BRIDGE Review

Read the account of the participants experience during the Zambian Train the Facilitator session in the framework of the PEV SADC project that finished last Friday. The article was written by Mr Guess Nyirenda, Executive Director of the Operation Young Voice, on behalf of the participants. We wish to thank Mr Nyirenda for his efforts during the training and congratulate him to his certificate as a semi-accredited facilitator of BRIDGE. 

"The Building Resources in Democracy, Governance and Elections (BRIDGE) Project was such a wonderful opportunity for leaders, project managers, planners and implementer to be engaged in and be trained. The BRIDGE Train the Facilitator workshop was quite edifying and the skills and certificates so obtained would be a very useful tool in our day to day livelihood. 

The 10 days Train the Facilitator (TtF) workshop held between 11th and 22nd November, 2013 at Cresta Golf View Hotel in Lusaka, Zambia, was not only a mind unlocking experience and a self-awareness arrangement but also knowledge and capacity building for individuals and stakeholders in the electoral process, governance, democracy and matters incidental thereto. There are numerous matters pertaining to the electoral process that most stakeholders, including us as participants, take for granted in the electoral cycle that were brought to the fore during the training.

The introductory and official opening to the workshop was enriching. The Deputy Minister of Home Affairs, Hon. Elfridah Kansembe’s official opening speech was spot on with regards to the violence that has of late rocked our electoral process in Zambia and the coming at the right time of the Train the Facilitator workshop for the stakeholders in Zambia. The facilitators through Zage Filipovski put the participants into perspective, ready to move and learn through an illustration of a young man who was seeking wisdom from a professor who in turn performed the “cup filled with coffee” demonstration implying that we must be receptive to learn at all times. The representative from the European Centre for Electoral Support (eces), the organisation that hosts the bridge project, Victoria Florinder was at hand to offer encouragement and inspiration how ready her organisation was to ensure that bridge succeeds not only in Zambia but elsewhere. This was motivating to the participants. 

The closing ceremony equally touched the core of the heart and was energising. In her closing remarks, the Inspector General of Police, Madam Stella Libongani, through the speech read for her by the Acting Lusaka Province Commissioner, Mr. Nelson Phiri noted that it was sad and unfortunate that women and youth continue to be used by politicians and political parties as tools of violence and perpetrators of electoral violence in Zambia, a phenomenon that she assured should be stopped through the employment of all strategies and that the TtF came in handy on the matter. Both Chairpersons of FODEP and ZNWL (Mr. Shepard Chilombe and Ms. Beauty Katebe) challenged the police to be proactive in the maintenance of law and order if the peace and tranquillity Zambia has enjoyed for many years is to be sustained and if women and youth are to effectively participate in the electoral process without hindrance and intimidation. The SADC-ESN Board member, Mr. Macdonald Chipenzi challenged the trained and those to be semi-accredited facilitators for go flat out and use the gained skills and avoid to be relegated to the inactive portfolio after three years of being dormant. Mr. Chipenzi also called on SADC to ensure that legislation to do with public order and assemblies within the respective countries in the region were reviewed to conform to the democratic dispensation and good governance. The mover of the voter of thanks, Mr. Guess Nyirenda (myself), assured the stakeholders to the training on behalf of the beneficiaries that the trained facilitators (participants) would not sit idle and watch violence and electoral violence eat the fibre of peace (especially that it was the youth and women –their peers that were being used as tools and perpetrators)dismantled and distorted after acquiring the necessary tools apart from giving the accolades of such a mind unlocking and skills enhancing training and experience. Mr. Nyirenda further challenged police and other stakeholders in democracy, governance and elections to tap into the resource that had just been built in the participants. 

The design of the workshop and training including the packaging of issues, modules and topics is comprehensive while the delivery was intensive and participatory making the whole project inspiring and challenging. The manner in which the learning styles werecouched and the way they were brought out helped us to be aware of the learning style that is prime in each of us.This further opened our minds to always be aware and alert to the fact that individuals learn differently thereby the need to employ a variety of learning styles, methodologies and aids so as to cater for all participants. The capacity received though the training by participants drawn from the Civil Society Organisations, the media etc. would be used to develop materials for respective stakeholders especially around issues of civic and voter information and education. 

The significance of the constructive feedback in Train the Facilitator (TtF) workshop was extremely helpful and would go a long way in building us.

Our facilitation skills have been enhanced. We now know when and how to engage the participants in the proceedings of our facilitation in future after the BRIDGE training taking into account the adult learning aspect. We further can brag of having a wealth of ice breakers/energizers. 

The fact that the training contained both theoretical and practical components with the latter part taking the larger portion was a very significant way of acquiring skills. This did not only go in tandem with the notion that practice makes perfect but also that when one puts to practice what they learnt it was embedded in their mind and not easily forgotten.

Our knowledge and awareness on cross-cutting issues/themes which include access, gender, technology, integrity, sustainability, conflict management and environment and their consideration at all times of our facilitation cannot be over-emphasized after undergoing the bridge-train the facilitator workshop. The project management and planning skills gained cannot be underrated. 

The highly unmatched team of facilitators composed of Zage Filipovski, Jocelyn Mubita and Rindai Vava did not only cultivate our facilitation skills and knowledge in the democracy, governance and elections but also challenged and inspired all of us (participants) to put in our best and look forward to be accredited as BRIDGE Facilitators. This team was highly qualified and their charisma and vast knowledge of BRIDGE facilitation skills made it easier for us to understand what was involved. 

We would be failing in our duties if we did not extend our heartfelt gratitude to the funders and organisers of the project. Further, our skills and knowledge acquisition as participants would be in vain if we do not endeavour to impart this knowledge on others."