Silas and Friends submitted the following proposal to the Chipinge Rural District Council for their consideration. Not only did they approve it, they GAVE the land to the Project!

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Balance For Zimbabwe Project

Proposal to the Chipinge Rural District Council for a Stand
We, the Balance For Zimbabwe Project Committee, would like to acquire a stand near the area of Rimbi Township as big as 80 meters by 40 meters, but no smaller than 60 meters by 40 meters.

The Balance For Zimbabwe Project is a community run and benefiting initiative based around self-sustainability and skills training where people will have the opportunity to come and participate, regardless of religion, political affiliation, economic standing or reputation of any kind.  The initiative is powered by the idea that we are connected in Common Unity (comm-unity) by the simple fact that we are living together in the same location as human beings and share the same basic needs: water, shelter, food and mutual support.

As trust and support develop within our project and thus, within our community, there is no end to what is possible for us to create and our growth could reach as far as Mutare and Chiredzi, or even farther to a national level.
For now, if we are allocated this land, e would like to focus on what it can offer as a workshop and learning space, similar to a Technical School or Practical College.

• We would like to have an Organic Vegetable Garden and Medicinal Herb Garden teaching new agriculture techniques based around water conservation and soil health.
• We would like to run general Workshops on Healthy Community Living and how, if we choose to trust and support one another, our lives, productivity and general comfort can be enhanced.
• We would like to run Practical Skills Trainings working with wood and metal and offer workshop space where tools and guidance could always be available.  The trainings would include Ecological Building Techniques and Sustainable Technologies that are put into practice using the resources available to us in our natural surroundings and require little money to complete.
• We would like to offer Ox Training where people can bring their own young bulls and learn to train them, resulting not only with a capable Ox, but job opportunities as well.
  Other projects include:

Þ     Income generating Chicken, Egg and Pig Project
Þ     Milking
Þ     Art Room
Þ     Sewing Room
Þ     Sports Program
Þ     And in the future, an International Exchange Program with different farms and projects around the world.

Lastly, we’d like to mention the possibility of Sunflower Processing and the Manufacturing of Cooking Oil, creating jobs and lowering the price of one of the main basic needs in the area.
For these projects we are proposing to build five (5) buildings on the property and two (2) smaller structures to house the chickens and pigs.

1)      An office and meeting space
2)      A kitchen
3)      Toilets and bathing room
4)      A workshop for metal and wood
5)      A storage room

If an 80 meter by 40 meter area was available, the final 40 meter by 20 meter stand would be used to build three (3) or four (4) small dormitories for people coming from a distance to stay while participating in workshops as well as for the exchange program.
We think the most important things to consider in allocating this stand are Soil Quality, a minimal number of stones or other obstacles needing removal, the possibility to put in two water taps on opposing ends of the property (one near the kitchen and one near the gardens) and electricity.

At the root of this initiative is the wish to harvest community development through working together in projects that promote sustainability, new perspectives on what is possible, new skills and competencies that will lead to the creation of jobs and, last but now least, a sense of mutual support and trust that allows us to truly be ourselves, free from prejudice.  If we ask one another if we would like to live in a community free from jealousy, dishonesty and greed, the answer is unanimously, yes.  If we all wish for it, then it’s possible to make it happen.  That is our Common-Unity.

Seeing that this project is not a “for-profit” business and those involved will not be earning an income from their work, we would appreciate any concessions you’re willing to consider.
Sincerely,

The Balance For Zimbabwe Project Committee