Rebuild Sakubva is a community organisation founded in 2011 by the people who grew up in the densely populated and squalid conditions of Sakubva Township in Mutare, which is Zimbabwe’s fourth largest city. The present population of the township is more than 100,000, but this is five times what the land and other facilities can accommodate. As a result, crime rates are astronomically high. Several gangs exist and during election times politicians' campaigns cause further divisions and chaos.
The founders of Rebuild Sakubva are locals and past residents of the township who aim to improve the lives of the people of Sakubva by giving back to the community. Rebuild Sakubva ensures that social capital, trust and peace are built among the residents of Sakubva through a variety of projects.
To date, the programme has refurbished a large community hall where various concerts and self-help projects are taking place. The hall will also be used as a drop in centre for victims of violence and rape. They are currently installing a recording studio so that the youths in Sakubva will find something to do rather than engage in negative coping mechanisms like drugs and violence. Through the youth program they have managed to record a song.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niVmKC-4DNI
A well-equipped Sakubva Fitness Centre has also been established in the hall and women and girls are taking self-defence classes. The Sakubva Library was also refurbished and equipped with reading material and 25 computers. A children’s corner was created in the library to keep children busy when parents are reading as well.
The organisation have established a gym in the new Sakubva Beit hall which is manned by a former leader of a local gang. He is now channelling his skills and power towards teaching women self defence skills so that they do not fall prey to street mugging and domestic violence.
To keep the youth busy, netball and handball tournaments for the 5 political wards in Sakubva have been organised and carried out annually, with Rebuild Sakubva providing netball kits and prizes to the five teams. The sporting tournaments help to build platforms for peacebuilding, conflict prevention and networking amongst the youth.
In 2016, Rebuild Sakubva created a platform for dialogue between residents and their elected political leadership. A noteworthy result of this is an increase in reporting on cases of rape and sexual abuse. Many young women are also able to defend themselves from domestic violence. With the help of Rebuild Sakubva women are now engaged in small businesses and have started a money pooling activity where they put in $1 a day. After a month they buy household groceries.
All these and other activities are done to bring the people of Sakubva together, to show respect and the need to value peace.
A sexual reproductive health training with commercial sex workers has taken place. The organisation also organised a workshop with 134 traditional practitioners who operate backyard abortion clinics. This came up after they noticed a rise in the cases of post abortion complications. In order help stop this, the organisation have given them an alternative which will augment household income and also make sure there is a decrease in backyard abortion.
A two day peace training with the local police force has taken place. This came up after women had reported cases of sexual and physical abuse by the police.
