Child Protection, Education and Livelihoods in Zimbabwe

ICT Partner, Chiedza (shine the light), works with children and adolescents in the Chiedza centre based in southern Harare and with families in the local communities of Mbare district.

Initial work, in 2001, was with children orphaned due to HIV/AIDS. Chiedza provided nutritious meals and early childhood education. Today, Chiedza has a comprehensive programme around 4 pillars of practice: Child Protection in which Chiedza staff and volunteers work to promote children’s safety and security through family and individual work and ensure the needs of children living with disabilities are met; education providing up to 40 children and teenagers with schooling in the centre at any one time; health services including paediatric HIV programming, feeding, training parents in nutrition, health assessments of children in families and promoting knowledge of sexual and reproductive rights among adults and adolescent; and, economic strengthening including establishing and supporting savings and loans groups, providing income generating and business set-up and management skills.

With ICT support, Chiedza has helped families establish savings and loans groups, provided support during the COVID pandemic, and is currently helping adolescent girls affected by HIV/AIDS learn tailoring skills so they can find work or start their own small businesses.

With International Children’s Trust support, Chiedza has established savings and loans groups in the poor communities of Mbare, helping poor families, including those with single parents, to establish lines of income to support their children in school, has provided support for families during the COVID pandemic, and currently is supporting adolescent girls affected by HIV/AIDS to learn tailoring skills so they can find work locally with businesses or to establish their own sewing outlets.

Child protection & care

Promoting children’s safety through family support, individual care, and practical help for children living with disabilities.

Education & health

Providing schooling, nutrition support, paediatric HIV services, health assessments, and knowledge on sexual and reproductive health.

Livelihoods & skills

Strengthening family incomes through savings groups, business skills, and tailoring training for adolescent girls affected by HIV/AIDS.