The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRCS) has ushered in a new board led by David Chaliyanika as the organisation seeks to transform itself and the lives of vulnerable communities in the country.
At its 2024 general assembly yesterday, ZRCS held elections which saw new board members being elected, who are Emmaculate Chuma (vice-president), Bennard Sharara (vice-president) and Paradzayi Dakwa (honourary treasurer).
Chaliyanika was duly elected as the president, taking over the reins from Edson Mlambo, who had served his mandatory two terms.
“I am humbled by your trust in electing me as your new president for the coming years,” Chaliyanika said in his acceptance speech.
“We appreciate the support from the ICRC [International Committee of the Red Cross] and other partners in keeping us afloat.
“Also to the management and staff, you are the council and I am the resident, the achievement we make is coming from all of us.”
Chaliyanika, who had been serving as the ZRCS vice-president, promised to continue from where Mlambo left in transforming the national society.
The election was witnessed by the director policy, planning and international relations in the Defence ministry Tendai Chilowa, who was representing Defence minister Oppah Muchinguri Kashiri, International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC) head of the Southern Africa Cluster John Roche and International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) head for southern Africa Jules Amoti.
Outgoing president Mlambo took delegates at the general assembly through the journey they traversed as an organisation for the past two years.
“It was a journey worth every step we took, and I am glad that we overcame all hurdles and challenges as we focused on our core mandate, saving lives and alleviating human suffering,” he said.
“No one of us is as strong as all of us together. With that in mind, we take this opportunity to acknowledge the cordial, complimentary, and professional relations between the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society governance structures and secretariat at all levels.
“That shared vision and unity of purpose has carried the day for us at a time when donor support is generally dwindling.”
Mlambo said ZRCS’s auxiliary role to the government’s humanitarian efforts was well appreciated and through such support led by the Defence ministry, their humanitarian space was.
“The period 2023 to 2024 had its fair share of successes and challenges for the local humanitarian sector, but the ZRCS continued playing a significant role in alleviating human suffering,” he said.
“With climate change-induced food insecurity threatening the lives of many around Zimbabwe among an array of other challenges, we are happy to be reporting that notable positives were scored in responding to humanitarian challenges as they arose.”
ZRCS secretary-general Elias Hwenga said as a member of the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, his organisation had a strategic plan running from 2021 to 2025, a plan that gives direction to their programming.
“The implementation of the strategic plan has been both challenging in responding to emerging disasters and global pandemics and yet rewarding through the impact we are making as we transform our organization and the lives of vulnerable communities in Zimbabwe,” Hwenga said.
“In 2020, we came up with various strategic interventions, whose purpose was to set the tone and define the course of our actions considering the then dire situation and how we were going to pick up the issues.
“These strategies spurred us in an accelerated recovery path with the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement components, including partner national societies, coming in through at the most needed time.
“And we are grateful to our partners for having trust and confidence in us as new leadership.
“Through various mutual partnerships, both within and outside the movement, there was enhanced cooperation, which has enabled the ZRCS to be able to deliver quality, relevant and timeous humanitarian services to vulnerable populations across Zimbabwe.”
Amoti said ICRC would do everything possible to support ZRCS in its endeavours despite his organisation being committed to other humanitarian needs elsewhere.
“It is our collective responsibility to support the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society, including fundraising because without financial resources we cannot succeed,” he said.
“We have in the region, disasters, we have floods, we have droughts and we have food insecurity and we have cholera outbreak. I am happy that the IFRC is coming in to support.”
The ZRCS is one of the biggest humanitarian organisations in the country with over 20 000 volunteers dotted across all provinces, mainly in marginalised communities.