Drought-hit Zimbabwe to get financial support

China will fund a two-year program in Zimbabwe targeting more than 210,000 people in drought-affected districts.

The program will be managed by the Zimbabwe government in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund, and is mainly aimed at protecting vulnerable children from drought shocks.

The project is financed through China’s Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund and will be implemented in eight districts focusing on nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, child protection and civil registration services.

Speaking at the launch ceremony at Kowoyo Clinic in Goromonzi District, Mashonaland East Province on Aug 7, Deputy Minister of Health and Child Care, Sleiman Kwidini, commended China’s continued support for Zimbabwe.

He said the project is a testament to the enduring friendship between China and Zimbabwe and their shared commitment to improving the lives of vulnerable communities.

Kwidini said that climate change in Zimbabwe had become a major public health challenge requiring stronger, more resilient systems.

“Climate change is no longer just an environmental issue. It is now also a health issue,” he said.

Kwidini said that prolonged drought in Zimbabwe had left a large number of households food insecure, contributing to child undernutrition, stunting and weakened immunity.

“When water sources dry up, communities face greater risks of diarrheal diseases and cholera, placing further strain on our health system,” he said.

On his part, the Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Zhou Ding, said the partnership reflected the healthy ties between China and Zimbabwe.

“Once fully implemented, this program will deliver direct support to more than 200,000 people across eight drought-stricken districts.

“Featuring nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene, and child protection interventions, it will help build healthier, safer and more resilient communities,” he said.

Broader impact

The program is also expected to support the digitization and solarization of civil registry offices, strengthen birth registration systems and expand outreach services to ensure more children obtain legal identity documents in Zimbabwe.

UNICEF’s Zimbabwe Representative Etona Ekole said the program would protect children from climate shocks, and that drought should not be viewed only as a food and water crisis, but also a broader threat to children’s health, education and protection.

“The timing of China’s contribution is particularly significant. It allows us to act between climate shocks, respond to remaining needs and rebuild essential services before conditions worsen again,” she said.

The beneficiaries of the program are from the worst-hit areas in Zimbabwe, and include children being treated for malnutrition, mothers and caregivers receiving support, communities gaining access to safe water, and children benefiting from improved protection and civil registration services.

“What matters now is timely delivery, accountability and measurable impact. We must ensure that the most vulnerable are reached with urgency and care,” Ekole said.

The UNICEF official said the lessons that Zimbabwe learned from the 2023-24 drought should guide the country’s stronger preparedness as this year it faces El Nino-induced drought and other climate-change-related risks.

Therefore, she said the program should not be an emergency response, but a long-term investment in building resilient communities capable of protecting children’s health and well-being in an increasingly unpredictable climate.

The author is a freelancer for China Daily.