Concern Worldwide Zimbabwe
Annual Report 2010
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Farmers line up their bags of maize for inspection for the grain local purchase project.
April
Welcome! A message from Country Director Mark Harper 2010 has brought much progress in people’s lives in Zimbabwe with an improvement in governance and in many social services including health and education. As Concern programming moves from emergency response to development, a challenge for all of us is to keep the poorest in mind as we look to rebuilding the rural agricultural economy and reducing HIV infection.
In all our programming the message from donors is increasingly clear - the need to show demonstrable results and impact
Much of our programming has changed over the last 12 months in line with the rapidly evolving situation in country. The findings of our cash transfer pilot have changed the way WFP is implementing its activities in several districts in Zimbabwe. Our huge investment in input distribution last year paid off with surplus harvests recorded in the Gokwes for the first time since 2005. We have kept this momentum going through the recently completed agri-voucher scheme which injects cash into the local and Zimbabwean economy. The recently completed contextual analysis is bringing out new interventions to reduce poverty among the poorest and improve our programming approach.
The HIV prevention programme continues to fight new infections through its multipronged approach and we look forward to designing an improved programme in the next few months in line with the changes in the economy and the health sector in particular. In all our programming the message from donors is increasingly clear – the need to show demonstrable results and impact. We are excited that 2010 has seen Concern certified by the Humanitarian Accountability Partnership (HAP). We look forward to improving our accountability to our programme participants and improving our programming through continuous quality management. Increased community participation and quality of programming are key issues for us as we prepare our strategic plan in early 2011. I would like to thank everyone in Concern for their hard work and diligence in 2010. We also want to thank our donors, partners and in particular our local government stakeholders for their constant support at district level as we seek to improve the lives of the poorest in Nyanga and the Gokwes.
Mark Harper
Front Cover Story
Crispen Marutsi “Concern rehabilitated the borehole of Katandika Village, Nyanga in 2004. Before this we had to walk 10 kilometres, it was a family outing. The borehole services 3 villages, 98 households and all our livestock, as well as our Concernsupported village nutritional garden. We can now grow nonseasonal produce and Concern taught us how to fetch a good price at market.”
2010 Highlights FEBRUARY - As part of Concern’s
accountability work, a Complaints Response Mechanism for beneficiaries was developed, piloted and subsequently reviewed in December 2010.
MARCH - There was a joint launch
of Concerns EC funded livelihoods programme with Alliance 2015 partner German Agro-Action (GAA) in Gokwe which was attended by the EC, the Provincial Governor, local stakeholders with coverage by the national media.
MARCH - Concern began a nationwide livelihoods baseline exercise in conjunction with 3 other NGOs with Save the Children taking the lead.
APRIL - Concern started a grain local purchase project funded by the French Embassy with Alliance 2015 partner ACTED which purchased food for school feeding from local farmers.
interventions on women’s workload and the need for explicit engagement of men in achieving gender equality.
SEPTEMBER - A contextual
analysis of Gokwe North and South was undertaken to guide the design of a new Food, Income and Markets programme. The CA which used Concerns new extreme poverty analysis framework, came up with several new programme options which will address or prevent extreme poverty in Gokwe..
bwe Emergency Cash Transfer (ZECT) programme revealed many interesting findings around cost benefit, community preferences and the ills of community based targeting. These findings have been used to improve targeting as well as scaling up cash transfer programming around the country.
JUNE – Two studies on gender and equal-
DECEMBER – Zimbabwe’s
ity were conducted by an external consultant and by Concern’s equality advisor. Finding revealed positive and negative impacts of cash transfers on women’s lives, intra-household dynamics around entitlements of food and control of programme benefits, the impact of agricultural
Chief Nemangwe, and Midlands Governor and Resident Minister Jason Machaya view a cotton field under conservation agriculture at the launch of the EC food security programme
SEPTEMBER – Concern began an agro-voucher programme to 35,000 households in Gokwe North and South. Previously done through imports and direct distribution, this new approach rebuilds local industry and markets by making Zimbabwe produced agricultural inputs available to farmers through their local shop. NOVEMBER – A study of the income generating component of the HIV programme showed an accumulation of assets that strengthened resilience of households to Zimbabwe’s economic and natural shocks, changes in the deconstruction of certain norms that disempower women and the uptake of technical skills for successful IGAs.
