VZCZCXRO0857
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0261/01 0851513
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 261513Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4286
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000261 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/S FOR BWALCH 
DRL FOR NWILETT 
G/TIP FOR JLARSEN, RYOUSEY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREF PGOV KTIP ZI
SUBJECT: MONITORING REPORT ON GCN G/TIP GRANT 
 
Ref:  08 STATE 104501 
 
¶1. (U) On March 24, 2009, poloff visited the local non-governmental 
organization Girl Child Network (GCN) to evaluate progress on a 
US$152,000 grant that was awarded by G/TIP on September 22, 2009. 
 
¶2. The answers below are keyed in response to questions posed in 
reftel. 
 
¶A. Political officer met with the following persons at the GCN 
office in Chitungwiza: Alexia Manyangadze, Director of Internal 
Audit, Finance, and Administration; Godfree K. Muduve, Accounting 
Executive; Roselina Muzerengi, Director of Programs; and Douglas 
Gasva, Education and Development Coordinator. 
 
¶B. This project aims to improve understanding and awareness of 
trafficking in persons (TIP) as a problem in Zimbabwe as well as 
provide assistance to TIP victims.  Specifically, the project's 
goals are to: (1) improve the capacity of GCN's girls clubs' 500 
coordinators and 500 presidents, (2) train 50 members of the media 
on sensitive reporting of trafficking issues, (3) increase awareness 
of trafficking by training 300 traditional leaders, (4) rescue and 
rehabilitate 100 girls who are victims of TIP, and (5) produce and 
distribute material on human trafficking. 
 
Towards these ends, GCN has made some progress.  To date, it has 
provided training to 37 club coordinators in Harare and the 
surrounding area through one workshop in Chitungwiza.  A second 
workshop to train approximately 50 coordinators in Mashonaland East 
is planned for April.  14 club presidents will receive anti-TIP 
training on March 28. 
 
GCN has not yet provided any training to members of the media or 
traditional leaders. 
 
GCN has provided a total of 10 trafficking victims with financial 
assistance to pay for school fees and uniforms.  Five of these 
victims are at Sunside mission boarding school in Rusape and are 
unable to return home to their families.  These five girls were 
trafficked to ZANU-PF bases where they were repeatedly raped.  Given 
the brutal nature of their experiences, GCN has arranged for their 
education at this school to put them in a safe environment.  The 
cost of the school, however, is substantial, around US$900 per year. 
 Two other girls who were raped at ZANU-PF bases are in schools in 
Mutare.  An additional three girls are pursuing their advanced-level 
high school education in Harare.  GCN has identified an additional 
21 girls between the ages of 11 and 16 and is seeking schools to 
accept them.  Since GCN's budget was prepared, costs have risen 
dramatically.  The average annual cost for a high school in a public 
high density area of Harare (the least expnsive option) is US$240 
(well above their budget of US$100), plus additional costs for the 
uniform and other "fees."  The current uniform budget of US$70 is 
also inadequate and allows only for a blouse and skirt, leaving 
nothing for shoes or a book bag.  Consequently, it is unlikely GCN 
will be able to meet its target of helping 100 girls. 
 
GCN is in the process of purchasing air time on Zimbabwe television 
and radio to run anti-TIP announcements.  We put GCN in touch with 
the Embassy's Public Affairs Section to seek assistance negotiating 
a lower price for the air time.  GCN has ordered rulers with 
anti-TIP messages that should be ready for distribution in coming 
weeks. We also discussed contacting the local Voice of America 
program, Studio 7, to get a story about GCN's activities on the 
widely-heard radio program. 
 
¶C. There are a number of special issues that have frustrated GCN's 
ability to make progress.  Because of a problem with the PIN number 
Qability to make progress.  Because of a problem with the PIN number 
and communication difficulties, it did not access funds until 
December 21, effectively putting GCN three months behind.  They may 
not be able to complete all activities by September 2009. 
 
In addition, the current budget does not contain specific provisions 
to fund media and traditional leaders training programs.  We 
discussed modifying the budget and training programs to combine 
training for club coordinators and traditional leaders.  Most club 
coordinators are teachers; by combining training for them with 
traditional leaders, GCN may be able to facilitate improved 
communication and buy-in to anti-TIP efforts at the community level. 
 We also suggested GCN contact local journalist groups to 
investigate the possibility of adding anti-trafficking training to a 
previously-scheduled workshop or training program. 
 
Continued disruptions and instability within schools also complicate 
efforts of the girls clubs and the reliability of the girls club 
coordinators.  Low wages and harassment of teachers in rural areas 
have created significant interruptions in schools, leading to high 
absentee rates among both teachers and students.  With teachers 
threatening to go on strike in May, the girls clubs and coordinators 
 
HARARE 00000261  002 OF 002 
 
 
will not have schools available as a place to meet and organize 
activities and meetings. 
 
Significantly increased school fees will also prevent them from 
reaching their target audience of 100 girls. 
 
¶D. The operational environment for NGOs in Zimbabwe has 
significantly improved over the last year.  Nonetheless, GCN has 
consciously decided to not label one of its vehicles with the GCN 
logo, to reduce the chance of possible harassment.  GCN's 
headquarters has not had municipal electricity in over a year, 
forcing the office to rely on a generator.  Most significantly, 
however, uncontrollable changes in schools, including strikes and 
high fees will limit GCN's effectiveness in reaching school-age 
populations through girls clubs.  High fees will further prevent GCNQ 
from assisting 100 victims as anticipated.  Although GCN is paying 
girls' school fees for this school year, they do not have a plan for 
next year's fees.  We discussed the need to immediately begin a 
search for additional funding to continue to assist these TIP 
victims.  This aspect of the project, in particular, may be 
unsustainable if GCN is unable to identify additional funds. 
 
¶E. Staffing appears to be adequate both in terms of technical 
knowledge and management to carry out the project.  GCN is based in 
Zimbabwe and does not have external headquarters. 
 
¶F. G/TIP may consider helping GCN revise its budget and objectives 
to reflect the comparatively high cost of school fees and to provide 
resources to complete the objectives of training media and 
traditional leaders. 
 
¶G. This project advances current deficiencies in awareness of TIP 
and assistance for victims.  As the project ramps up, it is likely 
GCN will identify more victims than it can assist.  Without the 
availability of rehabilitation and school fees, some victims may be 
unlikely to come forward. 
 
 
¶H. Overall, GCN is making progress towards implementing this 
project.  Unfortunately, numerous uncontrollable challenges make it 
unlikely GCN will be able to meet its objectives by the project's 
proposed end date of September 2009.  GCN is a viable candidate for 
continued funding, although it may benefit from further assistance 
developing work plans and budgets that allow flexibility in 
Zimbabwe's continued uncertain political and economic environment. 
 
DHANANI