ZIMBABWE DIASPORA DEVELOPMENT CHAMBER
"The Chamber"

INTRODUCTORY ARGUMENT

After 1980 black Zimbabweans did not grasp the duty to own and operate businesses to produce goods and services for the nation, opting for employment. There is nothing wrong with employment, but the economy needs local participation, deep local ownership to start and run a businesses. It is difficult and requires both ingenuity and money, coupled with a clear development agenda by government, without which political gains diminish, as we have seen. Poor people can sing politics, but are not politicians.

Around 1997 civil society, responding the lack of progress, formed the NCA to deal with the matters through a new constitution, to control an errant government. It did not work.
The government was gullible, spending on consumption and borrowing from the local small capital market, drying up funds and generating inflation. The current inflation is indicator of lack of productive capacity, with local and imported inflation fueling it. At this moment return to democracy on its own will not bring new fortunes, unless there is sustained volumes of investment by the citizens. Foreign investors are few and unpredictable.

The citizens are poorer and the capital markets upset, interest rates too high. It leaves the Diaspora to work it out. Indeed, it is up to everybody to do it, not to wait for someone.
The Forum is pioneering the effort to set up a platform which can raise seed money to be able to access huge capital on international markets and loan it to Zimbabweans in the Diaspora who by themselves may not qualify. The lending criteria will be different from that of banks and but still able to contain risk. The businesses must be largely in the Diaspora, preferably within SADC, to grow the capital base, before moving into Zimbabwe at an appropriate time.

THE CHAMBER
The Zimbabwe Diaspora Development Chamber is the Platform responsible for Development: The Chamber is the center for capital mobilization and investments. The Chamber will:
Mobilize all CSOs under the Forum to find socio politico solutions for Zimbabweans in the Diaspora.
Research and prepare documentation for the formation and management of the Zimbabwe Diaspora Development Chamber to which all members of the CSOs will pursue economic development
Mobilize all Zimbabweans outside the CSO movement to join the Chamber and be part of the process to pursue economic development.
Raise funding for projects by Zimbabweans in the Diaspora, and finally in Zimbabwe.

ONE DIASPORA DEVELOPMENT CHAMBER

The ideal is to have one Chamber for the whole Diaspora. The International Conference in December will approve the overall documentation and decide on any other matter. Annually there will be Global Awards and Gala for achievers in various fields, at the time of the International Conferences.

What the forum aims to achieve
1.To assist thousands of Zimbabweans to start businesses in South Africa, particularly manufacturing, thereby create jobs for themselves and others.
2.To create a Global Forum network in the Diaspora, starting in South Africa

This will economically empower the Diaspora to go back and invest in Zimbabwe.

To achieve this the Forum, through advocacy and engagement with relevant South African Government Departments, would like to:
Assist to create a fund to finance micro and macro projects by Zimbabweans in the Diaspora;
Assist Zimbabweans in their efforts to secure temporary resident permits, work permits and refugee status in South Africa;
Assist Zimbabweans with skills to be employed so that they can effectively contribute professionally to the development of South Africa and to retain skills in the region;
Assist Zimbabweans in South Africa to have access to HIV/AIDS treatment and other health services in Government hospitals;
Assist Zimbabweans in ensuring that their labour and human rights are respected in South Africa;
Assist Zimbabweans from being arbitrarily arrested and deported without any due process;
Assist those Zimbabweans that desire to be repatriated home;
Assist Zimbabweans to connect with civil society organizations that deal with their specific needs;
Assist in skills training and business knowledge for those who want to start business.

WHAT THE FORUM HAS ACHIEVED SO FAR

Through the Refugee Associations the Forum has intervened to avert some unlawful deportations;
Through its co-operation with Nkuzi Development Association, the Forum is ensuring that the rights of Zimbabwean farm workers are respected in the Makhado-Musina farming region;
Through its affiliate, the Zimbabwe Exiles Forum, the Forum has secured the right of Zimbabweans to be gainfully employed while they await the processing of the refugee status;
Through its affiliate, the Zimbabwe Progressive Teachers' Union in South Africa, the Forum has successfully lobbied the South African Government to recognise the Diploma in Education from Zimbabwe so that Zimbabwean teachers can teach in South African schools.

WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO ACHIEVE OBJECTIVES
A comprehensible database of Zimbabweans living in South Africa.
In this regard the Forum has partnered with the Mass Public Opinion Institute, a professional research institute based in Pretoria, to document, among other things, skills, economic activities, and problems of Zimbabweans living in South Africa with a view to assist them. Personal information of Zimbabweans collected in the exercise will be kept confidential and will solely be used for their benefit. Remember the Forum exists for one sole reason - to advocate and promote the interests of Zimbabweans in the Diaspora.
The Forum keeps the South African government informed of its activities, so that everybody, legal or illegal is safe to fill in questionnaire forms.