MAY - An evaluation of Concerns Zimba-
March
accountability baseline was finalised with HAP certification promising to contribute quality across many components of Concerns work.
Sep
Buying inputs in Gokwe South with the US$70 Agri-voucher
Interviewing an IGA entrepreneur
Nov
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Food, Income and Markets The FIM programme aims to improve livelihood security of the poorest households in Gokwe North, Gokwe South and Nyanga districts. The programme is funded through the EU, SIDA via FAO, Irish Aid, Concern funding and the Protracted Relief Programme (PRP) which includes funding from DFID, Danida, The Netherlands Embassy and AusAID.
ate between US$33 to US$40 during the peak garden produce marketing period July to October as compared to non beneficiary figures of US$16 to US$23 for very poor and poor. The youth income project introduced cotton production to the 16 to 25 age group who got US$297 for their cotton harvest although the value of the free inputs was US$140. This brought an additional 50 to 95% extra income to poor and very poor households. Changes in asset holding in LIME households
Impact of CF on Household Food Security 20 Conventional Crops
Maize CF
Groundnuts CF
300%
Oct-09
Sep-10
15
250% Asset Rebuilding Threshold
200% Livelihoods Threshold 160%
10
150% Survival Threshold 105%
5
100%
50%
0 0%
FAO Support
PRP/EC support
Non beneficiaries
Increased Access to Food
L.I.M.E Concern participates in the PRP funded Longitudinal Impact Monitoring and Evaluation (LIME) study which tracks the progress of 35 households in Gokwe North who are involved in different components of the FIM programme. Quarterly visits are made to each LIME household and food and income over the past 3 months are closely measured. There are 19 LIME sites across Zimbabwe and findings will give good insight into the impact of different PRP interventions. LIME showed a 25% reduction in maricho’s contribution to household income over time.
The programme promoted conservation farming technologies for food production. Two approaches were used – one (FAO) gave higher fertilizer and extension support levels to 2,200 farmers and the second (EC/ PRP), moderate input support level to 7883 HHs. The impact of these two initiatives on household food security is shown in the graph below. Both CF initiatives resulted in households attaining the livelihoods protection threshold and the FAO initiative surpassed the asset rebuilding threshold.
Increased Income
Baseline figures show that very poor households in programme areas only earn US$166 per year whereas the poor earn US$309. Conservation farmers selling their excess would generate US$407(FAO) and US$103 (EC/ PRP) from crop sales annually. Nutrition Garden beneficiaries managed to gener-
VP
P
M
VP
Goats
P
M
Chickens
Increased asset holding
Monitoring productive asset holding of LIME households over the year Oct 2009 to Sept 2010 indicated a build up of productive assets across the three wealth groups. Holdings of goats and hens for the Very Poor (VP) and Poor (P) increased while cattle and ploughs maintained the same level as shown in the graph. There were no significant shocks during the reporting period, thus enabling households to build up their asset bases for response to shocks in future if needed.
Reduction in reliance on maricho Maricho or casual labour is a coping strategy for the poor and very poor, enabling them to work for food when their other livelihood strategies have failed. The contextual analysis showed that maricho is universally despised and an affront to peoples dignity. A number of Most Significant Stories (MSC) indicated that households can move out of maricho. For example Diana Meso
A womens focus group discussion during the contextual analysis fieldwork. who falls within the very poor wealth category that normally earns US$40 (24% of total annual income) through casual labour had this to say “Handicharuviri kudya zvakare” I am no longer available for hire to do maricho anymore. I have enough food to feed the family and pay for tillage. What I used to toil for or beg I can now produce or provide on my own”. LIME showed a 25% reduction in maricho’s contribution to household income.
