MCC SALT/YAMEN Service Opportunity

Assignment Title & Partner Organization : SALT/YAMEN: Agriculture Project Assistant – Kulima Mbobumi Training Centre

Term: August 14, 2019 – July 11, 2020 FTE : 1.0 Location: Binga District, Matabeleland North Province, Date Required: August 14, 2019

Program information and policies can be found at mcc.org/salt or mcc.org/yamen

MCC is an equal opportunity employer, committed to employment equity. MCC values diversity and invites all qualified candidates to apply.

Synopsis :

The SALT/YAMENer will serve alongside Kulima Mbobumi Training Centre [KMTC], a grassroot organization that implements conservation agriculture and other livelihood activities for rural farmers. Help to enhance and build capacity of through facilitation and participation in crop livestock production and conservation agriculture promotion.

Qualifications:

All MCC workers are expected to exhibit a commitment to: a personal Christian faith and discipleship; active church membership; and nonviolent peacemaking.

An invitation to an assignment is contingent on a successful criminal background check.

• Degree or diploma in agriculture, social sciences, or another subject related to development practice is an asset. • Previous experience and technical knowledge in agriculture, monitoring and evaluation, project management, and/or other subjects related to development are deemed as important as academic qualifications. • Interest and ability in working with rural farmers, community structures such as village heads, KMTC committees, KMTC board, and other stakeholders. • Leadership and problem-solving skills. • Strong communication skills, both written and verbal. • Flexibility, patience, and openness to change and new experiences. • Ability to work as a team, with little supervision. • Willingness to take long bus rides and other forms of local transportation. • Competent in prioritizing work, self-motivated, and creative. • Team player yet able to work with little supervision. • A demonstrated pastoral heart specifically geared toward spiritual discipleship, mentoring, and relationship-building. • Willingness to work in a place where systems move slowly and there are long bureaucratic protocols. • Willingness to actively participate as a member of an African household and MCC Zimbabwe teal life, learning a new language (Ndebele/Shona), new customs, foods, communication patterns, modes of travel, modes of worship and new ways of living.

Assignment Narrative:

KMTC was established in 1984 by the Binga Rural District Council (BRDC) and was registered as a charitable welfare organization, under the Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare to address the dry spells and drought which compromises food production owing to annual food deficits in the district. In 1994, it became a community-based organization after the institution was transferred by BRDC to local farmers. The organization has since been funded by external donors.

The organization is run by the Policy-Making Board (PMB) comprised of 9 farmers selected by geographical presence to represent all small holder farmers in Binga district. The board is elected into office in every three years at a general assembly held at KMTC offices. The organization has a staff of 10 people including the manager, two field assistants, one field and M&E officer, one finance officer, a procurement and stores officer, driver, and support staff.

KMTC implements conservation agriculture and other livelihood activities targeting the most vulnerable 60% women to help address gender disparities present in this context. To help address the gender disparities, the SALT/YAMENer will be an example of Christ’s love to this target group to provide compassion, a listening ear, and to build relationships with the communities and try to mainstream gender equality through advocacy and awareness.

The SALT/YAMENer will work directly with KMTC staff whose target group are smallholder rural farmers in Binga district. The majority of people in the district depend on agriculture for their livelihoods through practicing mixed farming of both livestock and crop production.

The SALT/YAMENer will be expected to travel frequently to rural areas where they will interact with project beneficiaries giving them technical advice. The SALT/YAMENer will be expected to travel the undulating terrains of Binga, sometimes as a motorcycle passenger together with KMTC field staff.

Duties:

• Participate in program implementation on conservation agriculture and other related food security activities in the operational areas. • Participate in planning, monitoring and evaluation systems as per organizational programs and policy. • Work with field and management staff in preparation of program formulation, planning and reporting. • Assist staff to develop participatory research, planning, and evaluation methods suitable to targeted communities. • Participate in the management committee meetings held by the staff and the board; monthly for staff and bimonthly for the board. • Work with the KMTC staff/ management in improving communication through advanced technology application e.g. internet and website. • Work with KMTC staff in all program areas and follow KMTC manager/staff directions. • Participate in office management and administration policies and practices to facilitate good team work. • Be a role model at work, showing commitment and discipline. • Participate in the KMTC morning devotions.

