Reframing NGO service delivery in a constrained civic space: ActionAid Zimbabwe’s approach

Abel Sibanda, Nirmala Dorasamy & Wonder Muchabaiwa

Volume 5 Issue 4, December 2025

Abstract

This article challenges the perceived dichotomy between NGO service delivery and advocacy, arguing that in constrained civic spaces, strategic service provision is a potent tool for fostering democratic participation. Through a qualitative case study of ActionAid Zimbabwe (AAZ), the paper examines how the Human Rights-Based Approach (HRBA) reframes service delivery not just as aid, but as a mechanism to enhance civic engagement. Findings from interviews, focus group discussions, and document analysis demonstrate that AAZ’s model service projects, designed to show what is possible and be replicated by the state, do more than meet immediate needs; they create platforms for community participation, build citizens’ capacity to claim their rights, and enhance state accountability. While acknowledging the challenges of this approach, including internal tensions and the risk of undermining the state, and recognizing that the single-case design limits generalizability, this study provides a practical framework for practitioners. It demonstrates how NGOs can leverage service delivery as a form of democratic action, calling for a shift in perspective to view service provision as a critical site for political engagement and empowerment.

Keywords

Author information & Contribution

Abel Sibanda. Corresponding author. Master of Arts in Development Studies, PhD Candidate - Doctor of Philosophy in Management Sciences specializing in Public Management - Public Administration, Durban University of Technology. Email: 22384564@dut4life.ac.za

Nirmala Dorasamy. Doctor of Administration. Professor, Durban University of Technology. E-mail: nirmala@dut.ac.za

Wonder Muchabaiwa. Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology, Lecturer, Midlands State University. E-mail: muchabaiwaw@staff.msu.ac.zw

"All authors equally contributed to the conception, design, preparation, data gathering and analysis, and writing of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript."

Disclosure statement

Funding

Institutional Review Board Statement

AI Declaration

Notes

Acknowledgement

References

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Cite this article:

Sibanda, A., Dorasamy, N. & Muchabaiwa, W. (2025). Reframing NGO service delivery in a constrained civic space: ActionAid Zimbabwe’s approach. International Review of Social Sciences Research, 5(4), 1-21. https://doi.org/10.53378/irssr.353270