Increased access of social services for the poor LIME showed that social services expenditures – including health, education, and community obligations – increased across wealth groups during the year, with the very poor spending approximately US$22 on these expenditures (17% of total) as compared to the baseline figure of US$7 (4%), the poor spent US$82 (29%) as compared to the baseline figure of US$45 (15%). Social services expenditure by the poor and middle wealth groups was highest during the May to June cotton and maize selling period as this is the period they are most liquid. US$22 is low considering school fees are generally US$30 for per annum for primary school and US$60 per annum for secondary school children. Households spent just US$10 on healthcare.
Partners
Concern partners with Basilwizi, a local NGO operating in the Zambezi Valley. The partnership is now in its 2nd year covering 3 wards of Gokwe North. The table below summarises the symbiotic relationship allowing for effective learning between the two organisations.
Transfer of strengths between Concern and Basiliwilzi
Forming a closer partnership with Agritex will be a strategy in 2011
Contextual Analysis With the context changing in Zimbabwe over the last few years, Concern decided to study the context for the poor in rural Gokwe in September and October with a view to improving programming. The framework for the study was based on on Concerns new extreme poverty analysis framework.
Highlights from the contextual analysis include: The dominant aspiration for all age groups and across gender in Gokwe is to become successful farmers complemented by other locally based income generating activities. There are significant differences in poverty levels between households in the same community because of four key assets (productive assets, food stocks, fit labour and family support) that are linked together by the household members ability to manage these scarce assets in a challenging environment. Local agro input markets are recovering and were very responsive to the agricultural inputs voucher scheme. The contextual analysis proposed a number of wider strategies and new thinking around targeting. New programme options include: •
Social protection cash transfer to the extreme poor.
•
Strengthen Agritex and Veterinary Department for effective extension services.
•
Increasing access to markets for farmers
•
Tackling broader community issues to prevent people becoming poorer.
•
Targeting the local economy or natural resources is valid, but needs to be designed with a‘ poverty lens’, to ensure the extremely poor benefit.
•
Increase Community Based Approaches to ensure ownership and sustainability.
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Lillian & Cynthia, Nyanga (see back cover)
HIV Prevention The HIV prevention programme aims to reduce the prevalence and impact of HIV&AIDS through supporting community empowerment This is done through: • Improving negotiation of safe and voluntary sexual encounters by women and girls.
The numbers of girls dropping out of school due to early marriages and pregnancies declined significantly in 2010
•
Decreasing male-dominated, negative, cultural practices which spread HIV.
•
Increasing rural communities’ access to and uptake of VCT, PMTCT and STI services.
•
Reducing risky strategies by women and girls through improved livelihood activities
The programme is funded through Irish Aid, Concern, EU, DFID and the Garden Trust.
STAR (Societies Tackling AIDS Through Rights) The STAR approach creates an enabling environment for behaviour change by communities identifying local causes of HIV infection. This resulted in open discussions on safer sex options. STAR circle discussions have contributed to increased uptake of condoms, indicating that safer sex is negotiated. A key strength of STAR is its rights based focus to empower communities. In 2010, 174 circles with over 5,000 members also identified broader community issues. For example, the Zvakazarurwa circle constructed 15 toilets in their villages and the Chisina Circle group started a chicken project whose proceeds provide for transport for PLHIV to access treatment. The programme also introduced inter-ward exchange visits, where circles members exchanged experiences and learnings. While STAR is effective for its direct beneficiaries by
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bringing about transformational change, we need to develop methods to replicate STAR so that it has a wider reach in the community.
Life Skills and AIDS Education programmes in school The school program reaches over 2000 youths in school though supporting 59 AIDS action clubs (AACs) that cover topics like the impact of HIV & AIDS on children, stigma and discrimination, behaviour change, inter-generational sex, multiple sexual partners and child sexual abuse. In 2010, headmasters and students were trained to improve child-centred facilitation and the first students facilitated their own AACs. 17 ward based competitions between schools were organised in 2010. The numbers of girls dropping out of school due to early marriages and pregnancies has declined significantly. Case studies show that there is greater impact on families that have children in AACs and parents in STAR. Whereas Ministry of Education does not allow pupils to be taught on condoms, working with parents would help them assist their children on such methods. There is improved learning when students take a lead in HIV discussions hence the need to train more student facilitators.
