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Life saving interventions target vulnerable women and children
United Nations Childrens Fund (UNICEF) Zimbabwe
September 20, 2004

Harare - The European Commission Humanitarian Aid Office (ECHO) in Zimbabwe has contributed EURO1,600 000 to UNICEF for providing targeted assistance to the country’s most vulnerable women and children.

The funding comes at a time when many families and communities continue to struggle with the consequences of diminishing access to basic social services, the aftermath of three years of drought and the impact of the AIDS pandemic. Zimbabwe, with an estimated HIV infection rate of 24.6% and approximately 1,820,000 living with the disease, currently faces one of the highest AIDS prevalence rates in the world. The number of orphaned children continues to grow, with close to 800,000 children under the age of 18 having lost one or both of their parents due to AIDS (Children on the Brink, 2004). Of the more than one million orphans, many children dependent on elderly grandmothers or live in child headed households, having to care for younger siblings and forced to survive on their own.

"We are very grateful to the European Commission for their continued commitment to assist Zimbabwe’s vulnerable women and children," said Dr. Festo P. Kavishe. "This generous contribution will go a long way in helping vulnerable women and children through building on already existing programmes."

The contribution will target malnourished children, orphans and other vulnerable children, especially child headed households, as well as the families and communities supporting these children. It also builds on the existing UNICEF programmes that were initiated with ECHO support received in 2003/2004.

The funding will specifically support:

Nutrition Interventions

• As food shortages worsen the plight of those living with and affected by AIDS, the nutritional consequences diminish the overall health status of the population at large, especially for children. They are more likely to suffer the effects of acute or chronic malnutrition and in turn are more susceptible to disease. ECHO support will ensure that the therapeutic feeding programmes operating at District Hospitals to benefit severely malnourished children will continue, and that treated children will be further supported once they are discharged and return home.

• The hospital based interventions, carried out in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare, will be complemented by a pilot with a community based nutrition programme that seeks to better educate communities and health workers to identify the signs of malnutrition, understand how to manage it and be able to refer children to the hospital if their condition worsens.

• Initial anecdotal research indicates that often children suffering the worst forms of malnutrition are more likely to be HIV positive, increasing their risk to other infections and the likelihood that they will be less responsive to treatment. The project will look to expand referral systems

• for these children and their families to include additional HIV/AIDS services that could improve their overall wellbeing.

• To ensure a more comprehensive response to improving the nutritional status of children in Zimbabwe, ECHO support will assist UNICEF, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare and NGOs, to coordinate nutrition related activities and create better systems to monitor their impact.

• ECHO support to UNICEF will strengthen coordination and data collection mechanisms to allow for a more accurate understanding of the country’s water and sanitation needs. Currently an estimated 50% of all existing water facilities are in need of repair, and additional facilities are urgently required to meet demand. Through better coordination and information sharing the ability to respond appropriately to ensure women and children have access to safe water and sanitation will be strengthened.

• Support will also be used to specifically identify the numbers of orphaned and other vulnerable children in 16 targeted districts who are without access to safe water and sanitation. These children will then be given priority.

Care and Support for Orphans and Other Vulnerable Children

• Building on an existing network of community based organizations established last year with support from ECHO, 31,000 orphans and other vulnerable children will be assisted to improve their physical and emotional wellbeing. Interventions will include the provision of shelter and access to improved nutrition through the construction of nutrition gardens, emotional care and support of these children with help from community support groups, and access to education or vocational training. Working through community structures, the programme is designed to strengthen local coping mechanisms to tackle the enormous challenge of caring for orphaned children.

"This partnership with UNICEF to assist the most vulnerable women and children is part of our much larger commitment to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Zimbabwe," said Aadrian Sullivan, ECHO's field expert based in Zimbabwe. "We believe our collective efforts can help mitigate the devastating impact of the current crisis in the country and ensure that children are better able to cope in the future."

For more information, please contact:

Shantha Bloemen, Communications Officer, UNICEF Zimbabwe
Tel. No. 263 4 703941/42Cell. 263 91 27 6120
Email:sbloemen@unicef.org

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