DAPP in Zimbabwe
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DAPP Zimbabwe
Abbreviations CBOs
-Community Based Organizations
CSO
-Central Statistics Office
DAPP
-Development Aid from People to People - Zimbabwe
FAO
-Food and Agriculture Organisation
HBC
-Home based care
IFRP
-International Food Relief Partnership
MT
-Metric tons
NGOs
-Non-governmental Organizations
OVC
-Orphans and Vulnerable children
PLWHA
-People living with HIV and AIDS
WFP
-World Food Program
ZDHS
-Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey
The audience at Nyava watches a drama presentation about the soup being distributed through the USAID Partnership with Planet Aid and DAPP.
Planet Aid, Inc. – International Food Relief Partnership
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SECTION A: PROGRAM OVERVIEW Executive summary Planet Aid and its implementing partner, DAPP Zimbabwe, are deeply grateful for the food commodities and support from the USAID Office of Food for Peace in 2008-2009—food which was successfully transported, delivered and distributed to the most vulnerable segments of the population of Mashonaland Central Province. The aim of this food relief partnership was to address the short term nutritional needs of families and the most vulnerable members of their households, thereby improving their capacity to cope with food insecurity. During the course of 6 months, from November 2008 to April 2009, the full consignment of 75 metric tons (MT) of food commodities donated by USAID International Food Relief Partnership (IFRP) was distributed to these needy populations. The program surpassed its target of 6,860 beneficiaries, reaching 6,951 beneficiaries constituting families hosting orphans and the chronically ill, clients under home based care, people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) and orphans and vulnerable pre-school children. The beneficiaries were drawn from Bindura, Guruve, Rushinga and Shamva districts. Reports from the program indicate that participants are gaining weight and feeling stronger and more productive. It is especially noteworthy that Planet Aid, working with DAPP, was able to accomplish the goals of this project despite the precarious food security situation in Zimbabwe. Interrelated economic and political factors, combined with climate-related problems such as droughts, have contributed to an overall decline in agricultural production. Food and fuel shortages are now commonplace. Coping with astronomical inflation rates has left Zimbabwean households with little purchasing power, and families have understandably prioritized food purchases over health care, education and hygiene expenses. The impact of the national economic crisis on families in Mashonaland Central has been compounded by an AIDS epidemic that has orphaned almost a quarter of all children in the province. With additional family members to care for in the face of reduced household productivity and income due to HIV, households in Mashonaland Central are critically overburdened and highly vulnerable to food security shocks. By providing an immediate food source, the program managed to reduce time spent in search of food so that beneficiaries were able to concentrate on improving their quality of life through education and income generating activities. Parallel to that, vulnerable children and people living with HIV and AIDS benefited from a nutritious and diversified diet.
Planet Aid, Inc. – International Food Relief Partnership
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Location of target areas in Zimbabwe
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Key …………………. Program Target District ………………. Capital city of Zimbabwe
Preschool children enjoy maize porridge enriched with nutritious, protein-enriched lentil soup.
Planet Aid, Inc. – International Food Relief Partnership
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SECTION B: INTERVENTION
Introduction From November 2008 to April 30, 2009, Development Aid from People to People in Zimbabwe implemented a food distribution program in the province of Mashonaland Central in Zimbabwe covering 4 districts: Bindura, Shamva, Guruve and Rushinga. This was as a result of Planet Aid Inc., a sister organization, being made a beneficiary of the USAID Food for Peace program under the strategic objective: To reduce food insecurity in vulnerable communities and for people living with HIV and AIDS Under the agreement, DAPP Zimbabwe received 75 metric tons (MT) of combined vegetable and lentil blend dehydrated soup donated by the International Food Relief Partnership (I.F.R.P.) program to be distributed among the following target groups;
Orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) Families hosting an orphan/s Home-based care recipients Families hosting the chronically ill Pre-school children People living with HIV and AIDS
USAID Food for Better Living sign welcomes beneficiaries at a soup distribution centre.
Planet Aid, Inc. – International Food Relief Partnership
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Background The economic crisis in Zimbabwe has been characterized by worsening food insecurity especially in the rural areas where harvests continue to be poor. Recurring droughts coupled with input (seed and fertilizer) shortages and overpricing, and a resultant lack of timely planting, led to very poor harvests in 2008 and 2009. According to a January 2009 Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC) Report, the number of households consuming three meals a day declined from 54 percent in 2006 to 23 percent in 2009, and many households are selling their assets, including livestock, to purchase food. This same report showed that diets were lacking protein, with the average person consuming a protein item only once per week. The HIV/AIDS epidemic continues to contribute to the food insecurity crisis. An HIV prevalence rate of 15.1% (Zimbabwe Ministry of Health, September 2008) has resulted in a substantial number of people, including heads of households, unable to work and too ill to care for themselves or their families and an increased burden on the caretaking families of orphans, vulnerable children and persons needing home-based care. The province where the food distribution activities were carried out is one of the most vulnerable provinces to food insecurity. Declined agricultural production, the dramatic decrease in purchasing power and the effect of HIV/AIDS and a recent cholera epidemic on productivity all contributed to food insecurity in the region. An estimated 38.8% of the population is now considered food insecure, as shown below: Food Insecurity in the Districts of Mashonaland Central Province, Zimbabwe District
Population
% Food Insecure
Food insecure population
Bindura
150,981
23%
34,726
Centenary
114,407
52%
59,491
Guruve (includes Mbire)
196,699
50%
98,350
Mazowe
206,919
22%
45,522
Mt. Darwin
212,291
44%
93,408
Rushinga
71,320
55%
39,226
Shamva
104,048
38%
39,538
1,056,665
38.8%
410,261
TOTALS
(Source: Population from WHO, Jan. 2009, Food Insecurity% from FAO/WFP, June 2008)
Planet Aid, Inc. – International Food Relief Partnership
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Program management structure In order to implement the program efficiently, DAPP Zimbabwe recruited qualified staff that made up the program structure. The Operations Supervisor of the program was responsible for the attainment of the overall objectives especially on timely implementation of the program and financial management. The Operations Manager saw to the day-to-day running of the program, especially supervising and supporting field staff in distribution and training. The Logistics Manager handled inventory and ensured that the food commodities were distributed to the beneficiaries on time. The organization also recruited 15 nutrition trainers who worked directly with the beneficiaries monitoring progress, doing cooking demonstrations and making recommendations to the beneficiaries for effective utilization of the food commodities. Description of beneficiaries The project was targeting 1,372 households (6,860 beneficiaries) and reached approximately 6,951 beneficiaries in the following groups: Target groups
Site
Orphans and vulnerable children (OVC) Families hosting an orphan/s Home-based care recipients Families hosting the chronically ill Pre-school children
Child Aid Rushinga, HOPE Bindura and HOPE Guruve
People living with HIV and AIDS TOTAL
Number of Number of beneficiaries beneficiaries -Achieved -Targeted 279 260
Child Aid Rushinga, HOPE Bindura and HOPE Guruve HOPE Bindura and HOPE Guruve
1,331
1,300
626
600
HOPE Bindura and HOPE Guruve
2,435
2,400
Child Aid Shamva and Rushinga, Frontline institute school HOPE Bindura and HOPE Guruve
1,923
2000
357
300
6,951
6,860
All beneficiary groups were derived from the following DAPP projects in the target areas: •
Child Aid, which organizes and empowers the community and care givers for the betterment of the children and provides pre-schools;
•
Hope, which works with HIV and AIDS prevention, care and support to those infected and affected by the virus.
Planet Aid, Inc. – International Food Relief Partnership
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The selection criterion was the most vulnerable of the orphans, PLHWA and preschool children who were already enrolled in the individual programs. The program also managed to achieve a gender balance of 52% females (3,567) and 48% males (3,292) as originally planned for. Coordination The coordination mechanisms for the distributions began with stakeholder introduction and consultations; these included local leaders, local government and other NGOs and CBOs especially those working with PLWHA and OVC. Selection of beneficiaries was done through the OVC and their care givers who were already in the DAPP programs, PLWHA under the positive living support group program, clients under Home Based Care and pre-schools being run by the DAPP projects. The program was launched by the Mashonaland Central Governor and was attended by the District Administrators of Shamva and Rushinga districts. Local leaders and local volunteers were involved in the distribution process as well as program staff from the various programs involved for verification purposes. During the distribution, beneficiaries signed against their names with program staff observing and ensuring security, accountability and transparency. Distribution process The commodities were stored in Shamva at Ponesai Vanhu Junior School, which was the distribution point for the four districts. Consignments were picked up bi-monthly and transported to distribution sites at the DAPP projects in the four districts. Checklist 1 was used for storage and distribution to sites and checklist 3 was used for distribution to beneficiaries. Beneficiaries were asked to sign for their soup packages upon receipt. After distribution, an evaluation form was completed by a sample of beneficiaries to measure outcome of the process. Nutrition training Prior to food distribution, nutrition trainings were carried out for members of the households on how to prepare the nutrition soups. The trainings covered hygienic preparation, how to make appetizing and nutritious dishes from the soups, and discussion of nutritional eating in general. Different recipes and nutritious combinations of vegetables and traditional foods were incorporated to make meals that would be appealing and relevant to community traditions and standards. In addition, the trainers
entertained questions on the effects of the soup and the preparation process. Nutrition pamphlets were handed out. As a result, the trainings increased the number of people requesting the soups.
Planet Aid, Inc. – International Food Relief Partnership
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Quantities distributed No
District
Distribution Site
Total Boxes
Total KGs
1
Rushinga
Rushinga Child Aid
780
10,920
2
Bindura
Hope Bindura
1971
27,594
3
Guruve
Hope Guruve
1220
17,080
4
Shamva
Child Aid Bindura / Shamva
990
13,860
5
Frontline Institute
354
4,956
6
Nutrition training
25
350
7
Used for demonstrations
7
100
8
Program launch
5
70
9
Losses
5
70
5357
75,000
10
Grand totals
Losses There was a loss of 5 boxes (70kgs) of food commodities during transporting of the goods to the warehouse due to breakages.
Opening Ceremonies in Mashonaland Central Province, November 2008
Planet Aid, Inc. – International Food Relief Partnership
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