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Vision

PROMOTION OF CHARITY WORK

“A beautiful heart is much more worth than a beautiful face”- Viomak

My vision is to eradicate poverty and hopelessness in Zimbabwe. I aspire to continue being a voice of the voiceless, a voice of social justice, and a voice of political justice. I envision a giving and helping Zimbabwe where citizens understand that we are all human beings who should be there for each other and never to compete against each other but to compete with each other so that everyone can get to the top of the ladder. I don’t share and donate in cash only but I also donate in kind, my energy, time, views, advice and expertise for the common good. I also donate my music and I have specifically donated the song Gore iro to some charities like Ancient Ways for sale and for them to use the proceeds towards the upkeep of poverty stricken Zimbabweans.

Following through on my vision, dream and commitment I decided to use my voice to make a difference in someone’s life and I will continue to do so. We need to be kind to each other, commit ourselves to those who suffer poverty and abandonment and who have no voice to raise their concerns. I will continue to dedicate my voice, energy time and other resources to the voiceless Zimbabweans home and away who are going through physical and emotional abuse under the ZanuPF Robert Mugabe regime. I make available on my website options that can be used by organizations and individuals to facilitate on-line fundraising through the sale of my music and any other donations in cash and in kind to assist me achieve my philanthropy vision in order to achieve a good for all Zimbabwe where everyone will lead a decent and happy life for the betterment of our society. Having been touched by the load of problems facing Zimbabweans in Zimbabwe and away I thought it a necessity to offer my voice, heart and hands to answer the call of responsibility to work for the needy while pursuing leadership reform in Zimbabwe. I will strive to continue giving hope to the hopeless Zimbabweans especially the sick, the mentally and physically challenged, vulnerable children and adults and all the poverty stricken people whose hope has been taken away by a hopeless and selfish leadership of heartless politicians. I will continue to give special attention to orphans, street children, sexually abused and physically abused children and not forgetting the elderly who also suffer various forms of abuse and in the end build Viomak help shelters across the country. I promise to be a LIGHT in the darkness, to think only of the best, to work only for the best, to expect only the best, to be too LARGE for worry, too NOBLE for anger, too STRONG for fear and too HAPPY to permit the pressure of trouble.

PROMOTION OF VOLUNTARY WORK

“I don’t believe in amassing wealth. I believe in ensuring others have what they need” -Viomak .

My vision is to inspire Zimbabweans to be good citizens who engage in voluntary work towards developing not only our families but also our communities and our nation. My work gives me personal satisfaction that I’m doing what is morally right by helping others and speaking on their behalf through music, activism and charity work. My music strengthens those who are facing humanitarian disasters like poverty and hopelessness. I will continue to encourage voluntary work as I am singing voluntarily and helping the needy voluntarily as well. I will continue to walk the talk and inspire Zimbabweans to also divert their hard working culture and talents to voluntary work, a trait that is very rare amongst Zimbabweans. The nation is facing a crisis whereby citizens have lost their moral obligation to help but expect a payment for anything that they do. This understanding will create a vibrant, considerate and responsible community that will progress as one in building a vibrant and loving community. I have volunteered for many charitable causes such as Hope for Zimbabwe children, Zimbabwe institute for free expression and New Hope foundation Zimbabwe. Through my work future generations are inspired to be politically conscious and to be good, unselfish citizens and leaders with integrity, who denounce wrong, demand social justice, fight injustice, unfairness and inequality thereby preparing a brighter future for ourselves and future generations.

PROMOTION OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND OPINION

“Freedom of speech does not come to those who wait for it but it comes to those who demand it” – Viomak

My vision is to see a Zimbabwe where everyone is free to express their views and exchange ideas without fear of victimization. Freedom of expression and opinion is under threat in Zimbabwe Freedom of expression and opinion is under threat in Zimbabwe. I set up a freedom of expression and opinion project to highlight the human rights abuses in Zimbabwe and to campaign for freedom of expression worldwide. I would like to see Zimbabwe leaders respect free expression and for them to understand that freedom of expression is the cornerstone of democratic societies. I will continue to promote the use of protest art as a tool for socio-political change and hope to have Zimbabwe citizens and leaders understand the importance of free speech. Zimbabweans fear victimization so they are generally passive people politically so my vision embraces the importance of activism as a force of social change and political change. I intend to work more with Zimbabwe and other free expression organizations such as Article 19, IFEX (Institute for free expression), Amnesty International and Free muse (Freedom of musical expression), that promote and defend the right to freedom of speech. Zimbabwe is a country that is struggling and so promoting freedom of expression through music and other forms of education are at the core of social change, a vision I will pursue. Of particular concern is the suffering of women and girls who are failing to achieve their goals due to lack of freedom of expression and developmental opportunities. Ever since I started recording protest music I see women struggling to break through due to lack of knowledge, finances and support .It is therefore worth noting that promoting feminist protest art particularly music, will also highlight fundamental artistic problems experienced by women, thus helping the Zimbabwe music industry in designing policies that empower women towards their struggles.

