Magamba Network and NAYO named among 100 Sparks of Hope by The Elders

Two Zimbabwean organisations, Magamba Network and the National Association of Youth Organisations (NAYO) have been named among 100 organisations across the world called the Sparks Of Hope as part of the #Walk Together campaign.

Magamba Network rose to inspire young people to be part of the change Zimbabwe needs. They decided to create change through fun, creative tools that speak to young people in a language they understand: from hip-hop to satire, from social media to innovation. They believe in a Zimbabwe with participatory democracy, strong alternative media and a thriving creative economy. They believe in being the change they want to create and are committed to social justice. Magamba’s award-winning initiatives include Shoko Festival, Zimbabwe’s longest-running festival of urban culture; Moto Republik, Southern Africa’s first creative hub; the internationally acclaimed Zambezi News satire show, the weekly political news show The Week and the pioneering citizen journalism project, Open Parly. Magamba’s newest intiaitives include The FeedZW, a video news project focused on young people, and the Citizens’ Manifesto, a platform that Magamba works on collaboratively with social movements to fight for a new Zimbabwe. (Click here to read more about them on the site)

NAYO is an umbrella body of youth organisations in Zimbabwe. Its members believe that youth have an integral role to play in the development of the nation and that by coming together; more can be achieved through the sharing of resources and strengthening of youth voices on a wide spectrum of societal concerns. (Click here to read more about them).

About the initiative in general, the site says:

In July 2017 a group of forward looking civil society networks, brought together by The Elders, an organisation of independent leaders founded ten years ago by Mandela, decided to do something positive to overcome growing intolerance and polarisation in societies. We’ve joined forces to champion the voices – and deeds – of groups who live the values of empathy, compassion and solidarity in the work they do to improve their lives, and those of their communities. #WalkTogether exists as a platform for celebrating freedoms and building a bright map of hope, highlighting those who share our mission: to shine a light on courageous moral leadership and offering hope around the world where it’s needed most.

Well done guys.