I’ve posted about Zimbabwe several times in the last month. If the new “Post Series” plugin is still working you should be seeing a list of articles on the right.

This article identifies a number of ways you can support humanitarian relief and Zimbabwean civil society by making donations from the UK.

Checking out an Organisation

If you are checking up whether an organisation is legitimate and experienced in delivering help on the ground, here is my checklist of things to look for:

• Is the organisation endorsed by established figures you respect?
• Is the organisation already known to you?
• Does the organisation have a good track record of work on the ground in Zimbabwe for several years that you can verify?
• Is the organisation registered as a charity? This will increase the value of your donation in the UK by about 28%.
• Is the organisaton recognised by other sister initiatives - for example do smaller organisations feature in the links page of Sokwanele?
• Is the organisation reported in the reputable media? This could mean that they are just good at Public Relations, but it is also an indicator that they have been established for some time.

This article was written after a conversation in the comments on Iain Dale’s blog; I’ll address that after giving a list of organisations you can donate to.

Organisations dedicated to building democracy

Immediate humanitarian aid is important, but it is equally an important element to build institutions to preserve civil society after Mr Mugabe has gone. Helping build Zimbabwean society again will be a long term need.

Here are some other ways that you can support Zimbabwe with donations from your computer. If you take one, my suggestion is to chooe an organisaton that is close to your particular area of concern so that you will be more likely to stay in touch in the future.

- The Zimbabwean Newspaper

The Zimbabwean is an independent newspaper based in London that is distributed in London and Zimbabwe:

We are a group of committed and professional Zimbabwean journalists and friends from around the world who have come together to start the first physical newspaper for Zimbabweans in exile. The paper will be edited by Wilf Mbanga, founder and first Chief Executive of Associated Newspapers of Zimbabwe, the publishers of The Daily News (closed down in 2003 under the terms of the Zimbabwe Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act—AIPPA.) More than 50 Zimbabwean journalists around the world have offered their services on a voluntary basis to get the paper started.

They have a number of options for donation to support distribution of the newspaper inside Zimbabwe. They are also an excellent news source:

Please help us to make a difference in Zimbabwe. Zimbabweans at home are deprived of their most basic human rights - including access to information. They are bombarded with crude propaganda 24.7.

Please help us shine a light in their darkness by sponsoring a subscription to a school, library or women’s group in Zimbabwe. 6 Months only £20 hand delivery (city centres) or £70 post (rural areas).

Or please simply make a donation to The Zimbabwean via this website and we will use your money to get more copies into Zimbabwe. Thank you!

Website for The Zimbabwean.

- Zimbabwe Benefit Foundation

The Zimbabwe Benefit Foundation does short term emergency relief and long term empowerment work. The patrons are Desmond Tutu and Pius Ncube.

The Zimbabwe Benefit Foundation (ZBF) is a was launched in May 2004, against a backdrop of the rapidly deteriorating situation in Zimbabwe and the desperate need to raise funds for the welfare of victims of political persecution.

Since 2004 under the patronage of Archbishops Desmond Tutu and Pius Ncube, we have been working to ease suffering and empower Zimbabweans through education, housing and emergency aid.

Website for the Zimbabwe Benefit Foundation.

You can make an online donation here. It can be done in a way that is tax efficient in the UK.

- Zimbabwe Exiles Forum

The Zimbabwe Exiles Forum is based in South Africa, and aims to build civil society in Zimbabwe for the future:

The Zimbabwe Exiles Forum is a Southern African non-political, non-profit and non-partisan organisation with an eye on the future of Zimbabwe. It was founded in 2003 in South Africa on the premise that political change that will usher in a democratic dispensation where human dignity and civil liberties are sacrosanct in Zimbabwe is inevitable. ZEF is however concerned that little or nothing is being done to prepare for this change.

Zimbabwe Exiles Forum enjoys observer status with the African Commission on Human &
Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR).

Website for the Zimbabwe Exiles Forum. Bank details to make a donation.

- Kubatana - The NGO Network Alliance Project

Kubatana is a registered trust in Zimbabwe.

Kubatana.net has been publishing civic and human rights information in Zimbabwe for over five years. Approximately 2,500 people visit our website every day. Our email newsletters keep over 3000 Zimbabweans informed, inspired and connected. Our regular electronic activism campaigns encourage Zimbabweans to get involved, to speak out and to make a difference.

We are proud of what we’ve accomplished over the last five years - this site now hosts over 6500 archive pages and fact sheets on approximately 260 local organisations.

Website for Kubatana. Donate.

More General Humanitarian Support

• Oxfam in Zimbabwe (emergencies, sustainable agriculture, education and others). Details, donate.
• Salvation Army for Zimbabwe (hospitals, humanitarian aid and others - you can specify a specific use for your online or offline donation). Salvation Army in Zimbabwe, donate.
• CAFOD. (food aid, clean water). Details, Donate.
• Tearfund Details. Donate.

Friends of Zimbabwe

Friends of Zimbabwe is a new website that has been pushed by bloggers, with a website which only goes back a month, and doesn’t contain any information about how the initiative is managed. I asked a few questions about governance on the discussion thread over at Iain’s place.

Having investigated a little, I’m happy that it is being run by reputable people; but I still think that support is probably better sent via organisations with a long-term record on the ground, with a request that they be used to support work to “Protect the Vote”. There is no lack of such organisations and channels to make donations, and these organisations have more potential for strengthening civil society in Zimbabwe.

My opinion is that every initiative should be examined carefully as a matter course; that is simply being both responsible and cautious, and to hekp make sure that any donations have the maximum effect.

Wrapping Up

I’ll post again later this week about some “Civil Society” organisations in Zimbabwe.

In the meantime, Sokwanele has an extensive page of links.

If there are any other organisations that I should be highlighting, please add a comment below. The criteria for this list is that donations can be made directly from the UK.

Tags: CAFOD, Friends of Zimbabwe, Kubatana, oxfam, robert mugabe, Salvation Army in Zimbabwe, tearfund, The Zimbabwean, Wilf Mbanga, Zimbabwe Benefit Foundation, Zimbabwe Exiles Forum