Platform for Youth and Community Development (PYCD)

SUMMARY

The Platform for Youth and Community Development (PYCD) is a registered non-profit community based organization headquartered at Checheche growth point in Chipinge District of Manicaland Province in Zimbabwe. It was founded as a youth organization in 2018 and expanded its reach beyond the youth to servicing all community members that include elderly men and women. The organization was registered as a Trust in 2008 ( MA984/2008)

As a result, PYD rebrands as PYCD.

The Strategic Plan of 2019-2023 guides PYCD to empower men, women, girls and boys (community members) with hope, assertiveness, knowledge,s kills, tools, communication channels, legal mechanisms etc, to enable them to address their situation and claim their rights individually and collectively. The Strategic Plan also seeks to transform PYCD into a modern organization, which is a one stop centre for the communities in Manicaland Province.

Our Vision:

An empowered community working towards sustainable development and transformation in Zimbabwe.

Our Mission:

A non-partisan, membership driven organization which exists to mobilize and empower communities in Manicaland Province through lobbying, advocacy and capacity building in order to promote social transformation and sustainability in Zimbabwe.

Our Values:

Ubuntu, Membership, Non-partisan, Inclusivity, Professionalism (Transparency, accountability and integrity), Team work, Non-violence, Gender equality and equity

STRATEGIC OBJECTIVES

 OBJECTIVE 1: To have an empowered community with capacity to defend and demand the use and preservation of land as the source of livelihood and the mainstay of the economy.

OBJECTIVE 2: To transform the role of women and culture as part of community development by focusing on the positive gender roles within the context of tradition and culture in Manicaland Province

OBJECTIVE 3: To breed a well-trained, mentored and nurtured young people with life skills in Manicaland Province.

OBJECTIVE 4: To produce an accountable organization, that operates on the basis of modern skills of documentation, information sharing, communication and networking.

THEORY OF CHANGE

We operate at the sub-national level strata of society in order to empower marginalized people with knowledge of their rights. We use the Constitution of Zimbabwe as well as the Human Rights Based Approach (HRBA) as the basis of our programming in marginalized communities. By empowering people with knowledge of their rights, citizens, who are rights holders, will claim their rights and demand services from duty bearers. We are guided by principles of nondiscrimination, participation, transparency and accountability during planning and monitoring initiatives related to community development. Our observation is that it is at the subnational level, where citizens mostly have a direct interaction with the agencies and officials of the state, and that there are a number of duty bearers and policies at the subnational level which directly influence the lives of marginalized women, men and children, such that if proper interventions are made, the lives of citizens will improve. At the center of our programming and implementation, it is the young people who will be at the forefront as the drivers and agents of transformation and social change.

 ORGANISATIONAL STRATEGIC FOCUS

  1. Land Rights and Livelihood

Activities:

  • Research and Publication on land rights, livelihood and climate change
  • Advocacy and Lobby on corporate social responsibilities in adherence to socio – economic justice
  1. Gender and Culture

Activities:   

  • Gender and Cultural Rights Training
  • Community Women Hearings
  • Youth Skills Development and Entrepreneurship

Activities:   

  • Youth Mentorship and Soft Skills Training
  1. Institutional strengthening and Accountability

Activities:   

  • Organizational Development and Capacity Building

Organization of the secretariat and volunteers

PYCD currently has a secretariat with 5 partly remunerated positions as well as a pool of community based Volunteers who are active for PYCD every week.

  • Director
  • Finance and Administration Officer
  • Gender Wellness and Advocacy Officer
  • Livelihood Projects and Research Officer
  • Information and Social Media Officer

Mailing Adress: P. Bag 5004
Checheche Growth Point
Chipinge
Physical Adress:Stand Number 11 Phase 2 Checheche
e-mails:
clarismadhuku78@gmail.com
platformtrust@gmail.com
director.platformtrust@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/ Platform for Youth Development
www.plaformtrustblogspot.com
Twitter: @PYDT1