The Zimbabwe Government passed draconian laws such as POSA and AIPPA to silence critics. POSA is being used to ban any form of protest. It imposes severe restrictions on civil liberties and criminalizes activities associated with freedoms of expression, assembly, association and action. It doesn’t allow activists to speak against the president and bad governance. It also requires that police be notified in advance of any public gathering of more than two people, and prohibits those which police believe could cause public disorder. My vision is for these undemocratic and repressive laws to be removed. Under AIPPA (Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Act), journalists and media houses are punished if they write what the Act describes as falsehoods, on the basis of violating freedom of expression. Such laws silence voices of citizens , human rights defenders, activists and artistic voices since the laws bar them from criticizing Mugabe and his ZanuPF government. I would like to see AIPPA removed as such laws hinder on democracy and development . I am using music ,campaigns and activism ,mainly internet, petitions and social sites to campaign against the laws. I also intent to hold free expression seminars and conferences to share my story and inspire Zimbabweans to change their mindsets as some of the reasoning is archaic.

The Broadcasting Services Act (BSA) law is being used to maintain a state monopoly of the airwaves .Through this Act, the State is preferring a charge of ‘distributing, displaying or selling any recording that is undesirable’ under the draconian law, The Censorship and Entertainment Control Act. Music is censored basing on reasons stipulated by the censorship board with the aid of the Censorship and Entertainment Control Act of 1967, revised in 1996 and what the public broadcaster deems unfit for public consumption. I also have protest songs calling for the removal of these oppressive laws. I would like to see the music censorship law removed and replaced with progressive laws whereby the government allows different artistic voices and citizens to air their views in different ways.

PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

“Not all rights are right, some rights are wrong”- Viomak

My vision is a nation where human rights are adhered to and respected and the dignity of citizens restored. In addition to helping alleviate poverty, my music addresses the human rights which are being infringed by ZanuPF and Robert Mugabe’s repressive laws as I advocate for social, economic, and political change, whilst highlighting ZanuPF corruption, cruelty, bad governance and incompetence. I defend human rights in ways that help those who are being affected by Mugabe’s human rights abuses and bad governance and I speak against political violence days on end. My music is a welcome approach in the Zimbabwean music industry which is saturated with themes that are either irresponsible or irrelevant. My voluntary work explores the transformation of a country tainted by years of human rights abuses and underdevelopment into a global community as I believe that the way governments treat their people is a matter of international concern and perpetrators of such injustice should be brought to book and punished for the crimes against humanity.

Zimbabwe is one country that is on the verge of collapse and more than half of the population needs help one way or the other. I will continue to lend my voice in support of respect for human rights and my visionary music will continue to speak on behalf of the suffering masses of Zimbabwe and fight for their right to lead decent lives. Through this charity music project my vision is also to ensure the suffering and needy earn better lives by paying school fees for children in impoverished areas such as Epworth and provide food and clothing. I will continue to stand up for the right to education for the disadvantaged children and adults and for their right to shelter and good health whilst naming and shaming and exposing ZanuPF and Robert Mugabe’s abuse of human rights and misgovernance.

