Women’s Fellowship

We have two women’s organizations in the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe which are: Ruwadzano/ Manyano and Women’s Association. Ruwadzano/Manyano used to be for black women back then and WA for whites and women of mixed race. This has since changed with any Methodist woman now able to join either regardless of race.

Ruwadzano/ Manyano is widely found in all the eight Districts, they wear their Ruwadzano uniform at their meetings and are guided by a constitution and a card for operating rules defining guidelines. It is led by the Minister’s wife at all levels. Women’s Association is in five districts i.e Hwange, Bulawayo, Marondera, Harare East and Harare West mostly in a few societies/circuits where whites and mixed race people used to reside. This is however changing of late as misconceptions continue to be dispelled. They don’t have a uniform but do have badges and an operating constitution. They elect a Connexional President who is a lay person.

In 1986 at the World Federation World Assembly held in Kenya,the two organizations were pressured to come together and have one group, that is the  Women’s Fellowship which is the MCZ unit affiliated to the World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women (WFMUCW). Subscriptions of 50 cents per member over a five year period are paid from WA/ RM subscriptions. We fund activities for Women’s Fellowship from a $10 annual fee, hiring out sales tables at meetings, fundraising activities and a $1 per meeting and crowd funding when necessary.

In 1987 under the leadership of Mrs Gladys Chirisa – President Ruwadzano/ Manyano and Mrs Muriel Johnson- President Women’s Association, the two groups spent a weekend at Resthaven and Women’s Fellowship was launched. It was challenging at the beginning due to differences in language, uniforms and various organizational rules. Leadership was being rotated between the two Connexional Presidents.

In 1991 for the first time a group of seven women attended a World Assembly in Singapore as Women’s Fellowship. Today, the Women’s Fellowship is open to all Methodist  women who are full members. Women’s Fellowship follows WFMUCW programs which are United Nations programs. Currently members are pursuing Sustainable Development Goals: 1. No Poverty    2. Zero Hunger   4. Quality education  5. Gender Equality and 13. Climate change mitigation.

The Women’s fellowship is the MCZ unit of the WFMUCW. It implements the programs and makes reports on activities through the South and East Africa Area to the world assembly. Meetings are usually done per quarter with one combining the three Zimbabwean Units annually.

World Federation of Methodist and Uniting Church Women

WFMUCW is a worldwide sisterhood of Methodist and Uniting Church women around the world. Units, which are country fellowships, apply to be affiliated to the organization. In Zimbabwe we have three Units that is, MCZ, UMC and AME.

Every member of Ruwadzano and Women’s Association, the two women’s organizations in MCZ who pay their subscriptions are members of WFMUC. The World Federation organization unites women in the world from nine geographical areas. We are in the Southern and East Africa Area as a country. Our motto is “To know Christ and to make Him known” Our theme for this quadrennial (four year period) is “Go and Bear Fruit, Fruit that Will Last”

As Federation we meet at an Area Seminar once in five years where world officers also attend, and at World Assembly. Both events are open to any member who wants to attend and can afford; one has to register and attend.