Back to Index

German Government gives hope for Zimbabwe's most disadvantaged
United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)
February 23, 2007

HARARE - The German Government today donated a massive 17.9million Euro to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) in Zimbabwe as it rallied around Zimbabwe's orphaned and vulnerable children.

The investment - the largest ever from the German Government to UNICEF in Zimbabwe - comes at a decisive moment. While Zimbabwe's children are suffering from an orphan crisis which risks depriving them of the chance for education and good health, the German millions promise substantial relief and assistance across all sectors.

The US$23.5m is an enormous contribution to a Programme of Support to Zimbabwe's National Action Plan which enables more than 150 community-based organizations to launch, scale-up and improve the lives of the most vulnerable children in Zimbabwe.

"Today children in Zimbabwe are hardest hit by the socio-economic challenges," said H.E. Mrs. Karin E. Blumberger-Sauerteig, the German Ambassador. "And yet they are the architects of a Zimbabwe where all children live a happy and healthy life - free from hunger, disease and fear. A life where each and every girl and boy can go to school and has access to medical care."

One in four Zimbabwean children is orphaned and more than two million are vulnerable. Although Zimbabwe's HIV prevalence has dropped in recent years, the number of orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) continues to rise. Furthermore, OVC are more likely to be deprived basic goods, have psychological problems and be subjected to forced sex in adolescence.

"It's now essential to put programmes in place to ensure these children have somewhere to live, enough to eat, healthcare, education and real protection," said UNICEF's Representative in Zimbabwe, Dr Festo Kavishe. "We have programmes in place and know what needs to be done. Today's funding from the German Government greatly helps UNICEF reach a growing population of children left on their own in Zimbabwe."

The funds from the German Government will go directly to:

• Increase school enrolment of orphans and vulnerable children
• Protect children from abuse, violence and exploitation
• Boost school nutrition programmes
• Greatly improve access to food, health services, water and sanitation
• Strengthen the capacity of families to protect and care for orphans and vulnerable children
• Mobilise and support community-based responses;

Said Ambassador Blumberger-Sauerteig: "Anyone who has seen the hardships of these orphans and the resolve and determination of struggling Zimbabweans to assist them must be moved to help. In UNICEF we have a partner who is reaching out to orphans across the country. I hope others will now join us."

The NAP for orphans and vulnerable children now calls upon the private sector and international donors to provide resources, over US$250million is required for the five year programme; community-based organizations and traditional leaders to support child protection committees at the village, district and provincial level; and parents, teachers, children and church members to work to educate their peers, colleagues and congregations about the NAP, and then push for its success.

The contribution from the Germans will add to funds from other key donors such as the UK's Department for International Development, Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA) and the New Zealand Government in implementing Zimbabwe's National Action Plan for OVC that will reach 350,000 children this year.

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP