About ZELA The Zimbabwe Environmental Law Association (ZELA) is the first public interest environmental law organization to be established in Zimbabwe. The organization was formed in September 2000 and officially constituted as a Trust in November 2001. ZELA’s formation was inspired by visits from environmental law advocates in 1999, from the Centre for International Environmental Law (CIEL) in Washington DC, who encouraged Environmental Law students at the University of Zimbabwe to open up their options when they complete university studies by going into public interest practice as opposed to the usual choice of private legal practice. Another visit by the Environmental Law Alliance World-wide (E-LAW US) also gave an impetus to the formation of the organization by providing seed funding and equipment. It is from these visits and seminars that the idea of a Zimbabwean public interest environmental law institution was born. Environment Africa played a critical role by providing office space and support finance when ZELA did not have any office or resources of its own. They also facilitated the pre-launch workshop which saw the establishment of a Task Force in 2000 which spearheaded the formation of the organization. ZELA was formed after the realization that there are many organizations in Zimbabwe which focus on different aspects of the environment but not exclusively on issues pertaining to environmental law and justice, implementation and enforcement. Since its formation ZELA has grown from strength to strength with support from organizations such as the Ford Foundation, World Resources Institute (WRI), Centre for International Environmental Law (CIEL), the United States Bureau for Educational and Cultural Affairs (BECA) and Environmental Law Alliance World-Wide (E-LAW) as well as donations from the founders of the organization. | 
