2012 is already proving to be big and eventful year for CIMMYT’s Southern Africa Regional Office, with half a dozen CIMMYT-Zimbabwe staff receiving honours for years of dedicated service to the organisation. At a luncheon event held on 02 March 2012 at the CIMMYT-Zimbabwe offices, Sebastian Mawere and John Chifamba each received awards for 25 years of service. The office also celebrated 20 years of dedicated service by Esau Tofa, 15 years by Nothando Moyo and Taksure Ndlovu, and 10 by Simbarashe Chisoro.
Gary Atlin (associate director of the Global Maize Program) and Mulugetta Mekuria presented the awards on behalf of CIMMYT and expressed their gratitude for the recipients’ long service and valued contributions. Mulugetta recalled that the Regional Office’s teamwork has been well recognised by CIMMYT management and thanked the staff for their perseverance during difficult and turbulent periods in Zimbabwe.
During the presentation ceremony colleagues spoke of how Sebastian and John had remained dedicated and committed to the organisation throughout their years of service. Colleagues joked that John and Sebastian knew what lay under the foundations of all the buildings at the station, as they have witnessed the office grow from a small office with a few activities to its current size, with research programs that cover most of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) member countries, as well as other parts of Africa. In their award acceptance speeches the awardees thanked their colleagues for the support they have received and dedicated their awards to all CIMMYT staff.
