Manicaland

Chipinge and Mutare New Start Centres (NSC): Going the Last Mile

Going the Last Mile seeks to; 1) contribute to the reduction of new HIV incidences and infection in Mutare district through behavior change and the mitigation of the impact of HIV/AIDS by providing support to those infected and affected. 2) help AGYW to be Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe women (DREAMS). Last Mile’s overall objectives are to:

 1) Test all HIV-positive clients through indexing, target testing, and enroll them in care,

 2) Prevent new HIV infections,

 3) Reduce the risk of HIV progression and

 4) Monitor patients and suppress viral load. For HIV Testing the project targets all age groups and index cases of the target populations. It targets Key Populations namely Sex workers, Men having Sex with Men, and Transgender. Under the DREAMS, Adolescent Girls, and Young Women (AGYW) 15-24 years of age are targeted.

Mhuri/Imuli Project

The goal of the Mhuri/Imuli Project was to assist the government, communities, and civil society organizations in improving maternal child and youth’s health and survival in targeted populations in the seven districts (Buhera, Chipinge, Chimanimani, Makoni, Mutare, Mutasa, and Nyanga) of Manicaland Province. FACT Zimbabwe through support from FHI360 focused on Intermediate Result 2) increased use of MNCH-FP services in Manicaland province, targeting hard-to-reach populations and Intermediate Result 3) strengthened community systems and linkages for integrated MNCH-FP services in Manicaland. Hard-to-reach populations from 48 health facilities were reached with MNCAH interventions from the two mentioned intermediate results.  Cited in this section are some key project achievements.

Tear Funded Projects: The SHG and Livelihoods Programme

Tear Funded Projects: The SHG and Livelihoods Programme

 

FACT implements Self Help Groups (SHGs) and Livelihood programs in Buhera Wards 19, 21 & and 24 and Chimanimani Wards 19 and 22. Tear Fund Netherlands and Tear Fund Zimbabwe jointly fund the program.  The project seeks to improve 926 target households’ income through the SHGs and livelihood initiatives to improve their food security. Communities with improved income streams can then fend for their families. This is demonstrated by a Household Income Survey (HHI) conducted among project participants in Chimanimani and Buhera districts.

Enhancing young people’s livelihood opportunities within the context of climate change

Tear Fund Netherlands funds the Enhancing Young People’s livelihood opportunities within the context of climate change Nyanga youth project. It targets young people aged 18-35 in wards 1 & 2 of Nyanga district. The project seeks to eradicate poverty among young people through livelihood initiatives, market-oriented farming, income-generating activities, and self-employment. The solar and 1.5 horsepower plumbing installations were completed for Chimusasa Garden. Irrigation water is drawn from the bordering Gairezi River which is shared by both Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

Kindernothilfe (KNH) Self-Help Group Approach

The Self-Help Group Approach (SHGA) funded by Kindernothilfe (KNH) focuses on having a society where all women are fully empowered to influence the development of their communities and improve the quality of life for their children. The program is implemented in wards 16, 20, 26, 27, and 36 of Mutare Rural District. The concept alludes that “self-help” is permanent while “external help” is temporary.

Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) Project

The SEA project is being implemented by a consortium of three partners in Matabeleland and Manicaland Provinces. It targets men and women in Umguza, Mutare, and Nyanga districts. The project seeks to address Sexual Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) which is mostly faced by women and girls. The church plays a critical role in influencing the transformation of positive masculinity to prevent exploitation of the women and girls.  It leads to community engagement through spiritual reflections, identification, and establishment of survivor support groups to create safety nets for the survivors. Gender Champions and SE facilitators who are community-trained volunteers work with church leaders as they raise awareness of SEA and SGBV. They collaborate with other partners in addressing identified GBV issues within their communities.

Towards Resilient Communities with Health and Safety For All (TORCHES) Project

The Torches project was implemented from April to December 2022 to have communities where women, girls, and People with Disabilities are free from violence and have an amplified voice to speak against violence. Its key achievements include the following:

17,831 people (12,233 females and 5,598 males) were reached through exposure by SASA Champions with SASA Together activities (Power Posters, Deeper discussions, and community conversations). 

6,659 people (3,917 females and 2,742 males) were reached through exposure by SASA leaders with SASA activities (quick chats, community talking points, and leadership leaflets).

