humanitarian assistance to inmates at Hwahwa and Shurugwi female prisons. Other branches such as Harare, Kadoma, Kwekwe, Gokwe and Bulawayo were yet to embark on massive membership drive, revisit their branches and have form vibrant branches while a branch was about to be opened in Masvingo – courtesy of Mr Ponde and the ADRA members while there was also need to open, revive or form another branch in Mutare and boast membership of the organization at full national scale. Resource Mobilization, Institutional and Financial Support. • The organization has been struggling with resources. ZACRO was mainly funded by the British Embassy. Initially the funds only covered salaries and programming activities for only three months. The funds could not cover long term programming activities; hence few prisons visits were carried out during 2008. While ZACRO tried to look for resources – the political environment in Zimbabwe was not conducive to do any meaningful fundraising. The March 29 harmonized elections and the June 27 run off made mobility difficult and getting additional resources was near impossible. The situation became more pronounced because ZACRO was located in Mbare - apparently Harare’s oldest high density suburb which is well known of political activism, and associated violence and intimidation. The government also issued a restriction order in the level of programming activities which NGOs could be engaged in. Hence during the election days there were no activities o the ground during this period of year 2008. • During the period under review support from the basket funding partners made it necessary for ZACRO to undertake its programming activities. The funds further covered part of the salaries for the ZACRO secretariat personnel namely the administrator, the programs manager, national coordinator, welfare manager ands information officer. Only hindering programming during the two months of September and October – the secretariat were not paid till the third month after the organization’s traditional funding partner did not release funds in time. However ZACRO had also some projects outside the basket funding that were also running during the period under review. In addition the administrative costs that were incurred in 2008 included communication – phones and Email; vehicle maintenance, computer accessories, computer maintenance, electricity, rates and fuel. • The hyperinflationary environment that prevailed in the country had a negative impact on programming, planning and budgeting. Fuel and cash shortages also affected programming and some of the planned activities had to be shelved. However in the face of the prevailing economic crisis, the organization’s national treasurer, Mr Augustine Nyamayedenga had no choice except to encourage secretariat to undertake planning and tight budgeting during the year. As usual the organization underwent a custom annual auditing by Madhawu Auditors and these audited reports can be requested from the ZACRO secretariat in Harare However, ZACRO has to mobilize more resource in the face of the harsh economic environment prevailing in Zimbabwe id ever the organization would practically and effectively pursue and achieve its interventions during the course of the coming programming period. 55