Dr Charles Dahwa has just established Sahwira Community Development (SCD) to firstly improve communication about COVID 19 and appeal for donations such as face masks, sanitizers and food. Importantly, SCD seeks to provide long term interventions that survives the post COVID 19 era. Consequently, SCD seeks to conduct socio-economic research to inform policy about social and economic challenges fuelling the marginalisation of communities. Further, SCD, seeks to establish fruit canning manufacturing plants in rural agricultural areas, operate community haulage trucks and community shops (in both rural and urban centres). All this creates employment and improves farmers and other SMEs access to markets. SCD, further seeks to mobilise donor funds to build rural clinics, which are is serious short supply. Another intervention is to mobilise donor support to build community ICT centres and supply of educational textbooks as well as undergraduate scholarships for marginalised students. Further, SCD, strives to train marginalised communities in income generation projects and basic business management. SCD shall initially operate in Manicaland and Masvingo Provinces of Zimbabwe, which are the worst hit by Cyclone Idai of March 2019. Dr Charlie has since opened a Facebook Page to communicate with various stakeholders. Crucially, SCD shall be a social enterprise significantly sustaining itself giving 30%-60% profits to charity. Notably donor/Investor funding is critical to start SCD.

Response - we're responding directly to issues caused or exacerbated by the COVID-19 outbreak.

I have a market-ready product/service. I could sell it to customers

Dr Charles Dahwa, the founding CEO and Lead Consultant has over two and half decades professional experience spanning across banking, microfinance, management consultancy and university education. Throughout his career, Dr Charlie has consulted advising over 500 SMEs including agro SMEs and as such he has hands on experience with regards to challenges faced by most SMEs. In addition, Dr Charlie has just a PhD in management in the UK, from Manchester Metropolitan University. Therefore, Dr Charlie brings a rare blend of diverse industrial experience with high quality academic training into problem resolution. Given this blended experiential and academic knowledge, Dr Charlie can competently guide Sahwira Community Development to profitable growth and social responsibility. A key executive member is Letticia Dahwa who is a veteran educationist with over two decades experience working with secondary school students, women and the community. Letticia is involved in HIV and Aids, Victim Friendly Unit, Guidance and Counselling among others. Dr Charlie has since identified 14 qualified people to serve as Community Development Champions, 7 each for Masvingo and Manicaland provinces, given each province has 7 districts. Importantly, Dr Charlie, comes from the farming area in the Eastern Highlands where farmers struggle to ferry their produce (bananas, avocado pears, pineaples among other fruits) to city markets, that are far away (aboe) 4-6 hours drive).

Sahwira Community Development seeks to operate first in Zimbabwe and then replicate the model within the Southern African Development Community (SADC).. NB: i). Sahwira Community Development is in the process of being registered as a non profit institution but owing to COVID 19, this will take time. ii). Dr Charlie already has a private limited registered company in the name of Sahwira Financial Services, which is not operating and its articles of association does permit the undertaking of fruit canning, community shops and community haulage, which have been assigned here as profit ventures for the intended social enterprise, Sahwira Community Development.iii). Therefore, if its difficult for donors/investors to invest or fund Sahwira Community Development, being unregistered, all the activities under it can be done under the private limited compnay Sahwira Financial Services.

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