European funds allow UN children’s agency to help vulnerable Zimbabweans

Armed with a $4.7 million grant from the European Union (EU), the United Nations children’s agency can now help half a million Zimbabweans hit by the HIV virus tap into cleaner water and improved sanitation facilities.

The European contribution comes along at a crucial time because many Zimbabwean families and communities are struggling with reduced access to basic services after nearly four years of drought, a sustained economic downturn and the AIDS pandemic, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said today in a press release.

The EU funds, which will be distributed over five years in six districts throughout the southern African nation, comprise the single largest donation toward UNICEF’s water and sanitation activities in the country. Focusing on people infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, the project will include the promotion of hygiene and nutrition gardens, the construction of latrines in households and schools, and the drilling of critical new bore holes and protection of shallow wells.

“As recent cholera outbreaks in Zimbabwe remind us, water and sanitation are among the most important determinants of public health,” UNICEF’s Representative in Zimbabwe, Festo Kavishe, said. “When people achieve reliable access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation, they have won a major battle against a wide range of diseases.”

Since anecdotal evidence suggests that the trend toward urbanization has hurt rural communities, the venture will zero in on the water and sanitation needs of Zimbabweans residing in rural areas. There are plans to build more than 6,700 household latrines and 540 school latrines. In return, schools will offer free slots to orphans and other vulnerable children. The growth of nutritious foods for HIV-positive people will be encouraged by the promotion of nutrition gardens and livestock-rearing through new water sources.