Our True Voice are the eyes and ears of the communities that drive the ECID programme.

They are our network of community reporters sharing first-hand accounts of the challenges and solutions of social exclusion.

Reports

  1. The imbalance of labour division in farming

    Brian Damba, community reporter from Mutare reports on the gender divides in farming and the impact of Covid-19. A lady from my community reflects that in rural areas, during farming activities men and boys do the first job of land preparation and ploughing. However, women and girls are included during sowing. During weeding time, it…

    Brian Damba

  2. Challenging COVID-19 scenes from Dangamvura cemetery

    As the Covid-19 pandemic spreads we asked marginalised communities about their experiences of Covid-19. Brian, from Mutare ward 17 shares a challenging account of his experience of the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic at Dangamvura cemetery, Mutare in January 2021.  In Mutare, Covid 19 has run rampant, and people are dying. Dangamvura cemetery is overwhelmed…

    Brian Damba

  3. Challenges of COVID-19 isolation expose vulnerable elders to the virus

    In many countries, the bigger focus of the coronavirus pandemic has been the protection of elderly members and those with underlying medical conditions. As seen globally, the elderly are more at risk of dying from the virus. But one challenge that many families are grappling with is isolation from older family members by those confirmed…

    Elliot Mugande

  4. Children forced to fend for their families

    In most districts of Zimbabwe, a lot of girls have dropped out of school with some married off at an early age and others turning to commercial sex work to eke a living. This is mostly because of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic which has worsened pre-existing inequalities. The vulnerability of young girls in particular, has…

    Elliot Mugande

    Rape Icon
  5. Community members of Fada Ward, Jaba, Nigeria, call for improvement in water supply

    Monica Ibrahim is a trained community reporter on the ECID project in Jaba Local Government Area (LGA) and she has taken time to provide an insight into how the project has given voice to the voiceless at Fada ward through the Our True Voice project. The past six months have been difficult moments for the…

    Monica Ibrahim

    Monica Ibrahim
  6. Ministry of Agriculture responds to our call for timely distribution of planting materials to flood victims (farmers) in Ayamelum, Nigeria

    In November 2020, communities in Anambra West were hit by a devastating flood that affected over 20,000 people. Some of the most affected communities are those that share boundaries with Enugu state, including the riverine area of Igbakwu. This incident has resulted in severe hunger for affected families and communities because the flood had washed…

    Chinyere Ogugua Okafor

    Cassava sticks to be distributed to beneficiaries
  7. Helping get justice for a teenage girl who was raped

    ECID Community Reporter Fatima Yakubu, based in Makarfi, shows commitment against gender-based violence by facilitating the arrest and subsequent prosecution and jailing of a rape culprit. Read a summary of Fatima’s heroinism below. Halima (not her real name) is a 15years old student of the Government Secondary School, Makarfi ward in Makarfi Local Government Area…

    Fatima Yakubu

    Rape Icon
  8. Women and people with disabilities taking part in community decision making

    Our True Voice reporter Twinet Ncube shares an insight into a community meeting about taking part in decision making processes and how this helps her, as a woman with a disability, as well as others in her community, ensure their needs are heard and taken into account. Chimwara village 3, ward 25 today held a…

    Twinet Ncube