A Week of Learning and Growth: Mentors’ Workshop in Zimbabwe

In October, mentors gathered for an intensive week of workshops to start the process of shaping and formalising the clubs’ curriculum, and to get support in proposal and budget preparation. Tara Casey (GSGC Executive Director), Dorothy Dyer (Curriculum Developer) and Lead Mentor, Nyika Muyambo, facilitated the sessions, guiding mentors through various key processes.

We began with curriculum development. Mentors first brainstormed the challenges faced by their participants, such as poverty, early marriage and gender-based violence (and many more). This exercise helped frame our work on the curriculum. The mentors then took their main topics — academic excellence, life skills, psychosocial support, career guidance, behavior change, sexual and reproductive health and rights, gender equality, and conservation — and outlined objectives and subtopics for each. They critiqued an example session plan, and then developed their own sessions based on the subtopics they had identified.

The mentor toolkit was also expanded. Dorothy led a session on incorporating reading into the curriculum and shared books and stories that reflect the world and context of the girls and boys we work with, to help hook them into reading. Storytelling was another tool we explored, and Dorothy demonstrated the power of oral stories to engage and inspire.

The Mentors brought a wealth of expertise and skills to the workshops. There was much laughter and learning as Patrick Kazadi, an experienced drama facilitator, led a session on using drama in sessions, showing us how drama, like storytelling, can embody complex issues and connect with both the heart and the mind. Later, one hot afternoon, Mercy, an expert sewer, led us in a hands-on session where we learned the backstitch and the running stitch. Throughout the week, the mentors’ own specific knowledge was a rich source of information for their peers and for the curriculum development process.

Tara led us through the final two days, where the focus shifted to refining the proposal process. The training brought together the curriculum and proposal development, showing how they complement each other to drive interventions in each club. Mentors collaborated to revisit their problem statements, reflect on their unique challenges, and reassess their interventions in a realistic way. This sparked valuable discussions on where each club stands after previous interventions and provided an opportunity to learn from one another’s successes and strategies for addressing new, evolving community needs. The dynamic nature of our communities requires adaptive solutions, and this process pushed us to rethink our approaches.

Mentors also took the chance to ask important questions about GSGC’s expectations for their proposals and planning for the upcoming year. We reviewed each other’s proposals, offering constructive feedback to help improve them, and mentors sharpened their skills in proposal writing and budgeting. This experience empowered them not only to strengthen their clubs but also to confidently approach other potential donors, fostering long-term sustainability.

Although it was dry and dusty outside, amidst a drought in Zimbabwe, inside the lapa ideas blossomed and spread. The mentors’ dedication and passion were evident in their deep engagement, and the week was a stimulating and enriching learning experience for all of us.