Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe’s poverty rate is increasing every year. The condition is due to many factors such as poor environmental conditions that destroy the crop yield and production like drought, floods, unusual rainfalls, and increasing rate of HIV/AIDS infection. Also, the government isolation from world policies makes it difficult for donors to contribute. The major crop production in Zimbabwe includes corn, livestock, peanuts, sugarcane, wheat, and millet. In a population of 11.7 million over 83 % of the population live on less than $2 a day, and where 38% are not receiving proper nutrition and diet.

The World Food Program is helping feed people through school-food programs, orphans and vulnerable children, and people living in urban areas.

Zimbabwe is experiencing a complex humanitarian situation. The ongoing economic decline, high inflation, poor agricultural production, the effects of HIV/AIDS, policy constraints, limited donor support for development programmes, and depleted capacity in the social service sectors have severely compromised the well-being and livelihood of millions of children and their caregivers throughout the country. Additionally, ‘Operation Murambatsvina’ (‘restore order’) – launched by the government of Zimbabwe on the 18th May of 2005 – has resulted in an estimated 700,000 people losing their homes and/or livelihoods, with a further 2.4 million people indirectly affected by the Operation according to estimates by the Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Human Settlement Issues in Zimbabwe. UNICEF urgently requires US$4.5 million to support internally displaced orphans and vulnerable children and caregivers affected by the ‘clean up’ operation.

In 2006, planned humanitarian action included funding for health and nutrition programs, water and environmental sanitation, education, child protection, and HIV/AIDS treatment and prevention.

Zimbabwe has one of the highest rates of infected people living with HIV/AIDS with a 21% prevalence rate. Currently, it is estimated that over 1.6 million children and adults are infected by the disease.

The World Food Program has been working with HIV/AIVS infected children and adults since 2006 by proving basic health care, counseling, and health education to people living with the disease. The World Food Program also launched a new project in 2005 aiming to reach over 40,000 mothers to educate and prevent the transmission of HIV from mother to child.

The government was slow to respond to this epidemic when it first appeared in the country in the 1980s, but now with the help of international organizations and religious organizations steps are being taken to stop the spread of HIV starting with the establishment of the National AIDS Co-ordination Program (NACP) in 1987.

The number of infected people has been decreasing in Zimbabwe, however, it is difficult to measure what has been most effective since different organizations are promoting and educating different ways. Some promotes abstinence while other promotes condom use.

Access to treatment for HIV has been a big issue since antiretroviral drugs are so expensive. The government allowed the production of generic drugs in its place, but only 8% of infected people are receiving them due to political corruption.

Among the most serious of Zimbabwe's environmental problems is erosion of its agricultural lands and deforestation. By 1992, deforestation was progressing at the rate of 70,000–100,000 ha per year, or about 1.5% of the nation's forestland. The confinement of large segments of the population to relatively unproductive lands before independence put severe pressure on these lands, a substantial portion of which may have been irreversibly damaged.

Zimbabwe's air is polluted by vehicle and industrial emissions, while water pollution results from mining and the use of fertilizers. Zimbabwe's cities produce 0.5 million tons of solid waste per year. The nation has been estimated to have the highest DDT concentrations in the world in its agricultural produce.

In 2001, nine of the nation's mammal species and nine bird species were endangered, as well as 73 types of plants. Zimbabwe has about half of the world's population of black rhinoceroses, an endangered species. Rare or threatened species include the cape vulture, black-cheeked lovebird, and brown hyena. For protection, the government has adopted a policy of shooting poachers on sight.

Projected adult illiteracy rates for the year 2000 stand at 7.3% (males, 4.5%; females, 10.1%). A unitary system of education under the Ministry of Education has replaced the dual system of separate educational facilities for Africans and non-Africans formerly maintained by the Rhodesian government. Education is free and compulsory for eight years between the ages of 7 and 15. Secondary education lasts for six years.

In 1995, expenditure on education was estimated to account for 6.9% of GDP. In 1998 there were 2,507,098 students in 4,706 primary schools with 64,538 teachers. In the same year, general secondary schools had 30,482 teachers and a total enrollment of 847,296 students. The pupil-teacher ratio at the primary level was 41 to 1 in 1999. In the same year, 80% of primary-school-age children were enrolled in school, while 42% of those eligible attended secondary school. The government has developed a strong vocational school and apprenticeship system.
The University of Zimbabwe provides higher education on a multiracial basis. Other universities include the National University of Science and Technology and the Africa University. In 1996, there were 46,673 students in all higher-level institutions.

In 1993, the Campaign for Female Education (CAMFED) was launched to support girls’ access to education. So far, the school has been working closely with UNICEF to educate and empower girls. The campaign was been very successful in educating girls about HIV, and hoe to prevent the spread of the disease.

Just recently, the government with the help of UINCEF and other NGOs launched a national campaign called the National Girls Education Strategic Plan which aims to target all girls in Zimbabwe for a better education. The campaign will start in 2010.

