The Nambya Development Organisation Trust (NDOT) is the brainchild of Nambya Cultural Association (NCA) which is a local organisation that was founded after it was realized that there was a need to preserve and promote Nambya language and culture that have battled to thrive in the face of a myriad of alien languages and cultures, most of whom have invasive tendencies. NCA was founded in the early 1960s as it battled for the survival of the Nambya language.
NDOT is the arm of NCA which is a registered trust whose sole purpose is to mobilize material and financial resources that will be used for furtherance of NCA activities and fulfill the objectives of the organisations.
Nambya people were displaced by the colonial government and settled in dry and rocky areas that are not suitable for farming. They gave way to the establishment of the Hwange National park and the construction of the railway line. The organization operates in Hwange district, which attracts people from all over the world for purposes of coal exploitation and transportation and thermal power generation. It is also home to one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the Victoria Falls as well as the mighty Zambezi River, and the renowned Hwange National Park, tone of the largest National Park in Southern Africa. This natural resource endowment has made the district an economic hub of the country. The exploitation of these resources has hardly benefited the local Nambya people. If anything, it has seen them battle to sustain their language, their culture and their identity as the district has become a melting pot of different cultures and tribes as people from all over the world who seek either employment or business opportunities in the area. The migrants bring along with themselves their culture and language. Natural resources namely coal, vegetation and wild life are being harvested but no plans to replace or conserve these are in place.
- To give effect to this concern and desire, the organisations intend to raise funds and receive donations and gifts for the objects set out herein.
- For the benefit of the public in Zimbabwe and benefits of its members and give effect to its objectives, the organisation desires to operate and to be administered in accordance with this constitution in order to pursue its objectives.
Objectives And Powers:
NDOT and NCA are to be a not for profit organisation with the following objects and powers:
3.1 To promote cultural diversity within and beyond the district;
3.2 To promote and revive positive baNambya cultural practices and assist in the development of the Nambya language;
3.3 To set up a research institute to carry out studies into baNambya culture and history;
3.4 To mainstream HIV/AIDS awareness and gender in traditional practices;
3.5 To promote those traditional practices that prevent the spread of AIDS , and conserve natural resources;
3.6 To promote child protections practices in order for children to develop to their full potential considering their evolving capacities;
3.7 To promote the sustainable use of natural resources.
3.9 To write ,print, publish ,issue and circulate any reports and documentations in local Nambya language;
3.10 To do all such things as are or may be incident or conducive to the attainment of its objects or any one or more of them.
5.0 Area Of Operation
5.1 The area of operation of NDOT and NCA shall be Hwange district.
6.0 Head Quarters And Address:
6.1 The headquarters of NCA shall be situated in Hwange, at F35/36 Lwendulu Village, P.O. Box 112 Hwange.
7.0 Structure Of NCA
The structure of NCA is as follows:
7.1 The whole district of Hwange shall have wards in the following areas: Victoria Falls, Hwange Concession, Hwange Local Board, Dete, Kamativi and Shana Chiefdom, Wange Chiefdom, Mvutu Chiefdom, Nekatambe Chiefdom and Nelukoba Chiefdom with each ward having its own members with elected /appointed ward executive committee (WEC) to govern their respective operations in their respective wards.
Each ward through it WEC shall be answerable to a Association Conference (AC) with regards to membership of the WEC.
7.2 The Association Conference (DMC) shall be an organ of NCA responsible for membership of the organisation for the whole of the district through the WEC. The DMC shall comprise of representatives from each of the nine wards.
7.3 The secretariat shall be answerable to a Board of Trustees (BOT) which shall have the overall responsibility and authority of NCA.
7.4 The day to day management, administration and operations of NCA shall be under the control of the Association Executive.
7.5 The Executive Secretary shall be the head of the secretariat and shall be responsible for the daily running of NCA.
8.0 Membership
Eligibility To Membership
a) Membership shall be open to any adult with the will and desire to promote Nambya culture and development in Hwange.
b) On joining the organisation, every member shall pay a non refundable joining fee which shall be determined by the AGM of the DMC.
c) All members shall pay annual and monthly subscriptions fee. The DMC shall determine the amounts which shall be payable from time to time by each category of members and the due date for payment.
d) A member who has not paid their subscriptions fee shall not have the right to participate and vote at any meeting. Members not paying their subscriptions fees within three (3) moths of due date may have their membership terminated by the DMC and there shall be no refund of subscriptions fees or any portion thereof. Late payment of subscription fees shall be subject to a penalty equivalent to the joining which shall be determined by the DMC from time to time.
The membership of NCA shall be divided into the following categories:
a) Ordinary members
b) and Honorary members
8.1 Ordinary Members
Membership shall be obtained by application and upon payment of a subscription fee according to the scale of fees in force. Application for membership shall be made on the prescribed form and submitted to the executive secretary. Upon receipt of an application form remittance or proof of remittance, the executive committee shall admit the applicant to full membership.
8.2 Honorary Members
May be conferred to individuals, who in the opinion of the Board Of Trustee have rendered services to NDOT and NCA , which merit the granting of such membership.