News

Wendy’s family is among 23715 vulnerable and food insecure families benefiting from ECHO funded Safe Multipurpose Assistance to Communities in Crises project which is being implemented by Save the Children and International Rescue Committee in five districts of Zimbabwe. Every month, they receive USD65 which enables them to buy basic food commodities.

Sisters Nokwanda (10) and Khanyisiwe (4) are happy girls, as they are well fed and are able to have three meals each day. They are grateful for the USD65 that has been coming through their grandmother’s mobile wallet each month since September 2020. The mobile cash transfers have helped their 71-year –old Margaret to buy enough food, for their family throughout the peak hunger period.

Thanks to funding from Global Partnership for Education, Garanje School is one of the 141 schools affected by Cyclone Idai which will benefit from the schools rehabilitation programme by Save the Children and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.

The Safe Back to School Campaign dialogue, comes against a background where most schools in Zimbabwe have remained closed for the greater part of the year 2020 due to the outbreak of COVID 19 in the country in March. While children in developed countries quickly moved to have online lessons, in Zimbabwe this was mostly possible for learners enrolled in private schools only. Most children enrolled in public schools could not have online lessons due to a myriad of challenges, notably lack of computers, electricity, absence of internet and Wi-Fi among others, thus denying thousands of children their right to education throughout the COVID-19 period.

Through financial support from ECHO, Save the Children in partnership with International Rescue Committee is supporting vulnerable and food insecure households through cash transfers, under the Safe Multipurpose Assistance to Communities in Crises in Zimbabwe project. It is being implemented in Mbire, Matobo, Beitbridge, Chipinge and Chimanimani districts.