Peer Education for out of school youth The program trained 56 out of school youth on behaviour change with an emphasis on mobilizing fellow youths. This has proven challenging due to the mobility of this group. A needs assessment was carried out to better understand how to reach the out of school youth.
Social Marketing of Condoms In 2010, condom availability improved compared to 2009 with no shortage of supply recorded. In total 54483 male condoms and 11677 female condoms were distributed with a significant number of men collecting female condoms. The uptake of condoms is higher during harvesting seasons.
Reducing harmful cultural practices While Zimbabwe has laws that can protect communities from harmful cultural practices, there are challenges implementing such laws. Due to cultural barriers, marital rape and wilful transmission of HIV go unreported. Other criminal cases such as rape, child molestation are wrongly handled by chiefs and village heads at community courts as opposed to being report to the victim friendly unit at the police. Concern engaged Women and Law in Southern Africa (WLSA) to train staff to build the capacity of traditional leaders and other opinion leaders on the legal framework. The training covered Zimbabwean laws and policies on sexual and reproductive health rights, wilful transmission of HIV, marital rape, child abuse, marital and inheritance. The training was rolled-out to over 4,000 community leaders. Through the training, traditional leaders are becoming aware of better referral systems. Communities have begun to report on cases of Gender Based Violence (14) and Child Sexual Abuse (44) as shown in the records of Police Victim Friendly Branches in Gokwe North. Previously these cases would not be reported or would be reported to traditional courts only, where perpetrators could settle the case with paying a goat or an agreed sum and no measures were taken to protect the child/woman or to address emotional harm and stigma.
Men’s involvement in supporting and seeking health care services remains limited and innovations around encouraging men to engage in health care need to be explored. User fees remain a barrier to the poorest making income generating activities important. Many women continue to give birth at home with traditional birth attendants due to user fees and distance to hospitals
Lillian Muzariri, Nyanga
Increased uptake of preventive services (PMTCT, C&T and STI Treatment) Concern supports Mission Hospitals to deliver PMTCT, C&T and STI management outreach services. This improves general health services in remote areas. Mission hospitals work hand in hand with local clinics to improve HIV prevention services. Among the 688 pregnant mothers who accessed PMTCT outreach services, 60 women were positive and 49 of them received Nevarapine. A total of 6708 people were counselled during outreach services, out of which 5915 were tested and 551 tested HIV positive. Follow-up services for HIV positive people like ART treatment and mitigation services is limited but slowly improving in remote areas.
Improved livelihood activities by women and girls.
In partnership with ASAP (Africa Self Help Assistance Programme), Concern promotes Internal Savings and Lending (ISL) and Income Generating Activities (IGAs). ISL is a community managed savings-led financial service. The project established 297 ISL groups with 1,709 female members. 1,604 individuals received IGA training and 736 were provided with boost up capital. A participatory impact assessment in 2010 showed ISL and IGAs contributed 60% - 80% of monthly household income in a year. Households participating in the project have more monthly income and this was mostly spent on education (31%), and food (26%). Women appreciated the self-reliance and financial discipline they acquired and the challenge now is how these can contribute to reduction of risky behaviour and improved household relations. Though the project is meant to support particular financial and enterprise development services women also valued their ability to use the knowledge and skills in other livelihood spheres.
A total of 6708 people were counselled during outreach services, out of which 5915 were tested and 551 tested HIV positive.
Changes to programme strategy/activities Design of a new programme in early 2011 will contain many changes in line with programme findings, changes in the national strategy and new opportunities for HIV prevention.
