Pushing for social change: ZDDT partners with African Community Publishers and Development trust

Written by Lewis Jones, ZDDT Field Correspondent Monday, 25 July 2011 13:38

Bulawayo, Zimbabwe – As part of a sustained effort to bring about the restoration of local communities in Zimbabwe, ZDDT has partnered with Harare based social rights group, Africa Community Publishing and Development Trust, (ACPDT) in an information dissemination exercise.

A variety of ACPDT published books, whose content dealt essentially with Peace Building and Children’s Rights were distributed to attendees to bolster their knowledge as Community Leaders.

The local component of this ZDDT campaign intensified during a recently held workshop on Family Law that was organised through the Trust and facilitated by the Legal Resources Foundation. Aimed specifically at elected grass-root community leaders, the workshop, that took place in Council Chambers, brought together Councillors from the City’s twenty nine wards. It was at this occasion that the ACDPT books were gratefully received.

Speaking on the workshop’s sidelines, Cllr. Sibanda of Ward 8 said; “It is important for community leaders to receive such information and training of this sort and subsequently ensure that knowledge gained is spread among their constituents. In this manner, positive change to social behavioural patterns, would become evident in local neighbourhoods through information filtering down to the family unit which acts as the core in any community.”

The Trust is currently delivering packs of ACPDT books to local Councillors for onward distribution to Ward residents in Bulawayo, Gweru, Gwanda and Victoria Falls.