AFRO-NETS> WHO pledges further assistance to AIDS Orphanage in Zimbabwe

["Samuel T. Ajibola" <ajibolas@whoafr.org>]

WHO pledges further assistance to AIDS Orphanage in Zimbabwe
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The World Health Organization (WHO) has pledged further assistance to 
the "Mother of Peace" AIDS orphanage at Mutoko, in north-eastern Zim-
babwe, which had earlier received technical assistance worth more 
than US$ 11,000 from the Organization in February this year.

The orphanage caters for nearly 100 destitute or abandoned and mostly 
HIV-infected children aged between two days and 17 years. The major-
ity of the children at the centre have lost both parents to HIV/AIDS. 

WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Ebrahim M. Samba, announced dur-
ing a visit to the orphanage on Sunday, that the additional package 
of assistance from WHO would consist of home-based care kits for han-
dling at least 100 HIV/AIDS patients, two diesel-powered irrigation 
pumps, four milk cows, a mechanized "cleaner" for processing maize 
harvested from the centre's farms, and insecticide-impregnated bed-
nets. WHO would also finance the construction of a purpose-built silo 
where the centre's farm products would be stored and processed, he 
said.

Dr Samba also repeated his earlier impassioned pleas for public-
spirited organizations and individuals to assist the orphanage and 
similar centres helping African countries to cope with the conse-
quences of the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

He pointed out that the objective of WHO's assistance to the orphan-
age was not only to make it self-sufficient, but also to make it 
serve as an example to be emulated by other communities in the coun-
try.

Dr Samba was accompanied on the visit to Mutoko by Zimbabwe's Health 
and Child Welfare Minister, Dr Timothy Stamps and Dr John Mwaniki, 
the Director of the Harare-based Development Innovations and Net-
works.

Dr Samba also announced that WHO, in collaboration with Development 
Innovations and Networks, would start a pilot project that would ini-
tially support 60 members of the Mutoko community through the provi-
sion of inputs such as draught cattle and fertilizer to promote the 
development of agriculture and small-scale agro-allied industries in 
the area. "It will be a modest beginning but we hope that, with time, 
the effect of this important new initiative will have a ripple ef-
fect, and be felt throughout Zimbabwe," Dr Samba said. He added that 
the initial capital to be invested in this project would be utilized 
in such a manner that the entire members of the Mutoko community 
would be the ultimate beneficiaries. 

Speaking at the occasion, Dr Stamps stressed that development was 
possible only if all members of the community were involved. "Every 
man, every woman and even every child has a crucial role to play," he 
said. 

In his remarks, Dr Mwaniki spoke of the forthcoming Africa Micro-
credit Summit to be held from 8 to 12 October in Harare. He pointed 
out that the meeting would, among other things, discuss poverty re-
duction strategies, such as the one announced by Dr Samba, and prom-
ised that selected participants at the meeting would visit Mutoko to 
see how best to assist the community.

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For further information, please contact:

Samuel T. Ajibola 
Public Information and Communication Unit
WHO Regional Office for Africa
Harare, Zimbabwe. 
Tel: +1-407-733-9306; +263-4-703-580; 706-951; 707-493; 705-043
Fax: +263-4-700-724
mailto:ajibolas@whoafr.org

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