As we mark the 62nd Africa Day, the African continent has progressed, riding on its immense potential. Yet, the lack of self-reliance continues to hinder the achievement of sustainable development for people by the people themselves.
At this event, our focus is on: “What Can Africa Do To Achieve Self RelianceIn All Its Forms”, whether in food production, environmental protection, education, health, industrialisation, peace initiatives, or empowering youth to participate in production, for the future. The cutting of health funding for TB, HIV and Malaria calls for African countries to develop self-reliant plans and goals that are sustainable. We, the people on the African continent, must start to forge a positive path towards self-reliance, which is needed to make the continent self-sufficient now and in the future.
“To build resilient economies, Africa must chart its future, relying not on the benevolence of others but on its own determination for self-reliance, building reliable alliances, leveraging opportunities in the global dynamics, while putting Africa first. Only then will Africa be great again!”, says Akinwumi Adesina, President for African Development Bank Group (AfDB).
Achieving self-reliance starts with people organising themselves to improve their living conditions independently, using home initiatives and local resources at their disposal.Africa has all it needs for people to govern their own lives successfully,push for actions against poverty, and promote African agency to achieve self-reliance.
Since establishment 45 years ago, DAPP Zimbabwe has continued to work together with communities living in disadvantaged communities to carry out self-reliant actions for sustainable change through its various projects, be it in agriculture, health, education, community development and in the face of natural disasters.
In Chivi District, Farmers’ Clubs Chivi engages 1.500 smallholder farmers in sustainable agriculture practices to build resilience and start self-reliance activities as a response to the increasing challenges due to the effects of climate change that continue to threaten their livelihoods and own means of survival. Smallholder farmers are organised in 30 Farmers’ Clubs to find a common path towards self-reliance through adopting conservation agriculture, growing small grains, rearing small livestock, diversifying sources of income through savings clubs and using indigenous knowledge to protect the environment sustainably.
Club life strengthens community cohesion, mutual exchange of ideas, and finding common solutions to achieve self-reliance. Multiple activities by Farmers’ Clubs Chivi contribute to economic empowerment, which smallholders depend on to improve their own lives sustainably.
In Shamva District, Frontline Institute Zimbabwe trains key persons of Humana People to People projects to be on the frontline of development and fight against poverty, illiteracy, climate change, inequalities and diseases. At the school, 80% of the key staff are youths trained to promote self-reliance and start sustainable actions of change together with the people in surrounding communities and those of countries they visit during the trick cycling study tour in Southern Africa. This period broadens the students’ perspective beyond their imagination, enabling them to engage directly in finding locally driven solutions whilst being exposed to the realities of less privileged communities. In 2024, the school reached over 15,000 families through self-reliance initiatives in health, education, climate action, and economic empowerment.
The Total Control of Tuberculosis (TC TB) Makoni Project reduces the burden of HIV and TB by addressing stigma and discrimination, raising awareness, and improving diagnosis and treatment services. At the heart of the project are trained community volunteers and leaders who are instrumental in identifying new infections, increasing case finding, and forming TRIOs for care and support. These established community health structures contribute to building sustainable community health ownership even when the project has been phased out.
In 2024, over 80,000 people were reached, including farmers trained in sustainable farming practices, savings groups, and local climate adaptation strategies. By addressing health and socio-economic challenges simultaneously, the TC TB Makoni project supports Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 for inclusive and sustainable development.
The road to self-sufficiency may have its challenges. Still, by embracing self-reliance, we, the people on the African continent, have the strengths and the potential to build a continent where food security is a reality, economic growth is sustainable, and the well-being of people is prioritised to create hope and resilience. It requires concerted efforts and community cohesion to build on existing people-to-people self-reliance initiatives. Humana People to People continues to learn, support and find new ways together with communities to build resilience and self-reliance against external challenges.
As the world marks the 55th Earth Day, humanity is facing tough challenges to survive due to the worsening state of the planet Earth caused by unsustainable human activities.
Across the globe, communities are working together to find solutions to the worsening environment year after year. Yet, their food security, incomes, and health continue to be threatened by climate change, as they possess the fewest resources to cope with its impacts. Pollution prevention and biodiversity loss add to the dire situation.
The investment available for environmental protection is not enough to change the current state of the Earth; people need to change their attitudes and become more aware of the impact of their actions on the environment. Restoring the environment calls for living in harmony with nature, renewing commitments to invest in clean energy, reducing the production and consumption of new products, preventing pollution, and embracing sustainable, regenerative environment practices.
DAPP Zimbabwe is committed to protecting the planet, building communities and supporting people by connecting them with others in transformative and sustainable programmes, unleashing their potential for positive change and action.
An example is our Green Paths for You (Th) and Climate Project in Shamva District that is empowering 300 young people to drive environmental sustainability actions through training in four thematic courses: agroforestry, aquaculture, apiculture and horticulture. These courses respond to local market demands while considering climate-related aspects. By integrating climate-smart agriculture training with interactive learning methods, youths gain skills and knowledge to protect the environment while generating income.
