MONITORING REPORT ON GCN G/TIP GRANT

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

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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