Poverty Reduction Forum Trust

The Poverty Reduction Forum Trust (PRFT) is a civil society organization founded in 2008 from the then Poverty Reduction Forum (PRF). While the PRF was involved in several activities during its span, its main flagship remained the production, dissemination and advocacy around the UNDP sponsored Zimbabwe Human Development Reports (ZHDRs). PRF produced ZHDRs in the following areas: Poverty, Globalization, Governance, HIV and AIDS and Gender. In partnership with the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions (ZCTU), PRF was also involved in the World Bank sponsored Structural Adjustment Participatory Review Initiatives (SAPRI). The key researches conducted in Zimbabwe under the SAPRI covered the following topics:The Impact of Public Expenditure Management under ESAP on basic Social Services, Health and Education; The Labour Market and Economic Development 1980-2000; Trade liberalization; Liberalization of Agricultural Markets and the Financial Sector Liberalization and the Poor: A Critical Appraisal.^[1]

Background

The motivation to register the PRFT as a fully fledged and independent civil society organization, when the drivers of PRF decided to close the project completely was, and is still, the deep calls, from beneath and above, for strategic and decisive actions to be taken to address the causes and manifestations of poverty in Zimbabwe, in its various and sometimes horrendous forms. The organization is inspired by the vision of a Zimbabwe Free from Poverty in which every human being lives a dignified, secure and decent life that conduce sustainable human development. In this regard, sustainable human development paradigm is the guiding principle for all PRFT work on poverty reduction.

The PRFT’s goal is to influence the formulation of pro-poor policies through carrying out research on poverty related issues, engaging with policy makers, promoting broad-based consultative dialogue and processes, as well as advocating for sustainable human development in Zimbabwe. In order to achieve this goal, the organization continues to conduct poverty related research and promote evidence based policy formulation and dialogue between civil society, development partners and policy makers on issues of sustainable poverty reduction and human development.

The PRFT has positioned itself as a platform for civil society in Zimbabwe to not only generate research data on poverty related issues but to also generate policy alternatives for poverty reduction, mobilize and catalyze different civil society constituencies to speak out against policies, strategies and actions that hinder poverty reduction and or increases the vulnerability of people to poverty. This is being done through; mobilizing national expertise from the academia and other sectors to undertake poverty research in order to inform policy; Participating in pro-poor policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation processes; forming strategic partnerships and networks for poverty reduction advocacy; and mobilizing sufficient resources to ensure the financial sustainability of the organization.

National Poverty Watch is the PRFT’s flagship and is largely anchored on a three-pronged approach, namely, research, training and advocacy. The forum also continues to work with marginalised groups, households and communities to have their voices heard in policy making, implementation and monitoring and evaluation.

Vision

A Zimbabwe free from poverty

Mission

Their mission is to inform and influence policy towards poverty reduction and sustainable human development through research,advocacy and public dialogue.

Structure

Board of Trustees

Chairman – Dr. Godfrey Kanyenze
Trustee – Dr. Donald Chimanikire
Trustee – Dr. Jesimen Chipika
Trustee – Mr. Charles Mutasa
Trustee– Mrs Dorcas Atukwa

Staff

Executive Director - Judith Kaulem
Programmes Coordinator – Tafara Chiremba
Finance and Administration Officer – Tawanda Nyamutumbu
Program Officer – Nyasha Nyatondo

Programmes

Research

Thematic - PRFT conducts in-depth local and national studies on poverty in Zimbabwe. The poverty studies are carried out to generate more evidence for policy advocacy through digging deeper into some of the Basic Needs Basket findings. The Poverty Reduction Forum Trust uses these researches to engage local and national policy makers on poverty reduction policies.
Basic Needs Basket (BNB) - As part of its Poverty Watch Flagship, PRFT conducts the Basic Needs Basket (BNB) Survey project. PRFT launched this project in 2010 in Harare before it was replicated to other towns such as Mutare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Shurugwi, Masvingo and Bindura. The BNB survey tool was introduced in response to the lack of comprehensive and accurate picture of poverty in both the urban and rural areas of Zimbabwe to inform evidence based policies. PRFT’s research work seeks to compliment government efforts to provide timely and reliable statistics on human poverty.

The BNB is a social research tool which provides evidence to state and non – state actors on the monthly basic requirements of an average family of five to enjoy a healthy and dignified lifestyle. The overall objective of the BNB survey project is to generate regular, local specific and disaggregated statistical and qualitative information of the basic cost of living for ordinary residents in specific locations, and push for policies and programs that cushion vulnerable urban households. The BNB surveys seek to complement national statistics compiled by Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT) (Poverty, Income, Consumption and Expenditure, Poverty Datum Line) by filling the gaps existing in the provision of timely local specific data. At regional level, PRFT joined other organizations which have been implementing this tool in other SADC countries such as Zambia, South Africa, Malawi and Namibia.

Public Dialogue

PRFT holds local and national dialogue platforms on poverty. Through the dialogue platforms, PRFT brings civil society, private sector, local authorities, government ministries, policy makers, development experts to discuss policies on poverty reduction and human development. PRFT also uses this opportunity to disseminate and validate its research work on poverty.

Capacity Building

Through this programme, PRFT in partnership with other civil society organizations offers comprehensive capacity building trainings to communities, community based organizations, residents associations and local leadership structures. The key capacity building areas include research and advocacy strategy development, project development, monitoring and social accountability.