Location Description:

Zimbabwe is in the Southern part of Africa with a population of approximately 16, 600 000. KMTC is rural-based with all its activities carried out in the rural areas of Binga district located in the Western part of Zimbabwe. Binga is 300 km away from the country’s main tourist attraction Victoria Falls, 6 km away from Lake shores; 200 km away from town, and 60km away from Chizarira National Park. Binga has a population of 139,000 (2012 census).

The majority of the people (90%) are of Tonga tribe who have lived in the Zambezi valley for centuries. Tonga is the official language in Binga with other people speaking Nambiya, Ndebele and Shona languages. Most residents are able to speak all languages: Tonga, Nambiya, Ndebele, Shona, and English. The people are friendly and welcoming.

Binga is generally hot, with maximum temperatures of 36 to 40 degree Celsius, and minimum temperatures of 19 to 21 degree Celsius. Binga is in the low-lying areas of the Zambezi valley characterized with very low rain fall (maximum of 400 to 600mm) annual rainfall. As indicated in the above the district is susceptible to annual drought in four out of five years the district is faced with either a long dry spell or drought. On an annual basis, food stocks after harvesting in May last for a maximum of 3 months. KMTC tries to minimize the gap by promoting short seasoned varieties of crops as a component in their conservation agriculture practices.

Binga has a general government hospital, police station, high school, banks, supermarkets, and lodges. Binga is electrified and equipped with all communication technology including internet and has a highly equipped internet center. In , there is both basic optical and dental care. Specialized medical cases may have to be referred to South Africa. Professional counselling is available through privately owned facilities. KMTC is located about 432 km from Bulawayo where the MCC Zimbabwe office is located. Public transport is ordinary and commuter buses from Binga to Bulawayo are available on a daily basis. At the moment, public transport is very reliable. There are also direct commuter buses from Binga to Hwange town and Victoria Falls on a daily basis.

Since February 2009, Zimbabwe has been recovering from a low economic base. Growth decelerated between 2010 and 2012 due to policy inconsistencies and political uncertainty. Despite this, the government education system managed to bring up literacy levels, but the challenges seen since the year 2000 have resulted in many children dropping out of the school system.

The political environment of Zimbabwe is highly unstable but generally free of widespread violence. Political activists are often the targets of violence; therefore, the topic of politics should be avoided. Despite all these challenges, the people of Zimbabwe have remained calm, welcoming, loving, and they continue to serve the Lord with joy.

Challenges:

• The major challenge is the struggling economy which has caused many industries to close, people to lose their jobs, and has created a cash shortage throughout the country. The cash crisis and the recurrent drought are the main challenges facing the district. The local banks are faced with critical shortage of cash rendering to use of Eco cash and bank transfers for most payments of goods and services. Businesses and institutions struggle to operate smoothly under these conditions. Widespread urban poverty and being commonly approached for handouts is something the SALT/YAMENer would have to be prepared to face and adjust to. • Most consumables are from Bulawayo through Gain and Zapalala wholesalers where most retailer shop buys for resale. The situation permits shortage of basic commodities as orders come from Bulawayo sometimes at fortnight intervals. The prices of basic commodities are on a higher side if compared with prices in Bulawayo or Hwange due to the transporting costs of the same goods taking account the distances involved. • Regular (almost daily) power outages and severe water restrictions are a feature of life in Zimbabwe. Though the telephone and internet system in Zimbabwe is improving, the congestion of network and failure to connect will occur at times. • The area is malaria prone but there are ways to take precautions from contracting malaria. • The local area and churches are not supportive to LGBTQ+ persons. LGBTQ+ lifestyles are considered illegal. Support of or participation in such lifestyles can be dangerous. • Managing frustration when things don’t turn out as expected can be hard. While we do our best to determine and outline job responsibilities with our local partners, assignments really come alive based on the passions, skills, and giftings of an individual. Responsibilities may change or be refined over time in communication with supervisors to meet the ongoing changes and needs within a local context. As such, the greatest characteristics a participant can bring to an assignment are adaptability, flexibility, patience, a willingness to get your hands dirty, and humility to complete even mundane tasks. • For those who are very task oriented, it can be a challenge to recognize the importance of "being" instead of always "doing" as building healthy relationships and mutually transformative learning is an important part of the participant experience. We hope participants will come with a desire to walk alongside our local partners, rather than see the assignment solely to "get things done.