Stories from an African learning village

This paper is a collection of stories and reflections on the learning centre called Kufunda Village in Zimbabwe. The centre is a learning community of those people who are working with and for the most disadvantaged. The paper is a contribution to the thinking around development, community building, and to new ways of working with people, groups and communities. The paper begins with a look at the origins of Kufunda Village. It provides a brief outline of the tangible reality of the village today, and asks the question: is the project able to support people in their pursuit of a sense of wealth of possibility, and in forging their own learning paths towards a more sustaining way of life?

The bulk of the paper contains a series of stories about some key participants in Kufundu Village - how they came to be involved, the impact this had on their lives and what contribution they have made to the wider community. The paper concludes with a summary highlighting the main learnings and emerging themes.