| |
| Population: |
12,746,990 |
| Rural population (as % of total population): |
64.1 |
| Life expectancy (years): |
33.1 |
| Gross national income per capita (£): |
265 |
| Prevalence of HIV, total (% of population ages 15-49): |
24.6 |
| Prevalence of HIV, female (% of population ages 15-49): |
58.1 |
| Infant mortality rate (per 1,000 live births): |
76 |
Statistics from: http://devdata.worldbank.org/data-query/
According to UNICEF, the average amount of international funding received each year in southern Africa is $74 per person infected with HIV. In Zimbabwe, that figure is $4. Yet Zimbabwe has one of the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates in Southern Africa, with an estimated 34 percent of its adult population living with HIV/AIDS and infection rates rising alarmingly amongst adolescents.
The Response:
- SPW Zimbabwe volunteers are able to address sensitive issues surrounding reproductive health in a way that teachers and parents find difficult to do. Volunteers are able to communicate vital information effectively and engage young people in a variety of participatory methods that develop the life skills necessary to promote positive behaviour change.
- Alongside our Health Education Programme, SPW Zimbabwe continues to provide vital services such as Voluntary Counselling and Testing (in partnership with PSI), business and entrepreneurship skills training (in partnership with Junior Achievement Zimbabwe) and address child abuse issues (in partnership with Childline).
Key Achievements:
- SPW Zimbabwe is at the forefront of developing the evidence base for behaviour change in young people. The Regai Dzive Shiri programme, run in conjunction with University College London and the London Scool of Hygience and Tropical Medicine, is the first ever piece of controlled research using behaviour indicators to assess the impact of the SPW approach on the behaviour of young people. (Link to RDS pdf.)
- In recognition of the need for greater access to home-based care, SPW is cultivating links with the Young People We Care programme which provides training and deploys youth volunteer caregivers to develop a sense of community responsibility and care for those affected and infected by HIV/AIDS.
Case Study: Using sport to build local youth leadership
SPW Volunteers on the Health Education Programme outside Gwanda successfully created and facilitated the running of Aids Action clubs in all 14 placement schools, engaging and training a total of 112 local students as peer leaders. These peer leaders, in turn, helped organise a wide variety of school and community awareness raising events and activities, including a YES (Youth Education through Sport) league among all 14 placements. Eight cluster competitions were held, with halftime performances from a local student drama club on the subject of HIV prevention, effectively combining healthy communal activities with HIV prevention.
"This organisation is making a valuable contribution to the fight against HIV/AIDS in our country and has the full backing of the Ministry of Health and Child Welfare”.
Dr. D. Parirenyatwa, the Hon. Minister for Health and Child Welfare, Zimbabwe
Currently SPW Zimbabwe is only recruiting local volunteer. |