F.A.C.T Family AIDS Caring Trust (FACT), was founded in Mutare in 1987 as Zimbabwe’s first AIDS Service Organisation and is now well known in Zimbabwe and regionally. FACT offers prevention, care, support and treatment services to improve the quality of life of affected and infected communities. FACT implement the community empowerment component of the Concern Worldwide HIV programme in Nyanga where their expertise in STAR has helped to bring behaviour change relating to HIV.
Humanitarian Accountability Partnership In June 2010 Concern Worldwide became the eighth organisation to receive HAP Certification. This is a major achievement for Concern as HAP certification is independent verification against industry recognised standards of accountability and quality management which equate to ISO 9000 certification in the business world. Certification signals to Concern and to others that Concern systematically applies recognised standards in all its work for the benefit of our beneficiaries and communities. Furthermore, Concern specifically decided to apply HAP Standards to both our humanitarian and development work.
2. Transparency
3. Beneficiary participation
Emergency Programme How beneficiaries spent their cash
Food and Cash Assistance Programme
The agency shall make the following information publicly available to intended beneficiaries, disaster-affected communities, agency staff and other specified stakeholders: (a) organisational background; (b) humanitarian accountability framework; (c) humanitarian plan; (d) progress reports; and (e) complaints handling procedures.
From the FAO/WFP led Crop and Food Supply Assessment Mission (CFSAM) in June 2009 it was estimated that 2.8 million Zimbabweans would be in need of food aid. Concern assisted a total of 149,955 beneficiaries in Gokwe South, Gokwe North and Nyanga districts for six months with food and/or cash from Oct 2009 to March 2010. The Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee in June 2010, predicted that 1.8 million Zimbabweans would be in need of food assistance in the 2009-2010 hunger period. Concern assisted 15,291 beneficiaries in Nyanga from Oct to Dec 2010.
The agency shall enable beneficiaries and their representatives to participate in program decisions and seek their informed consent.
The Zimbabwe Emergency Cash Transfer (ZECT) pilot.
H.A.P has 6 benchmarks which Concern should comply with: 1. Humanitarian quality management
Cash distribution in Gokwe North.
The agency shall establish a humanitarian quality management system: a designated set of processes that enable continual improvement in an agency’s performance in meeting the essential needs, and respecting the dignity, of disaster survivors.
4. Staff competence
The agency shall determine the competencies, attitudes and development needs of staff required to implement its humanitarian quality management system.
5. Complaints handling
The agency shall establish and implement complaints-handling procedures that are effective, accessible and safe for intended beneficiaries, disaster-affected communities, agency staff, humanitarian partners and other specified bodies.
6. Continual improvement
The agency shall establish a process of continual improvement for its humanitarian accountability framework and humanitarian quality management system
Concern Zimbabwe HAP Baseline
In Zimbabwe, Concern undertook an accountability baseline in November 2010 which looked at the six benchmarks in turn and judged whether the programme was fully or partially compliant or if it was non compliant. The baseline recommended to develop Zimbabwe’s own country specific accountability framework, a communications strategy incorporating stakeholder’s information needs and appropriate channels of communication, an information and participation plan to strengthen transparency and participation and work with partners to clarify the roles and responsibility of Concern and partner staff in respect of accountability. A humanitarian accountability framework is now being put in place with an action plan to continuously improve accountability in the areas identified by the baseline.
The ZECT pilot project beneficiaries for the period January 2009 to March 2010 were as follows: Cash was distributed monthly and US$1,268,515 was distributed for the 3 month period.. Significant M&E took place to determine the appropriateness of cash transfers in post emergency Zimbabwe. This included the modalities of payment, the preferences and expenditure pattern of beneficiaries and the ability of the market to respond
Vulnerable Group Feeding
Concern continues to target Gokwe North, Gokwe South and Nyanga for VGF. Changes in October 2010 from the previous VGF included a reduced caseload and giving more responsibility to the community in the targeting process. The following table summarises the scope of the response:
Complaints Response Mechanism
HAPs benchmark establishes mechanisms for beneficiaries to complain or suggest improvements to Concerns programming. A pilot complaints response mechanism was set up in 5 wards in 2010 and this was reviewed towards the end of the year. The CRM uses suggestion boxes as well as other methods to facilitate communities to share their complaints and views. The review found several teething problems around the CRM especially with regard to coordinating structural and continuous feedback to communities, how to deal with anonymous complains and reach of CRM information within and between communities. Concern will improve the quality of the CRM before expanding it to all operational wards.
