Our work in Zimbabwe

Overview

Many people in Zimbabwe rely on growing and selling their own crops to feed themselves and make a living. However, climate change has led to both long periods of drought and times of extreme flooding which is making it increasingly hard to grow enough crops to feed families throughout the year.

Meanwhile, major economic problems have discouraged investment in the country and led to high levels of unemployment. The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact as it disrupted the food supply chain, compounding the economic crisis through increases in food prices.

Women and girls in Zimbabwe are particularly vulnerable. Almost one in three girls are married before they turn 18, and almost two thirds of women report experiencing sexual violence.

People living with HIV and people living with disabilities are also often marginalised and excluded. Older people are becoming increasingly vulnerable, especially due to the loss of pensions and savings due to high inflation rates.

Our work in Zimbabwe

Tearfund has been working in Zimbabwe for more than three decades, alongside local partner organisations and churches.

Church and Community Transformation

We are encouraging change across Zimbabwe through an approach known as Church and Community Transformation (CCT). This mobilises churches to work with their communities to unlock people’s God-given potential and empower them to lift themselves out of poverty.

Through the CCT approach, churches have been equipped to support their communities to identify and use their local resources, train and equip local champions to support survivors of gender-based violence, promote climate-smart farming techniques, and prepare and respond to disasters.

Tearfund has also been supporting churches to advocate for the needs of their communities and influence government policies – including petitioning local authorities to improve public services and support the most marginalised groups.

Supporting vulnerable children

Tearfund’s local partner, ZOE, supports orphans and vulnerable children through a network of local church volunteers. Members of the wider community are also trained in how to care and provide for these children.

ZOE empowers young people by helping them build life skills, and training them in innovative and sustainable ways to make a living.

Challenging harmful gender stereotypes

Tearfund has been partnering with the Anglican Relief and Development wing of the church in Zimbabwe (ARDEZ), Zimbabwe Orphans Through Extended Hands (ZOE), and Family AIDS Caring Trust (FACT) to challenge the harmful gender stereotypes that enable sexual and gender-based violence and the continued oppression of women and girls. They are working with churches and communities to openly discuss these topics and promote change.

Responding to disasters and crises

Tearfund and our local partners have been responding to emergencies including extreme flooding, Cyclone Idai and the coronavirus pandemic. We have also helped communities to develop risk-management plans in order to be better prepared for disasters and to effectively respond to emergency situations.

Access to food all year round

Tearfund is working to ensure families have regular access to nutritious food and the means to earn a good living. We do this by training farmers to make better use of their land and overcome problems caused by drought and infertile soil.

One of our local partners has established a chain of four solar-powered irrigation schemes that allow communities to grow crops throughout the year. This has helped more than 200 households to put food on the table, send their children to school, pay for healthcare and meet other basic needs.

We have also set up self-help groups in communities, which have supported people to set up small businesses and contribute towards breaking the cycle of poverty.