Social Organisation, Agency and Self-help: Opportunities, Challenges and Prospects for Community Development in Zimbabwe

ABSTRACT: The paper interrogates community organisation, agency and self-help in the context of community  development. The paper is informed by the interpretive paradigm and qualitative research design. Basing on self-help development projects in selected 10 wards of Madwiza rural area in Shamva district, Mashonaland Central Province of Zimbabwe, the central argument is that the self-help to community development is increasing due to failure of the government to provide for the citizens, economic meltdown leading to unprecedented levels of unemployment and poverty deepening. Core findings are that the initiatives are important as coping strategies and are supported by several factors within the area (collective existence, norms of reciprocity, agency, social capital, labour availability, road and transport network for transportation of produce and natural conditions among other key variables). Several critical challenges are affecting the effectiveness of community self-help groups and their agency to address development challenges experienced by their members. These include low financial base, savings and (re)investment, limited lucrative markets, shortage of technical expertise, non-ownership of trucks, and conflicts, attrition and disintegration. Capacity building, technical and financial support from multi-stakeholders are essential in improving the functioning and  outcomes of the self-help initiatives.