A suggestion box in Gokwe North
The cash transfer programme was evaluated both internally and externally in 2010. An external evaluation undertaken by Oxford Policy Management compared cash distributions to cash and food as well as food only. The study showed beneficiaries prefer to receive food than cash although cash beneficiaries preferred cash. The cost benefit analysis showed that food aid for oil and beans was cheaper than local purchase, while local purchase of cereals was cheaper through cash distributions. This has paved the way for a new cash for cereals programme which WFP will begin in January 2011 across 5 districts. A gender study of cash transfers in June 2010 revealed that while some empowerment appears to Savings Cash Spending have taken Debt repayment place, that Alcohol & Tobacco this is not Transport ubiquitous Maize and that in the Education main, women are under NFIs huge stress to provide food for their famiOther foods lies with little Milling support from male partners.
Cholera emergency response The Zimbabwe National Cholera disaster officially ended in June 2009 with 98,444 cases and 4,282 deaths. Gokwe North district reported a cumulative 72 cases and 3 deaths at this time. In order to prevent further outbreaks, Concern with UNICEF funding distributed NFI kits to 45,509 households and undertook hygiene promotion activities between Nov 2009 and Feb 2010. In 2010 there were no cases of cholera recorded in any of Concern’s 3 target districts. There were just 790 cases in the country in 2010 and 21 deaths. Concern remains prepared for a cholera outbreak with NFI kits being stored at each district office.
Jan to March 2010 District
Oct to Dec 2010
Wards
Beneficiaries
Food and cash Bens.
Cash only Bens.
Gokwe North
26
42,980
5,435
18,585
Gokwe South
14
24,027
3,349
18,624
Nyanga
17
24,082
8,106
4,767
91,089
16,890
41,976
Total
Wards
Beneficiaries
9
15,291 15,291
9
10
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Stories of positive change Livestock production and poverty alleviation Albert’s goats gave birth to two female goats and one male goat which are very healthy. He sold one goat for US$ 15 and remained with 4 goats. The goats have improved his family’s’ diet as they can use the milk. He says the milk has great fat content and uses this when making tea.
Of 25 chickens and 1 goat, Albert has managed to pay school fees for 3 terms for his two children, one of which had previously dropped out due to lack of funds.
HIV Prevention: Young Women Demanding Sexual Safety Nyamahumba is situated in the northern part of Nyanga. Most families cope with economic pressures by selling traditionally brewed beer which is normally sold after hours when people are relaxing. Men who are always the customers and a few women normally drink throughout the night which tempts them to indulge in sexual activities.
From the sale of 25 chickens and 1 goat, Albert has managed to pay for his 2 children’s school fees for 3 terms. He pays US$ 20 for both children per term. He pays US$ 15 for the one in secondary school and US$ 5 for the one in primary school. One of his children in secondary school had dropped out of school but he managed to get him back to school.
Albert Kukuseni (45) who resides in the village of Nyandoro, Nyanga district previously had no livestock, owns a very small land and is a widower. He stays with his 2 children and his mother. He was selected to benefit from Concern Worldwide small livestock project and bought two goats and two chickens at the livestock fair that was held in October 2009. Livestock serves as a store of wealth and organic fertiliser for cash production as Albert rightly pointed out that the chickens he received has brought income to his household. He is realising an average income of US$ 9 per month from the sale of chicken and eggs. The chickens started laying eggs in December 2009 and since then he has sold almost 25 chickens at US$3 each. In addition, Albert retains some chickens for breeding and as a source of meat which was not possible before joining the project. Albert reports “These goats and chicken provides me the greatest source of money.”
