiedza Primary young girls on Sexual Reproductive Health
issues at the occasion of the International Volunteer Day commemorations in Norton
on December 2014

4. Who We Are
• The Volunteer for Development Committee in Zimbabwe is a cluster of Volunteer Involving
Organizations driven by the desire to improve volunteerism in Zimbabwe
• Formed in 2007, over the years the Committee has grown to include Community Based
Volunteer Involving Organizations in Harare, Masvingo, Bulawayo, Mutare, Zvishavane and
Norton.
• The Committee sits once a month in Harare,
• Its secretariat is supported by the United Nations Volunteer Programme which is an arm of the
United Nations Development Programme that supports volunteerism for sustainable
development around the world.
• The Committee is comprised of a Chair, Vice and sub committees that volunteers to tackle
different organization/program areas
• It is vital to note that since its inception the Committee survives on free will and commitment
of its members and based purely on volunteer basis.
• The values of commitment, solidarity and free will defines the role of the committee
• The committee is also supported by Government Ministries including the Ministry of Youth and
the Ministry of Labor and Social Services
• Individual Volunteers also take part in the various activities of the Committee
• VSO also plays a critical role in the technical and financial support of the Committee
• An annual work plan is ordinarily developed to shape the years activities of the committee.

5. Our objectives
• To raise awareness and significance of volunteerism in the development
realm and economy at large
• To identify best practices in voluntary work and duplicate where possible
in other organizations.
• To facilitate and actively support inclusive dialogue and consultation on
volunteerism in Zimbabwe
• To facilitate recommendation measures to the Gvt on volunteerism
• To deliberate on the International Volunteer Day (IVD) activities and its
sustainability
• To promote decentralization of IVD to grassroots areas in Zimbabwe
• To spearhead resources mobilization of the years activities
• To identify and promote roles of participating Organizations

6. Myths &Reality about Volunteerism
• Volunteerism is the domain of amateurs who are unskilled and inexperienced. This
misunderstanding arises from the perception that professionalism both in
Knowledge and behaviour is exclusively associated with a paid job
• Volunteerism occurs only through legally recognised formal and structured
NGOs/Civil Society. This is false as Volunteer action is universal, permeates every
aspect of life eg. Schools, hospitals etc rely on volunteers
• Young people do not volunteer. This is false. Today young people are making a
difference/volunteer through the Internet-online volunteering
• Volunteering takes place face to face. In today’s Global village the Internet is
powerful tool connecting skilled people with Agencies in need of help.
• Volunteerism is free. This is wrong as volunteers deserves training, recognition, gain
skills, stipends and protection where there is policy
• Volunteerism is the preserve of the well off, well educated, those with disposable
income and time. In fact empirical research has shown that volunteerism is
prevalent among even the poor who undertaker volunteer work to benefit
themselves and their community.

7. How to Volunteer
• Identify a need in your community and make a difference eg. visit a local clinic,
Orphanage, school etc
• Find a Volunteer Involving Organization that connects you to a need
• Visit us on our facebook page
www.facebook.com/pages/volunteerzimbabwenetwork and connect with other
volunteers for volunteer opportunities
• Online volunteering www.onlinevolunteering.org This is an opportunity for
people around the world who have access to a computer and the Internet to
contribute their skills and knowledge to various assignments in different
Agencies for free. One does not have to travel to the Agency for the execution of
the duty. The UN Volunteer Programme administers the program and It is adding
significant value to the capacity challenges facing may development agencies
across the Globe.
• Visit www.unv.org of the UNV Programme, read and understand required
criteria, proceed to create your profile and decide the type of volunteer you want
to serve as. Eg National, International, Youth Volunteer: Age 18-29

8. The End
Thank you
Tatenda
Siyabonga
Obrigado
merci