PROGRESS SO FAR
Update 12 May 2026
The building has come a long way since the last update. As you can see from the photos the name COMMUNITY BIODIVERSITY LEARNING CENTRE is now in big letters over the entrance, clearly visible to anyone approaching and already encouraging people to drop in and see what is going on.
Also the logos for Birdlife Zimbabwe, Peza trust and Chimanimani Tourist Association are now up.
The mural continues to incite curiosity and encourage people to come in to find out more.
Inside new ceilings have been put up, the upper walls have been plastered and the whole of the interior has now been painted. New doors have been hung, drains have been repaired and problems with rising damp sorted out. The windows have been fixed, broken panes of glass replaced etc.
Furniture – chairs and tables – from the old resource centre has been repaired, cleaned up, sand papered and varnished and is now looking smart.
THE CRAFT SHOP
This was open over Christmas and New Year, and did well. We managed to sell quite a lot of Peza Trust / CTA merchandise (t shirts, buffs, hiking sticks, information leaflets) plus a range of items made by local craftspeople, including the well known Gudza mats from Biriri Women’s Craft Co-operative. Also locally produced honey and coffee.
The shop is now back in business, open from Tuesday to Saturday, from 9 to 3.
THE ALISTAIR GIBB LIBRARY
Alec Muchayi, a local carpenter has made beautiful bookshelves out of siligna (Eucalyptus wood) donated by Doug van de Ruit of CHIMANI WOOD
And at last we have unpacked all the boxes of books that have been in storage for the past 8 years, since the old Resource Centre was closed in 2018 Thankfully they are still in good condition.
In addition, we have received a lot of new ones donated by Miracle Mission. Amongst these are some excellent class sets for literature and mathematics, and also lovely picture story books for younger readers.
We are hoping to acquire more of these, plus more novels for older children and young adults. Also more on wild life and the natural environment.
At the moment we have very little by Zimbabwean writers, in either English, Shona or Ndau. But we hope to eventually have a section specifically for them.
For the moment it is not going to be a lending library. But young people will be encouraged to come in, choose a book, find a place to sit and read, either in the library or in the courtyard outside.
THE COURTYARD
Six months ago this was a total rubbish tip, full of all kinds of junk that had lain there for years and years. It has now all been cleared. And one half is taken up by a brand new grandstand that can seat an audience of 40 people. This will be for lectures, lessons, concerts etc.
In the other half is now a stone wall with a waterfall and a pond. This is almost finished and Fungai Chamunorwa , a local plant and tree fundi, is busy collecting indigenous ferns, grasses, moss, etc to plant around it. It is already attracting butterflies and dragon flies.
The remainder of the courtyard has been levelled and planted with grass.
OTHER NEWS
Birdlife Zimbabwe have rented one of the back rooms which they will use as an office while they are engaged in a joint project with Zim Parks. This is helping to pay the bills and keep the Centre open.
Barbara Winterbottom, of CTA, Chimanimani Tourist Association recently ran a short Hospitality training session for employees at various local lodges and guest houses. This was well attended and appreciated.
We have had enquiries from several other organisations about using our premises as a venue for workshops, conferences, training courses etc. And indeed, while the focus on Biodiversity remains our main priority, we hope to be able to host a wide variety of different events – art exhibitions, concerts, lectures, talks, movies etc.
FUNDRAISING
This, of course, is never ending. Huge thanks to Francis Fleming of Peza Trust, Scotland, who is our mainstay.
We are also incredibly grateful to Margaret Downie Hope of Dunfermline, Fife, Scotland who left us such a generous amount in her will and send our best wishes to her family and assure them that the money will be well spent.
Webster Mubayirenyi, the artist who painted our mural, was paid with money raised by a raffle organised by Jane High. Prizes were donated by a wide variety of mainly local residents and well wishers.
Andy Woodruff of Heaven Lodge organised our GoFundme and has raised over $1600 so far.
Andy has also managed to get an amount of $4600 that remained from money he raised in 2018, after Cyclone Idai, transferred across to us.
Queenie Gratwick paid for the making of the grandstand.
The wood for the new roof trusses was donated by Border Timbers.
Trustees Zander Muyambo and Jose Tekese have, as usual, voluntarily contributed their time, labour, skills and advice.
All ideas for future fundraising are welcome and volunteers are always needed.
GRAND IDEAS FOR THE FUTURE:
We are very keen to link up with other BIODIVERSITY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS across the region. From the magnificent GORONGOZA PROJECT run by the super talented Zondai Hlungwani all the way to Malilangwe, the Save Conservancy and GONA RE ZHOU.
A reading club, an art club, a music and dance club, a drama club, a choir.
Creative writing workshops.
CLIL (Content and Language Integrated Learning) i.e. learning a language through a particular subject. In our case this will be English through natural history, environmental studies, and geography.
Educational walks.
Participation in local clean ups, rubbish collection, recycling projects.
Sewing and knitting classes.
