Harare, 17 May 2022: Forum for African Women Educationalists Zimbabwe Chapter (FAWEZI), Action Aid Zimbabwe (AAZ), Family Aids Caring Trust (FACT) and community champions from Shamva and Chitungwizwa converged in Domboshava today for the SASA Together awareness phase training.

The three-day training is meant to equip community champions with skills to reduce Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) in their communities.

Key issues to be focused on during the training include root causes of violence and understanding issues associated with power over.

The training event will unpack strategies to rectify problems emanating from power over or power imbalances between men and women as well as explore qualities of positive relationships.

The exercise will also focus on types of Gender Based Violence (GBV) to refresh the minds of the champions so that they remain relevant in the fight against VAWG.

During the training, participants will be exposed to self-relationship evaluation so that they lead by example and live what they teach in their communities.

Other issues to be tackled include disability inclusion so as to come up with sustainable solutions to VAWG that recognizes the difference between women as well as the difference between men.

SASA Together is a community mobilization approach for preventing violence against women. The word SASA was derived from Kiswahili which means “now” to emphasize the urgent need to address issues of VAWG.

The word “together” serves to emphasise that change is possible with collaboration support and solidarity.

The consortium is using the “SASA Together” methodology in communities and the “Tuseme/Let us all speak out” methodology in schools to reduce cases of VAWG under the Towards Resilient Communities with Health, Equity and Safety (TORCHES) for all project.