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A combination of hunger and HIV creates special challenges in Zimbabwe
Leigh Daynes, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)
February 21, 2006

The Zimbabwe Red Cross uses innovative methods to reach 18,000 people through its home-based care programme for people living with HIV and AIDS, and 36,000 children affected by AIDS. Among the projects are giving advice on running a small business and paying school fees.

Near Mutare in eastern Zimbabwe, ten women run a chicken rearing cooperative that has spin-offs for the whole village of Muchaangira. Dananai, which means unconditional love, has been an income-generating lifeline for the past three years.

"We aim to encourage the community to work together as a group," explains a member. "As a group, we rear chickens. Selling some of them enables us to buy food for children in the village who have been orphaned by AIDS.

"It’s also important for us to be able to pay our children’s school fees. The income we receive from selling chickens helps us pay these fees and buy uniforms, books and stationery. At the moment the price of chickens is really high."

As well as supporting the group with business advice, a local Zimbabwe Red Cross volunteer provides its members with information about good nutrition and hygiene.

Deep in the bush in eastern Zimbabwe, Phiaodonia Chivandire, 18, lives with her younger siblings. The children were orphaned by AIDS five years ago.

"I have two brothers and one sister," Phiaodonia explains.

"We did start to plant a small garden to grow some food but the rains washed it away. We have some seeds and we would like to plant them but there’s no one to help us. Our relatives and neighbours can’t help. We’ll try and replant the garden," she says.

As part of its home-based care programme, the Zimbabwe Red Cross is paying for Phiaodonia and her eight-year-old brother, Tinashe, to attend school. The youngsters also get food aid from the World Food Programme.

Phiaodonia has plans for the future that depend on her education.

"I’m waiting to hear if I passed my school exams. I’d like to go back to do an ‘A’ level. I want to complete my studies and train to be a nurse," she says.

Assistance to vulnerable people in Zimbabwe is increasing, thanks to a seven-country emergency food insecurity appeal in Southern Africa launched by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

The emergency operation plans to reach 388,800 people in Zimbabwe. Of these, 148,600 people will get food aid, 114,000 will benefit from agricultural starter packs with seeds and fertilizers, 24,000 will have the benefit of draught animals such as oxen to develop their land, 46,000 will have drip kits or irrigation schemes, 15,000 will have boreholes drilled or rehabilitated, 1200 will get latrines, and 40,000 will benefit from hygiene education.

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