The report reflects a collective effort that has propelled us to make an impact on people’s lives in Mashonaland Central, Manicaland, and Masvingo provinces. In the year 2023, our presence impacted the lives of 378,675 individuals from all circles of life and we made significant strides, especially in urgent emerging issues like global warming and climate change, as well as the recent cholera outbreak.
Development Aid from People to People (DAPP) Zimbabwe is proud to announce a transformative partnership with the Swiss Academy for Development (SA4D) to launch a comprehensive three-year project focused on empowering disadvantaged youth in Shamva District The joint effort, named “Green Paths for You(th) and the Climate,” aims to empower 300 disadvantaged young people aged 15-24 over a 34-month period starting from March 1, 2024.
At the core of our project is the goal of equipping young people with vital skills in sustainable, climate-smart agriculture to improve food security, nutrition, and income stability. Through targeted technical and practical training sessions, participants will gain practical knowledge and hands-on experience in agricultural practices that prioritize environmental sustainability.
Beyond technical skills, we recognize the importance of enhancing employability and life skills among youth. To achieve this, our project integrates innovative sport and play-based sessions that impart agri-entrepreneurship knowledge and general life skills. By combining practical training with ongoing mentorship, coaching, and provision of start-up tools, we aim to empower participants to embark on successful economic ventures.
A central aspect of our project is the commitment to addressing mental health challenges and combating alcohol, drug, and substance abuse among young people. By fostering awareness and providing support, we seek to promote healthier lifestyles and cultivate a more engaged and resilient youth population in Shamva District.
DAPP Zimbabwe is also focused on enhancing our organizational capacities through this partnership. Our dedicated local staff and community members will receive specialized training on SA4D’s sport and play-based approach, enhancing our ability to integrate these methodologies into our broader development activities. This capacity-building initiative will strengthen our impact and visibility, particularly in the field of “Sport for Development.”
As we embark on this journey, we recognize that the project’s impact extends far beyond our direct participants. Planned awareness-raising activities and community engagement events will benefit the broader project area, fostering sustainable and inclusive development across Shamva District. With 300 young people set to benefit directly from our training sessions and community initiatives, DAPP Zimbabwe is excited to be at the forefront of positive change. Together with SA4D, we are committed to building a brighter future for disadvantaged youth and their communities, creating pathways to sustainable employment and improved well-being.
DAPP Zimbabwe has launched the Danish Emergency Relief Fund (DERF) supported Early Actions program. The Early Actions aim to contribute towards containing the spread of the COVID-19 epidemic and decrease morbidity and mortality among vulnerable people in Makoni District in Manicaland province in Zimbabwe. The project aims to reach 10 000 households at risk of contracting COVID-19 with correct facts about the epidemic and how they can protect themselves and each other .
Presenting the project at district sensitization meetings, Project Leader, Stailine Ruzvidzo said the main thrust of the project is to ensure that communities and people know how to prevent getting infected by COVID-19 and how not to spread the virus to others. This will be done through targeted information dissemination channels, outreach activities, screening and support for those affected. The intervention which is aligned with the Zimbabwe’s Humanitarian Response Plan (ZHRP) will work closely with the District Response Team and Ministry of Health and Child Care to identify those at risk and provide them with basic food assistance, COVID-19 screening as well as establish social support structures to stop the spread of COVID-19.
As part of measures to support vulnerable members of the community DAPP will establish water points to ensure that there is availability of clean water to maintain good hygiene. Community members will also receive skills training on how to establish and maintain vegetable gardens to ensure sustainability of food supplies. DAPP through this project will work closely with Rusape General Hospital to strengthen the established Isolation centre in the district, provide personal protective equipment for health care workers and donate a multi-purpose ambulance for patients and reaching hard to reach areas.
Green leafy vegetables provide essential vitamins and minerals that are important for a healthy diet. Garden Farming in Makoni has been doing just that. Families involved in the GAIA funded Farmers’ clubs program have been able to address food insecurity and improve the health of families by tackling malnutrition. Throughout the year families that established nutrition gardens have increased their resilience and prevented malnutrition .
Grace Mupoperi , a member of the Mabvazuva garden group has seen the benefits of nutrition gardens on the health of her 6 children “Gardens are a source of nutritious food for my children. I see that they don’t fall sick as often as they used to before I had my own garden. We grow different varieties of vegetables that even give us income as we sell them to others in the community ”
Farmers in the project organised themselves into 24 groups and they join their forces, ideas and resources so that they can further the agricultural production of each member. Families make use of seed sharing and organic manures which produce quality vegetable varieties. This coupled with adopting best farming practices methods such as crop diversification, compost making, mulching and crop rotation farmers are giving their families the much needed nutritional diversity.
Gardening farming not only contributes to household food security but it is also providing extra family income from the sale of surplus produce to the local community. Families with gardens usually produce more than enough for their families and the rest is sold and the income is used for medical expenses, school fees, savings and other home improvements requirements.
The Farmers club program funded by Gaia Movement aims to enhance 1 200 farmers’ resilience to current and future climate related shocks and protect the environment in Makoni district thereby making them food, nutrition and income secure all year round. This organised Farmers’ Clubs allow them to be better prepared against current and future climate change related shocks
DAPP hands over donations for Cyclone Idai victims
Development Aid from people to people has donated thousand of dollars worth of food and non- food items to the Government of Zimbabwe to assist victims of Cyclone Idai.
The good which include mealie meal,cooking oil,blankets, bathing soap, matches and dried kapenta was handed over to the civil protection services representatives at Manyame airbase collection centre.
DAPP Zimbabwe Country Director Mathias Paradzai in his condolence message said “DAPP Zimbabwe joins the nation in moaning those who lost their lives in this disaster and we wish a speedy recovery to those injured”.
He added that says the devastating effects of this disaster are far reaching and called for continued efforts from partners in government, business and the development sector. “We have a long road of rebuilding ahead of us and we need to continue working together to assisted the affected families”
According to the Zimbabwe Ministry of Information Publicity and Broadcasting Services a total of 139 people died with 144 injured and 189 still missing in Zimbabwe. Cyclone Idai is regarded as one of the worst tropical cyclones on record to affect Africa . The storm caused catastrophic damage in Madagascar, Mozambique, Malawi, and Zimbabwe
