Platform for Innovative Local Action -PILA

specialized in furniture making, to profile their merchandise and connect them to potential buyers, as well as provision of financial advisory services to enhance their financial sustainability. This has had the result of enhancing the revenues of the associated traders and raising their living standards, in line with PILA mandate of finding creative solutions to social needs.


1.3 Small holder poultry rearing project
PILA is currently operating from Makeni, west of CBD which is in close proximity with Kanyama and Chibolya compounds. In these compounds one of the major challenges is the increase in the number orphans and vulnerable children who are under the care of siblings or elderly relatives with a few in orphanages. PILA is implementing a small holder poultry rearing project as a joint income generating activity with local partners aimed at empowering them with skills in poultry production as well as entrepreneurial capabilities necessary for their sustenance and ability to support community ventures.



1.4 Resource Mobilization Support to Local organizations both locally and internationally
PILA is supporting a faith based organization in Zimbabwe develop a resource mobilization strategy. Beyond formulation of this strategy, PILA is working to increase the resource mobilization acumen of the organization’s staff, diversify its resource base and assess the present scenario being faced by the institution, leveraging its expertise in this field.


2. Child and Youth Development
PILA works with youths and children in a bid to equip them with leadership capabilities to transform their lives as well as their families and communities at large. PILA increases the ability for young people to secure decent jobs and ensure youths are actively engaged in seeking solutions to community challenges. By promoting youth led social enterprise/ development projects, PILA is providing young people with skills and on-the- job training that empowers them with a lifetime of work. Current Projects
2.1 Harnessing digitization and technology for youth job creation
PILA is contributing to the alleviation of the employment challenges being faced by young people by developing digital employment services targeting this sector of society. PILA is in the process of developing a portal that will serve this purpose. The portal will provide information on the available apprenticeship schemes or companies that hire young people in various sectors. Other online job search assistances services such as job search techniques, mentoring on CV preparation and interview skills; counselling on career choices and dissemination of information about existing entry level vacancies; access to credit and grants for entrepreneurship and self-employment will also be available on the services. Different actors have been brought on board, one of these being the Confucius institute.



2.3 Provision of desks to underserved schools
It is truly disheartening to know that 57 years after independence, there are pupils who attend classes seated on the floor in Zamia. This is more bewildering given the endowment of natural resources the country has. PILA has made it a mission to alter this narrative. An innovative programme has been developed to address this issue, through the provision of affordable chairs/desks to schools that do not have. This is also in line with PILA’s mandate to empower local carpenters who are engaged to produce the furniture. This initiative is supported by contributions from individual members, who out of their own good will and volition, sponsor the production of this furniture. PILA is engaging various stakeholder in a bid to mobilize action and looking at ways of creating synergies among actors in the production of affordable school furniture



3 Empowering girls through financial literacy
The need for individuals to be financially literate is growing, particularly in today’s society of the increased financial products and services that are on offer. This proliferation is disastrous when individuals are not conversant with tenets of basic personal financial management. It is imperative that the tools of financial literacy are impressed upon young minds, to entrench the ideals and help them develop into financially responsible adults. The programme presently focuses on the girl’s using girl to girl approach. PILA has identified young women influencers who have strong financial literacy skills and are passionate about imparting this knowledge on their younger counterparts.



4 Climate Change Awareness
PILA is contributing towards creating climate awareness among children through working with schools to introduce activities that generate the interest of learners in taking care of their environment. Current Projects




5 Promoting concern for the environment amongst children
PILA, in partnership with elementary schools, is pioneering an initiative aimed at promoting care for nature amongst young minds. This is achieved through incorporating the process of planting and nurturing a tree or a plant into the school curriculum. This fosters a sense of responsibility in children and develops in them an appreciation of the world around them.


6 Wellness and Life Coaching
In order to support young people to successfully navigate the various psychological and social challenges they face; PILA is working with local actors implementing programs to support youth well-being and raising awareness of health and nutrition and mental health issues. Current Projects
7 School Health & Nutrition
PILA, in association with the Ministry of Education, is rolling out an intervention aimed at mitigating the impact of COVID 19 particularly amongst school going children. In line with the School Health and Nutrition policy of the government, this is being achieved through working with fruit traders to enhance the provision of fruits in schools. Fruits having been proven to bolster immunity and thus provide a buffer against COVID 19. This programme was born out of disconcertment at the abundance of unhealthy food in school canteens and lack of adequate healthy food. Values
PILA seeks to:
o Invest in locally driven solutions
o Use evidence and research to drive development interventions
o Facilitate collaboration across all sectors
o Apply the highest standards of professionalism in both practice and processes. o Support continuous education and learning
o Ensure diversity and social inclusion by working with marginalized groups (gender& disability)