Zimbabwe

Theme: Maternal, Newborn and Child Health

Improved Health and Nutrition of Vulnerable Women and Children
2012 2015 (3 years)
Match 3:1
COUNTRY QUICK FACTS
Zimbabwe is still recovering from one of the
worst economic crises the world has ever
seen. In 2008, the countrys inflation rate
passed 11 million per cent.
Unemployment and poverty rates are both
near 80 per cent.
33.8 per cent of children in Zimbabwe are
chronically malnourished.
Only 27.8 per cent of children under two
years old consume the minimum necessary
number of meals per day.

Photo by: A. John Watson/CARE

PROJECT BACKGROUND AND INFORMATION

CARE began working in Zimbabwe in 1992, focusing

on food, income, health and education

CARE currently supports close to 1 million
Zimbabweans, especially women-headed
households, to improve household livelihood
security through community-based microfinance, agricultural production and processing,
improving markets, and small livestock
production and management.
CARE works with village health workers and
caregivers to support home-based care for the
chronically ill, and education about nutrition,
HIV and AIDS, and hygiene.

HIV and AIDS are a major issue in

Zimbabwe. Approximately 16 per cent of
pregnant women are infected.

THE SITUATION
Mothers and children in Zimbabwe are at
grave risk. For every 100,000 births, 790
mothers will die in the process. Every year,
84 children out of every 1000 under the age
of five will die. Nutrition plays a significant
role in maternal and child health.

WHAT WE WANT TO ACHIEVE

Build the capacity of health workers in
order to reduce malnutrition rates and
maternal and childhood illnesses.
Increase gender equality to ensure
women and children have equal access
to proper nutrition in the household.

CARE has over 50 years experience in maternal and

child health. We have launched the Mothers Matter
campaign to raise awareness and improve the
health of mothers and children around the world.

Through community engagement and

dialogue, educate about traditional
practices and behaviours that negatively
impact nutrition.

At the G8 Summit in Canada, June 2010, the

Government of Canada announced the Muskoka
Initiative. The Initiative provides $1.1 billion to
support maternal and child health programs. Our
new program in Zimbabwe is funded in part through
the Muskoka Initiative.

Empower women by improving their

knowledge of healthy practices and
promoting their decision-making power
regarding household income and health.

WOMENS EMPOWERMENT
PROJECT ACTIVITIES
CARE is increasing the skills and knowledge of local
health workers with training on breast-feeding and
appropriate complementary feeding practices like
food preparation. The health workers will then
bring that training to mothers and caregivers.
Likewise, agricultural workers are increasing their
knowledge on the production of nutritious foods
and are transferring this knowledge to producer
groups, with the emphasis on mothers and
caregivers.

Gender roles are well and often harshly defined

in Zimbabwe, particularly in the rural areas.
Where CARE works, 50 per cent of households
are headed by women. In households headed by
men, gender inequality often means women and
children get less food, resulting in greater
malnutrition. Through awareness and economic
empowerment, CARE is advancing womens
equal participation as decision-makers in the
household, especially in decisions concerning
nutrition and health.

The agricultural workers supporting community

gardens are gaining greater capacity to support the
production and processing of nutritious foods. They
will use this capacity to support small-scale farmers,
80 per cent of which are women, to grow and
process foods higher in nutrient value.
CARE is improving the ability of village health
workers to support mothers and caregivers with
better growth monitoring and increased access to
and use of after-birth care services.
CARE is employing our widely recognized Village
Savings and Loans Associations (VSLA) model to
improve incomes for women so they are better able
to afford proper nutrition and health care.
Increasing the income-generating ability of women
through VSLAs will also increase their standing in
their households which often promotes gender
equality.
CARE is engaging community leaders to create
awareness and change attitudes about womens
roles, traditional practices that negatively impact
nutrition for women and children, and to combat
negative social stigmas around breastfeeding and
people living with HIV and AIDS.

Photo by: Lynn Heinisch/CARE

PARTICIPANTS
30,900 pregnant & lactating women
22,000 children under two
115,000 women of child-bearing age
800 midwives and health workers
126,000 in surrounding communities.
Total Lives Impacted: 294,700
QUICK PROJECT FACTS

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:

Erin Armstrong
erin.armstrong@care.ca
T: 1 (613) 228.5669
www.care.ca
Defending Dignity. Fighting Poverty.

Start Date: 2012 End Date: 2015

Budget: $ 1,500,000
CIDA Match: $ 1,125,000
CARE Donations Required: $ 375,000
Match 3:1