Despite environmental challenges, restoring the planet is achievable. It only requires actions that inspire hope and empower communities to build resilience against the impacts of climate change. DAPP Zimbabwe recognizes the significance of collective action in the fight to restore the planet’s ecosystem by collaborating with partners and governments to enhance sustainable practices that protect the Earth.
DAPP Zimbabwe is proud to share its 2024 Annual Progress Report, showcasing the organization’s achievements in promoting sustainable development across the country.
With over 40 years of experience, DAPP Zimbabwe has been complementing government efforts through implementing short and long-term development projects in five thematic areas: Health, Agriculture, Education, Community Development, and Emergency. The 2024 report reflects a collective effort that has made a significant impact on people’s lives in Mashonaland Central, Manicaland and Masvingo provinces.
In the year 2024, our presence impacted the lives of 258,000 individuals from all circles. Notably, DAPP worked with 4,622 smallholder farmers using innovative models like Farmers’ Clubs and From Communal to Commercial Farmer, resulting in strengthened farmers’ resilience and improved agriculture production. Additionally, 692 students received support from Early Childhood Development to tertiary level, while life skills and vocational training enhanced employability and self-employment opportunities for youth.
The organization’s health projects empowered individuals and communities to take an active role in their own health through person-centered care models. By prioritizing awareness on HIV, TB, reproductive health, hygiene, and sanitation, DAPP reached 115,000 people with TB and HIV information. Community Development projects worked with 1,831 families promoting children’s rights through a family-centered approach.
DAPP Zimbabwe pledges to continue working shoulder-to-shoulder with communities to improve their lives and promote sustainable development. The organization’s success is attributed to the collective effort of its staff, volunteers, government, stakeholders, and valuable partners.
Each year, the 24th of March marks World Tuberculosis Day. TB continues to be a global health threat despite progress, and multiple challenges make it difficult to end TB by 2030.
TB is more than a health issue; it is a developmental issue, and children suffer the most in the face of TB. Finding undetected TB cases is key in the fight against TB; when people come together, they can prevent TB from spreading further within communities and reduce its global burden.
The emerging drug-resistant strains of TB, rising co-infection, climate change, malnutrition, stigma and discrimination threaten to reverse the gains made over the years. Ending TB requires an inclusive, sustainable and effective response by including TB-affected communities to be heard, supported, and participate towards achieving the Global End TB 2030 Strategy.
“For the first time in the history of tuberculosis, we have treatment regimens that are just 6 months long – for both so-called “regular” TB and drug-resistant TB. Just imagine – we can confirm a diagnosis of TB and drug resistance within hours and start treatment at once. A few years ago, we probably wouldn’t have thought this possible”, says- Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe.
Over the past 15 years, Humana People to People members have carried out TB projects impacting over 18.5 million people. We have built community-based networks of passionate local volunteers who are at the centre of bringing TB services to the people at the community level. We have given emotional and nutritional support to people taking daily TB medication and given them funds to meet transport costs related to accessing services. We have worked with health facilities and staff to provide health services. We are proud of our impact across diverse communities, countries and continents.
Development Aid from People to People in Zimbabwe (DAPP), one of the Humana People to People Movement members, prioritises sustainable community TB response through the Total Control of TB Makoni project. The project is aligned with Zimbabwe’s National TB Strategic Plan (2021-2025) to reduce TB incidence and attain the UNAIDS HIV 95-95-95 targets.
The project reduces the burden of HIV and, AIDS, and TB by addressing stigma and discrimination through raising awareness and improving diagnosis and treatment services in 59 health facilities. Communities, together with the project, take the lead in reducing new infections, increasing case finding and testing, and providing appropriate packages of treatment, care and support to HIV and TB-infected people in the community.
The project supports people affected by TB by forming TRIOs for treatment adherence. Each TRIO consists of a person suffering from TB and two supporters who provide daily encouragement and assistance, significantly improving the likelihood of treatment completion. The project prioritises nutrition by supporting TB-affected families in establishing nutrition gardens and training them on local climate adaptation strategies and savings clubs to strengthen their income.
The project provided a GeneXpert machine and X-ray cartridges to the Makoni district hospital to improve TB diagnosis. In the past seven years, the project has reached more than 100,000 people with HIV and TB messages, tested 10,240 presumptive cases, and diagnosed 412 people with TB.
We recognise the unified global efforts to end TB, and there is hope for a future where TB will no longer be a public health threat. It takes sustained political will to continue funding TB programmes, strengthening health systems and community engagement to work towards achieving the goal of ending TB and saving millions of lives by 2030.
Humana People to People, together with its members, is committed to ending TB by carrying out sustainable community TB programmes in TB-affected communities. At the centre of our TB programmes are our people to people approaches, which have proven that when people come together and take a stand to face challenges collectively, they can overcome and thrive, leaving no one behind.
