Meet the steering committee

Chair Leonard Marange

Federation of Organisations of Disabled People in Zimbabwe

“I am not happy with the way persons with disabilities are treated. Because of this treatment we are not given the same opportunities with regards to education, with regards to access to education, with regards to access to justice, with regards to medical care, with regards to getting employment opportunities. To me, an Equal Zimbabwe would mean equal opportunities and access to inclusive development; protection by the law and dignity and respect from society, the community and my family.”

Vice Chair Senzeni Mutevedzi

Disability Network Goromonzi

“A disability rights campaign like Equal Zimbabwe is something that has been attempted for a long time, and it’s failed. So I just want this to be something that has been planned and executed so we have something that we have been waiting for in our own hands, for Zimbabwe and for the disability constituency of Zimbabwe. And I believe that after the new national disability bill has been passed a lot of things are going to change for people with disabilities, especially for those in rural areas. I believe that it is going to open a lot of doors.

“With Equal Zimbabwe, we are calling for the leadership of Zimbabwe especially in rural areas with traditional leaders to empower persons with disabilities and make sure they are included in all development sectors.”

Timothy Mudarikwa

Zimbabwe Association of the Visually Handicapped

“I’m a very passionate farmer. But society in general will not believe that a person with a visual impairment can do farming successfully. I really wanted to prove the point to society that what we want, what we need as persons with disabilities are opportunities. So I’ve entered competitions run by ILO and I’ve been awarded first prize as the best entrepreneur with a disability. I’ve got in a tender to supply supermarkets all over the country with horticultural products and… I’m doing fine! So this will prove to society that disability is not inability, it’s just opportunities that we need.”

Agness Chindimba

Deaf Women Included

“As I grew up, people thought deaf girls were not important and had no value compared to hearing girls. If education, justice and employment is offered to persons with disabilities, then we can talk about them having freedom to make their own choices.”

Pick Nkomwa

Nkomwa Foundation Trust

“If the Equal Zimbabwe campaign is successful, that we have our persons with disability act, to me it means a lot. I am an advocate for persons with disabilities, meaning to say everything that is in the national disability policy is also being covered and enforced in our societies through the act. And I believe with that there is a transformation and a change in the narrative of persons with disabilities in our communities.”

Mercy Maunganidze

Zimbabwe Albino Association

“The Equal Zimbabwe campaign leaves no one and no place behind. We have a common goal to see all persons with disabilities included in the society and to eliminate barriers towards the full enjoyment of their rights – I mean persons with visible disabilities and with invisible disabilities.

“As one of the committee members of the national campaign, I am very excited that just two days after we launched our campaign, the national disability bill was gazzetted (published in a government gazette). We are on the right path; we are going in the right direction to see persons with disabilities live a better life in future.”

Pedzisai Mangayi

Hope in Motion

“It’s my wish that with this Zimbabwe national campaign, besides the issue of the new national disability bill going through, we still need to fight for equality in terms of access to services, in terms of empowerment of people with disabilities. Because we might have the bill, fine, but have we changed the mentality within society itself? The society we live in is too backwards. So my vision is to make sure we change those perceptions. We are now moving towards an inclusive society. We are trying to look at how adults can be empowered and how can they be sensitised. But in terms of future perception and awareness, we are dwelling more on children, because that’s where the future lies. ”

Tabeth Sibanda

Kukura Neshungu Institute

“I am passionate about enhancing lives of youth with disabilities and working with them has given me a different perception about persons with disabilities. The capacities in them never cease to amaze me. We empower them through life skills training… we are reducing poverty, because they can sustain themselves through the projects that they do. So come and join us in the Zimbabwe disability campaign so we can enhance the lives of persons with disabilities.”