More than 30 civil society organisations from Zimbabwe’s western region converged in Bulawayo for the National Association of Non-Governmental Organisations (NANGO) Regional NGO Expo and Winter School, an initiative aimed at showcasing community impact while fostering collaboration across the development sector.
The annual event brought together local and international NGOs, faith-based organisations, government ministries and departments, independent commissions, academia and private sector players to exchange ideas and strengthen partnerships.
Speaking on the sidelines of the expo, NANGO executive director Ernest Nyimai said the platform was designed to demonstrate the contribution of civil society organisations to national development while creating opportunities for organisations to work together.
“The idea behind the NGO Expo is to create a platform where NGOs are able to demonstrate the impact that they are making in communities and the transformation they are bringing,” said Nyimai.
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“More importantly, it is a platform for forging strategic partnerships where civil society organisations are able to appreciate each other’s work, collaborate and partner in different areas.”
He said participating organisations were also exhibiting alongside beneficiaries, allowing members of the public to hear first-hand testimonies on how community projects have improved livelihoods.
Nyimai said the Bulawayo edition formed part of NANGO’s decentralised regional programme, which has expanded beyond Harare to ensure organisations across the country have an opportunity to participate.
The regional expos are held annually during the July-August period, with previous editions hosted in Harare and Mutare for the eastern region before the western region event in Bulawayo.
Nyimai said the Bulawayo exhibition featured 36 exhibitors, including government institutions and private sector stakeholders, representing a broad variety of development work.
He said exhibitors covered humanitarian assistance, democracy and governance, economic governance, health and wellbeing, as well as climate change and environmental management.
“The diversity of organisations exhibiting here demonstrates the richness of our membership and the different thematic areas they work in. It also gives the public an opportunity to interact with exhibitors and appreciate the wide range of work NGOs are doing in this part of the country,” he said.
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