PROMOTION OF WOMEN EMPOWERMENT

“Many women in leadership positions were supported by men to climb up there and not by women” – Viomak

My vision is to see the rise of women-centered movements that contribute to alternative development and the rise of a new society of women who empower each other. Despite post-independence legislation that has led to more choices in education and employment, Zimbabwean women remain subordinate to men and are like field dependent learners who tend to favor a spectator approach to learning and not field independent learners who tend to favor inquiry approaches. This has contributed to the silence dominating the feminist artistic voice. My vision will continue to change this culture and empower women to be masters of their own trades. This will change their social status. Even though since 1981, one objective of the Ministry of Education and Culture has been to resurrect its people’s musical heritage, I am the only woman produces protest music. Women’s lack of enthusiasm in protest music is dragging the empowerment of women in political activism by failing to highlight social development issues, confront oppression, promote, demand what is right and affirm truth through protest art. It is a matter of research to investigate the extent of this lack of enthusiasm, but it is clear that there is a serious problem that needs to be resolved. Women are therefore failing to take up positions of power because they seem to oppress their voices or their voices are oppressed by certain cultural norms that view women as listeners and not decision making beings. Once women are empowered they will get rid of legislation that is unjust and cultural norms that are oppressive thereby improving their living standards, social status and economic wellbeing.

PROMOTION OF PROTEST ART

“Listen to everyone, every spoken word is worth a million thoughts” – Viomak

My vision is to inspire and create a society of artistically active women in Zimbabwe, women who are able to sing their thoughts and resolve their struggles through art specifically music. It is my vision to engage women in protest music as feminist protest music will share women’s struggles, their experiences and this will subsequently improve Zimbabwe’s music industry and enrich the lives of women and our society. In the midst of a chaotic and hopeless political crisis in Zimbabwe, there is a wider creative arts progress taking place to mourn the death of democracy in a country crippled by severe human rights abuses as a result of bad governance. Many Zimbabweans believe that the country is a major cultural arts centre, not only in the southern African region but even in Africa. However, there are misconceptions that protest music is a vehicle for violence so it has been despised and associated with ‘violent’ people or rascals. Negative attitudes towards protest music will be discarded and positive ones assumed in order to save the more practical purpose of economic, gender and political development and the maintenance of the feminist culture. The art industry needs to move into protest art to highlight the challenges facing the people of Zimbabwe in order to find solutions to the political and economic challenges facing the great nation. I will continue to be a voice of reason to artists so that they will not focus only on the usual side of art but for them to realize that they have a moral obligation to sing against injustice and be focused voices of the voiceless.

I am pursuing a new generation of women who start their own recording studios. Next generations will view the role of music as an articulation of aspirations, a reaction to a range of social, economic, and political realities revealing music as a soundtrack for life in all its complexity. I will continue to bring to light a genre of music varied in its intentions and impact, a stimulus for changing attitudes after which women will begin to work in relation to the work of other women disputing today’s notion that women cannot work together well. Next generations will get involved in art education referring both to the educating of artists and educating of people about art and its relationship to freedom of expression and society. Women have remained silent as men engage themselves in various forms of protest art .In light of this, the challenges faced by female protest artists in political activism in Zimbabwe is an issue worthy mentioning. Zimbabwean women continue to oppress their artistic talents at such a crucial era when every voice and progressive talent is desperately needed.

Within the Zimbabwean context, women’s lack of enthusiasm in political activism has been the subject of discussion at various forums, but the discussion forums have not dealt with the role of women in protest art. The Feminist Political Education Project (FePEP) in Zimbabwe, analyses the role of women’s political activism in Zimbabwe, but leaves out their participation in protest music. Women in Politics Support Unit (WIPSU), in Zimbabwe, advocates for social change and fights for women to empower themselves so as to attain political posts but it doesn’t lobby for feminist protest music. Other women organizations work towards the eradication of all forms of women violence, and they launch competitions as part of initiatives to encourage women to tell their stories but none has dealt with the issue of feminist protest music and freedom of expression, and yet women should commit themselves to speaking their mind on the socio-cultural and political aspects of life in Zimbabwe through music too.

It is reported that after Zimbabwe’s presidential elections on 29 March 2008 women and children suffered most in the political violence that followed. Most women were harassed, assaulted, tortured, and raped because their husbands, sons or male relatives were suspected to be supporters of the opposition, but still they show lack of enthusiasm in participating in protest art and in voicing their concerns. Bad as it is, the woman’s artistic voice continues to remain silent and yet women voices can be used as catalysts for change but rather prefer to be sex objects. Drawing on my experience in education, research and protest music, a radical feminist challenge to the current situation in Zimbabwe should be mounted, and thus music that is geared to articulating urgent problems facing the people of Zimbabwe is justified. My ideas might be too bold and challenging thus women are not willing to take the safety risks even though they understand that social change is achieved through taking risky measures.

