A female participant who attended one of our workshops expressed her gratitude to the LRF for the good work being done. She explained that she had been in an unregistered customary law union with her husband for the past six years. She was given a pamphlet on marriage and the law at the workshop which she took home and left on the table. Her husband read it and the couple then began to talk about the different types of marriages and eventually registered their marriage in terms of the Marriages Act, Chapter 5.11. Mr TP’s story from Masvingo is another one which brings to the fore the impact that the one-day workshops are having on people’s lives. Mr TP attended a workshop on peace building and conflict resolution. Subsequently a dispute arose within his family, centred on a will left by the Mr TP’s late father, which will had been prepared by the LRF. Mr TP encouraged the family not to resort to violence but rather seek assistance from the LRF. He came to the LRF with members of the family where they were advised on the steps to take. He later wrote, “I came to know about this institution through a workshop and when we had a dispute pertaining to wills as the eldest son I decided to come to LRF for assistance.” Listening intently Teachers, particularly guidance and counselling teachers, are a specific target group amongst community leaders as they are well positioned to disseminate knowledge gained on legal issues to their pupils, peers and the community at large. The LRF also strives to enhance the teachers’ knowledge of child abuse and equip them with skills in handling and reporting such cases. Many admitted that they had not been aware of the principles enunciated in the laws protecting children and promoting their best interests. A number of teachers had been administering corporal punishment outside the confines of the law. They undertook to take such principles into account when making decisions that affected children and to share the knowledge acquired with fellow teachers, students and members of the community. A total of 26,930 participants, 53% of them female, attended 544 one-day community workshops over the year. Conversation Cafés In order to provide youths in the community with a platform where they could feel comfortable debating issues affecting their lives, the LRF organised informal conversation cafés, encouraging active participation by all. During the discussions generated they gained legal information and knowledge on how they could assert their rights. Socio-economic and cultural rights were favoured topics, whereas – particularly around the politically tense time of the harmonised elections – they were nervous about discussing issues pertaining to the right to vote and the right to regular free and fair elections 12