In September 2009, Albert received trainings on livestock management from Concern Worldwide. In addition he receives extension support and trainings every month and these enrich his knowledge in looking after chickens and goats in aspects such as parasite control, disease control, housing and breeding. Livestock production has improved his social status and he is now recognized in the society. He attributes the changes that have taken place in his household to the small livestock project. He also looks forward to increasing the size of his pens and fowl runs to accommodate more livestock.
her weakness that she was not assertive enough. She first learnt how to effectively communicate at all levels in the circle. Not sure whether she was assertive enough she started by asking her husband to become a condom holder and easily the husband agreed. She got encouraged and started to highlight her fears to the husband and persuaded the husband to use a condom both in the house and when he had sex outside the home. She told her husband that if he happened to think of doing it outside he could take the condoms from his condom vendor bag but should not tell her as she did not want to know and feel hurt and she was not giving him the go ahead. She also boldly explained the dangers of multiple concurrent partnerships. The husband was surprised by the level of knowledge she had shown and promised to be faithful. She even demanded for a blood testing which he agreed to have before having their second baby.
Julia Mafondokoto is a young lady aged 28 years. She lives Nyamahumba with her husband. In 2000 Julia got married in this area and her husband refused to go for an HIV blood test. Julia’s husband joined other men in the beer drinking business. She was worried but had difficulties on how to handle the issue. The man could not listen to his wife. Julia became aware that her husband had extra marital affairs. The husband became harsh with her demanding hot meals when he came home even in the middle of the night. In 2009 Julia joined the Nyamahumba STAR circle where she shared with circle members her fears and problems. Through assertiveness and passiveness topic discussions she became aware of
The husband was surprised by the level of knowledge she had shown and promised to be faithful.
The husband has started educating his friends on the importance of sticking to one partner to prevent the spread of HIV. Julia testified that her life had really changed positively after joining STAR. This has also changed the husband’s life style positively. “Weduwee ndazogarisikawo mupfungwa nekuda kwe STAR”. “I now have peace of mind because of STAR”, Said Julia. Many can be helped through the circle discussions as Julia and her husband experienced.
Back Cover Story - Lillian Muzariri Lillian was tested positive for HIV at antenatal clinic when pregnant with her daughter Cynthia. Through Concern she was connected to a local hospital supported by the national prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV program (PMTCT). Cynthia was tested HIV free at 18 months. As a single HIV infected mother, Concern considers her ‘vulnerable’ and provided her with increased boost-up capital and extra trainings. She now sells vegetables and clothes and is an HIV counsellor, caregiver and monitoring and evaluation officer.
“I tested positive for HIV when I fell pregnant with Cynthia. Concern connected me to the national PMTCT program and she was born HIV free. I wanted to get involved so I am now a behavioural change facilitator with F.A.C.T. Concern helps women by providing boost-up capital and training. I sell vegetables and clothes. I am not doing so badly.”
Lillian Muzariri, Nyanga (see inside back cover for full story)
Our identity: Who We Are
Our Mission: What We Do
Concern Worldwide is a non-governmental, international humanitarian organisation dedicated to the reduction of suffering and working towards the ultimate elimination of extreme poverty in the world’s poorest countries
Our mission is to help people living in extreme poverty achieve major improvements in their lives which last and spread without ongoing support from Concern
Our vision: For Change A world where no-one lives in poverty or fear of opression: where all have access to a decent standard of living and choices essential to a long, healthy and creative life: a world where everyone is treated with dignity and respect
203 J. Chinamano Avenue Cnr 10th Street Harare, Zimbabwe Tel: +263 4 705845/49/58 Fax: +263 4 705952
We Believe Extreme poverty must be targeted Development is a process not a gift Respect for people comes first Gender equality is a prerequisite for development Greater participation leads to greater committment Democracy accelerates development The environment must be respected Emergencies call for rapid response Good stewardship ensures trust Experience is the better teacher
