Pact-supported leadership program fosters women change-makers in Zimbabwean civil society

In 2019, the Pact-supported Civic Engagement for Accountability and Democracy in Zimbabwe project, or CEADZ, put out a call for applicants for a Women's Leadership Program. The program aimed to build a pool of young women change-makers, positioned to grow into their leadership positions within Zimbabwean civil society organizations. The program was designed to meet the specific needs of women in mid-level management, focusing on recognizing their lived experiences and taking them on a personal transformation journey to tap into their innate potential. 

Through a combination of weeklong workshops and 10 months of personal mentorship, the 20 women who were selected were equipped with effective leadership skills, focusing on the individual as well as the collective. The program culminated with a graduation ceremony in Victoria Falls in late 2020. 

But the program's impact didn't stop there. Recognizing the immeasurable benefits of their "sisterhood," the Women's Leadership Program graduates decided to form an alumni group. Through events and mentorship for other women, their goal is "to support and promote leadership among women, raise the profile of youth and women for the enhancement of the status of women in civil society, and build stong woman-to-woman solidarity." 

The CEADZ Consortium includes Pact, YETT (Youth Empowerment and Transformation Trust) and WCoZ (Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe).