SILVEIRA House, a Jesuit centre for Development and Social Justice in Harare, yesterday celebrated 50 years of partnerships with mainly the impoverished communities of Zimbabwe.
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The Catholic Church centre was founded in December 1964 by Fr John Dove who died in June this year at the age of 92.
It has been at the heart of the social transformation agenda in the country, helping Zimbabweans negotiate their way during the volatile liberation struggle, the transition to a new Zimbabwe, the hardships of the post-independence State, and the ever-challenging fight against poverty.
In a statement, Jesuit Communications Zimbabwe said before Independence, Silveira House provided space for all the nationalist leaders, including President Robert Mugabe, to discuss their ideas with ordinary citizens.
After independence, trade unionists, like the late former President of Zambia Fredrick Chiluba and former Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, were also nurtured at the centre to facilitate for productive industrial relations.
Fr Gibson Munyoro, who is the director of Silveira House, said: “These are joyful times indeed. We are celebrating 50 years of social justice work, 50 years of community development work, 50 years of accompanying people from poverty to some dignified world especially in the rural areas, and poor urban centres.”
