Affiliations Jesuit, Catholic Founded 1964 | Director Fr. Gibson Munyoro, SJ Website Silveira | |
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Established 1964; 53 years ago (1964) Purpose Social justice and development | ||
Silveira House Jesuit Social Justice and Development Centre was founded in 1964 in Chishawasha on the outskirts of Harare and named after Gonçalo da Silveira, the first Jesuit priest to come to Zimbabwe in the 16th century. It has sponsored a variety of programs that have evolved with Zimbabwe and have always been directed toward uplifting the poorest sector of society. It has been described as "at the heart of the social transformation agenda in the country."
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History
Silveira was founded by Fr. John Dove, S.J., in 1964, in the midst of the colonial regime of Ian Smith. Trade union courses at the centre produced later leaders like Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai and Zambian president Frederick Chiluba. Dove remained at Silveira House until 1984. With independence in 1980 and new opportunities for the black majority, Silveira turned to civic education for political participation, and to skills training, agriculture, and community building. With the economic woes of the 1990s, Silveira launched programs in peacebuilding, lobbying, and advocacy, and increased its technical training capacity.
Looking ahead
The second decade of the 21st century has seen some improvement in the economic and political situation in Zimbabwe. As the country moves closer to democracy, training in civic responsibility has become a priority. Silveira's focus has also turned to skills training programs, with facilities at Silveira house for car repair, wood carving, and stone sculpturing. Advocacy continues for more social services for the poor.