PROMOTION OF MORALITY

“Wise people listen to what someone is saying not to someone’s age” – Viomak

My vision is to see a Zimbabwe that promotes all forms of morality and a world that protects children from all forms of sexual abuse including pornography. We are living in a shameful era where leaders and citizens around the world are stooping so low and are damaging children’s moral development by exposing children to sexual immorality. Adults are bragging about sexual organs yet children should be inspired to brag about the wealth of knowledge they have and this knowledge includes the eradication of child poverty .Child sexual abuse is a result of the pornography industry masterminded by many societies across the world yet this industry is destroying and damaging children. Many leaders across the world are guilty of this crime, a social ill that is destroying children. Children should be protected from this sexual menace the root cause of which is the emergence of pornographic industries across the globe. It is very unfortunate that adults are failing to protect children for the love of money as many big economies around the world are boosted by the adult pornography industry in various ways and children are being damaged along the way which is child abuse. We cannot be silent when children are being destroyed by sexual immorality perpetrated by adult pornographers. The root cause is adult pornography not the activist who speaks against this sexual immorality giving rise to child sexual abuse. So to cover their backs so that the abuse and damage they are causing to children is not known or linked to them they deny people their right and responsibility to despise the perpetrators of this sexual menace. Sexual immorality is voluntarily rampant and children are the victims and when concerned people raise the problems arising from this pornographic industry they are victimised, silenced and labelled criminals. Yet the criminals are not the people who despise the emergence of the pornography industry and the sexual immorality out of sincere concern to protect children from sexual abuse. The criminals are those sustaining and allowing the adult pornography industry and the sexual immorality to flourish. Misgovernance and poverty are also criminal offences and those who perpetrate poverty are guilty of crimes against humanity. They never rush to put laws against poverty because they know they are the culprits but they put laws to stop people from despising sexual immorality and its effects on children because they think people don’t know who the perpetrators of such immoral violence against children are. The drug industry is also a huge economy booster in many countries across the globe so many countries don’t stop drugs as much as they should because they know how their economies are benefiting from this illicit industry just like the illicit porn industry. The root cause is failure to stop the drug menace and the criminals are the ones allowing the drug industry to flourish not the consumer or seller. Just because people are silent about it, it doesn’t mean they are not seeing the root cause of child sexual abuse and other social ills. They are just afraid of saying it because they know if they say it they will be victimised.

PROMOTION OF UNITY

“The more people come together to initiate change the faster the process” – Viomak

My vision is to see a united Zimbabwe where all tribes Shona and Ndebele unite and work towards one common good to heal Zimbabwe from all forces of evil and be part of the solution to the socio –political problems facing Zimbabwe. My music mission highlights these nagging issues. Good citizens should become involved in contributing to society and helping the next generation face the future in an acceptable, progressive and rewarding way. My music is intended to benefit communities rather than personal profit and I will continue to create a philanthropic and progressive society that is organized to provide humanitarian assistance and positions to all Zimbabweans regardless of tribe.

PROMOTION OF GOOD LEADERSHIP

“Good leaders lead from the heart, bad leaders lead from the mouth” – Viomak

My vision is to see a Zimbabwe led by leaders and not by politicians and a world led by leaders and not by public speakers. Good leaders eat from the crumbs and good politicians eat from the tables. Corruption is a cancer very common in Zimbabwe and amongst Zimbabweans who now view corruption as a normal day to day way of living. I envision a corrupt free Zimbabwe , a nation where the people and the leaders decide and the leaders implement. I would like to see Zimbabwe politicians declare their personal assets to combat corruption. There is no transparency and accountability in government and in many sectors in Zimbabwe . Many systems and sectors need a revamp. In July 2010 a Zimbabwean journalist suggested to me that with all the great work and passion for Zimbabwe ,a political party could make me realise the Zimbabwe I am always campaigning for and the Zimbabwe I dream of. Coincidentally this has always been my vision too, to walk the talk. Since then I started dreaming about a political party that will reform Zimbabwe’s leadership, reform the politics and restore Zimbabwe back to sanity and to a nation for everyone and not for political parties. I named the political party, Zimbabwe Development Leaders (ZIDELE) and for this party to become one of Zimbabwe ‘s opposition parties, that will oppose ALL bad leadership. As they say , be the change you want to see.

“WE CAN ALL BE LEADERS BUT NOT ALL WERE CALLED TO LEAD” – VIOMAK

WARM HEARTS MAKE STRONG COMMITMENTS

VIOMAK CHARITY BENEFICIARIES