Local humanitarian player, Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRCS) has been commended for the work it is doing in Muzarabani, Mashonaland Central Province.
By Staff Reporter
ZRCS is running a number of programmes through the Building Community Resilience through Integrated Health and Disaster Risk Reduction projects in the district, one of the most impoverished in the country.
The Finnish Red Cross project has brought a lot of positives to Muzarabani and participants to the recently-held Eastern and Southern Africa Community Based Health and First Aid (CBHFA) programme commended ZRCS for the work.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) senior officer community health officer based in Geneva, Nancy Ellen said it was encouraging to witness the life-changing programmes being implemented by ZRCS.
“Having spent the first few days in Harare appreciating the key components of CBHFA and reviewing the tools, it is encouraging to witness the good work that the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society is doing here,” she said.
“One can easily tell that the programme is community-owned and it speaks to the everyday challenges of the Muzarabani community and I thank the ZRCS for the good work. Such programming is ideal for empowered, resilient and self-sufficient communities.”
Ellen’s sentiments were echoed by Malawi Red Cross district field officer Elliot Fackson, who said the ZRCS model was ideal for ensuring effective and sustainable programming.
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“Yes, we have a similar programme in Malawi, but there is a certain edge to the work the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society is doing. The level of community involvement, the volunteer commitment and the support from the local leadership all point to an organisation that has done its homework and I am certain the impact of this programme will outlive generations,” he said.
ZRCS secretary-general Maxwell Phiri said he was encouraged by the level of interaction and ideas exchange by delegates to the Eastern and Southern Africa CBHFA workshop and hoped the Finnish Red Cross continues to support their work in Muzarabani.
“This has been an eye-opener for me and I am happy with the level of interaction exhibited by participants to this week-long programme. The feedback after the tour of the Muzarabani project area is highly encouraging and I hope the Finnish Red Cross continues to support our work moving forward,” he said.
Finnish Red Cross regional health programme delegate Aija Maritta said she was happy with the work done in Zimbabwe and the results of the week-long workshop and field visit. She also encouraged national societies to continue lobbying for more support towards CBHFA.
“What I have witnessed here is life-changing, but I urge all national societies to continue lobbying for support towards CBHFA so that we continue inspiring such positive change in local communities. The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society is really proving that it can be done and we are happy with their work,” she said.