Nyanga Local Rights Program (Nyanga LRP)

Objectives of the Nyanga LRP are to 1) advance economic justice and redistributive women’s unpaid care work through expanding fiscal and policy space and supporting investment in gender-responsive public services and social protection. 2) promote female-led sustainable agriculture and build Climate resilience among small-scale farmers 3) promote emergency Preparedness and Response.

ZIMBABWE IDAI RECOVERY PROJECT (ZIRP)

FACT through UNFPA received support from World Bank between September 2020-December 2022 to implement the Zimbabwe Idai Recovery Project in Chipinge and Chimanimani Districts. The aim of the project contributed to early, immediate, and long-term resilience building. The objective of the project was to increase resilient systems and structures in place to avert and respond to GBV among populations affected by Cyclone Idai. The focus was on increasing resilient structures against GBV for which UNFPA was the thematic lead. Interventions positioned Village Health Workers acting as part of the EARLY WARNING SYSTEMS communication for local communities.

Building Resilience Sustainable Community Systems (RSCS

The humanitarian response project which covers selected wards in Chimanimani is funded by the USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), through UNFPA from May 2022 to June 2023. Its objectives are to 1) strengthen GBV referral pathways and improve accessibility of life-saving multi-sectoral survivor-centred integrated services for SRHR/GBV in most hard-to-reach areas, 2) enhance effectiveness and sustainability of community-based GBV risk mitigation mechanisms, including through Safe Spaces for women and girls and peer for adolescent girls (Sista2Sista) for skills building, informed decision-making about SRHR and economic skills building and 3) strengthen capacity of Food Security and other sectors.

Interventions: Establish safe spaces for women and girls to share information on SRHR and for economic skills building, conduct GBV surveillance and referrals to post-GBV service providers, and establish Sista2Sista clubs for adolescent girls for informed decision-making about SRHR.  By the reporting period, the project had reached 1,283 out of the 2,487 (51.6%) women between 25 – 49 years in safe spaces with PSS and livelihood interventions. A total of 9,423 out of the targeted 17 564 (53.6%) males and females with information on SRHR, GBV referral pathway, and PSEA. 4977 Adolescent girls were reached with GBV risk mitigation and life skills packages.

SPOTLIGHT Phase 2: GBV SURVEILLANCE, MOSC AND SAFE SPACE

Between September 2020 and December 2022, UNFPA funded this program in all wards (1-31) of Mutasa District. Its objectives were by December 2024 to 1) improve food security and disposable for young people 2) increase disposable income for young people, 3) improve the devotional/spiritual life of young people, and 4) improve the health and well-being of young people.

Interventions consisted of the establishment of Safe Space for GBV survivors for psycho-social support services; provision of GBV post services through MOSC; referrals of GBV survivors to post-GBV service providers; strengthening GBV survivors on Income generating activities and conducting awareness on GBV and Covid-mitigation activities.

SPACE FOR OVC

• SPACE for OVC is a 5-year project being implemented in high HIV-burden districts of the province to help communities and local institutions provide comprehensive services to improve HIV-affected and infected children’s health, nutrition, and psycho-social well-being. It will ensure that these children can access HIV prevention, care, and treatment services, as well as prevention of and response to gender-based violence. Furthermore, it will deliver entrepreneurship, employability, and vocational training to caregivers of orphans and vulnerable children to improve families’ economic stability.

Coverage: Makoni, Mutare, Chipinge and Buhera districts

Partnerships: Rujeko Home-Based Care Programme, Christian Blind Mission and Pact

DREAMS SMART GIRLS

The DREAMS SMART Girls program is a five-year partnership to reduce new HIV infections among adolescent girls and young women in Zimbabwe. DREAMS aims to help girls develop into Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe women. DREAMS SMART-Girls has already reached more than 59,000 adolescent girls and young women and SPACE for OVC will reach 70,000 most vulnerable orphans and vulnerable children, in just the first year.


The program provides socio-economic interventions that reduce vulnerability to HIV and AIDS, contributing to HIV epidemic control in Zimbabwe. On the other hand, the DREAMS- SMART Girls program is designed to ensure girls develop into Determined Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored and Safe women towards the realization of the 95-95-95 World Health Organization targets towards HIV epidemic control in Zimbabwe.

Coverage: Makoni, Mutare and Chipinge

Partnerships: Population Solutions for Health and Bantwana Zimbabwe