Batsiranai Group of Zimbabwe - Charitable organization registered with the government of Zimbabwe consisting as a cooperative of women all mothers with disabled children living under extreme economic hardship in a township outside of Harare. In addition to economic challenges women are affected or infected with HIV+. Purpose of the group is to help the disabled children to live to the highest potential, empower and support mothers and families, and income generation through arts and craft sales internationally.

Communication & Accessibility Trust, Southern Africa - To mitigate the effects of the HIV and AIDS pandemic by empowering people to make informed choices through provision of accessible and confidential information and counselling services. We operate Zimbabwe's only toll-free HIV & AIDS counselling and information service. We also operate a free post counselling and information service.Christian Youth Association-- To encourage and empower youth participate in leadership skills and life skills training ,to challenge HIV /AIDS and poverty in their community.The organisation is intending to spread to other ares of the country where it has gained more members.

The project will work with youth in both urban and rural areas so that youth can share information and help each other bridge the development gap.

Dabane Trust - Dabane Trust works with rural disadvantaged communites to develop reliable and sustainable water supply schemes. Particular success has been achieved drawing water from 'dry' sand rivers, a process known as sand-abstraction. Simple but effective low level, family friendly technology is used. The installation package includes gender sensitive community capacity building, skills sharing in service operation and maintenance, budgeting, costing and marketing. Other community based activites comprise food security initiatives which include dam construction, gardening, support for artisan workshops and participation in environmental conservation and dry-land farming.

Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) – The principle objective of GALZ is to build a democratic and accountable organisation and to strive for the attainment of full, equal rights and the removal of all forms of discrimination in all aspects of life for gay men, lesbians and bisexual people in Zimbabwe and to inform, educate, counsel and support people in matters relative to their health and well being.

GWAPA – Zimbabwe GWAPA - Gweru Women's AIDS Prevention Association is an organization located in Gweru, Zimbabwe which focuses on AIDS education and prevention. Members are all disadvantaged women meaning that they are single, widowed, divorced or engaged in prositution. GWAPA trains members in small-business skills and oversees of four group businesses run solely by the members. Women support each other at the branch level through peer counseling, financial support, and fellowship. GWAPA grants loans to members in order to augment their personal business projects. Thirty women go into the community businesses and bars as Peer Educators to distribute condoms, perform dramas, and answer questions about STD's and HIV/AIDS.

Harare Round Table No 45 of Zimbabwe-- Round Table is a non-political, non-denominational service association of young men between the ages of 18 and 40, embracing representatives of nearly every profession and occupation.
Motto:- Adopt, Adapt, Improve
Aims and Objectives.
1. To develop the fellowship of young men through the medium of their business and professional occupations and community service activities.
2. To encourage active and responsible citizenship by cultivating the highest ideals in business, professional and civi traditions
3. To promote and further international understanding, friendship and cooperation
4. To promote the Round Table throughout the world.

Human Rights Research and Documentation Trust of Southern Africa - In order to develope a society in Zimbabwe and the Southern African region that is conscious of and respects human rights (HR), the Trust's objectives are: * Infuse and mainstream HR in public institutions * Incorporate HR education in the school curriculum * Infuse HR in the training of Police Officers * Incorporate HR education in teacher education programmes * Address gender in all the Trust's programmes * Advocate for ratification of / accession to relevant HR conventions * Participate at international, regional and national conferences, workshops and seminars on HR * Establish a HR Resource Centre * Initiate and carry out research in relevant topics on HR protection mechanisms * Establish community based child protection committees * Disseminate information on international HR protection mechanisms

Tinotenda Help Centre - Tinotenda Help Centre supports underprivileged women, men and children with housing, food, health matters and economic development issues. THC offers counselling for people who have lost hope in life because of political, or economic hardships in Zimbabwe. The help centre receives donations from welwishers to operate effectively.
Tinotenda Help Centre also performs a beyond borders assistance by offering help to Democratic Republic of Congo nationalities who have fled the war in their country.

We also seek to asscociate our activies with other non governmental organs in economic development programs.

Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF) - Women in Law and Development in Africa (WiLDAF) is a Pan-African non-governmental, non profit making organisation bringing together organisations and individuals using a variety of tools, including law, to promote a culture for the exercise and respect for women's rights in Africa. The network was established at a regional conference held in February 1990 in Harare, Zimbabwe whose theme was "Women, Law and Development: Networking for Empowerment in Africa". WiLDAF was the product of a year long process of organisation and inquiry involving NGOs and governmental projects dedicated to promoting and strengthening action-strategies that link a variety of tools including law and development to empower women and improve their status in Africa. WiLDAF's overall goal is to promote the effective use of a variety of strategies, including law, by women in Africa for self, community, national,sub-regional and regional development. The WiLDAF Secretariat is based in Harare, Zimbabwe.

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