FOREWORD: From the Secretariat During year 2008 - ZACRO managed to score high in some of its programming and intervention areas which mainly involved prisons visits, rendering humanitarian and educational assistance, facilitation and provision of rehabilitation (micro) projects, half way home and restoration services to inmates and ex-offenders. • As outlined by Mr Edson Chiota, ZACRO’s national coordinator - this was despite that the period under review was characterized by a number of issues which affected programming. Economic hardships coupled with hyperinflation, acute shortage of basic commodities, funds from the banks and low donor funding had negative impact on programming activities during the period under review. • Again, the political environment was not conducive for programming not only by ZACRO but by all Non Governmental Organizations in Zimbabwe. On the other hand prisons conditions mainly associated with food and clothing crisis, which called for massive humanitarian intervention after prisons conditions in Zimbabwe fellg far short of the United Nations Standard minimum rules of treating prisoners to which the country is a signatory. • The year saw civil organizations mainly those which are humanitarian natured suspending food distribution to their target groups. Many of the NGOs had to confine their operations at a time government almost wanted to deregister some of them. In fact the political climate bad as it was – saw some few civil organizations not only scaling down operations but ceased operations in the country. Some of them were accused by the ZANU PF government for aligning with the opposition in particular – the two formations of Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), ahead of the harmonized elections on March 29 and the June 27 2008 run off which was • Sound partnership with Progressio resulting in having a Development Worker and consultant was most welcome. However more details on programming which impacted positively are well documented in this report 7