The right to water: How PM We Care helps children in Zimbabwe | PM-International
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The right to water: How PM We Care helps children in Zimbabwe

Published: 13/01/2021

The global pandemic has confronted the world with new and unpredictable challenges. This is particularly true for developing countries. Aid organizations, such as our partner World Vision, have in recent months focused on strict measures to contain the pandemic in addition to their usual work in developing areas. Important projects, such as the right to education or support for sustainable agriculture, have been delayed. Instead, priority was given to the provision of clean water and soap and the teaching of hygiene measures.

Hope for Zimbabwe’s Water Crisis 

In Zimbabwe, South Africa, our help is now more important than ever, and we are proud to have taken on the sponsorship of another regional development project there since the beginning of this year. Together with World Vision and the generous support of all FitLine customers and team partners, we are able to provide long-term and sustainable help to 700 sponsored children, their families and village communities.

The Tshitshi Madabe region is one of the driest and hottest in Zimbabwe. People here struggle especially against periods of drought or continuous rainfall, which make sustainable agriculture difficult. For this reason, many cannot adequately feed their families and children. In addition, many areas lack access to clean water and sanitation facilities. Ndabezinhle Nyathi, headmaster and spokesperson for the local community of Tshitshi Madabe said: “Our biggest problem here is getting clean water. Many water pumps do not work, and we have to share water sources with our animals”. This leads to life-threatening infections of many people in the region.

In collaboration with World Vision, we are working to ensure that the households of Tshitshi Madabe have access to clean water and sanitation. New wells are drilled, old ones are repaired, and the population is trained in well maintenance and repair. In addition, the number of gastrointestinal infections should be reduced thanks to hygiene education.

What are development projects and why are they so successful?

World Vision works closely with local families and children in all its regional development projects. Together, the most important and urgent problems are discussed, and solutions are implemented. The ultimate goal is to bring about long-term, sustainable positive change in the living environment, which, according to World Vision’s development work, can be independently pursued by the village community after approximately 10 to 12 years.

Especially in these difficult times, our help to people on-site is essential for their survival. Zimbabwe is currently in an exceptional situation. Schools and stores are closed, meetings are forbidden. As humanitarian aid has been classified as an essential service, World Vision teams can continue their work on-site within the guidelines set by the government. This is an important step in the fight against the pandemic and the advancement of development projects.

Zimbabwe is the third project sponsorship of PM We Care

Zimbabwe is now the third long-term development project that PM We Care supports as a project sponsor, along with Peru and India. . The donations from PM We Care benefit around 700 sponsored children in the Tshitshi Madabe region. In total, almost 24,000 people benefit from the project.

Over the past 27 years, PM-International has donated a total of more than 6 million Euros to charity. Every product sold by PM-International gives children “an hour of life”. The number of sponsored children increases as the company grows. The family business has set itself the goal of increasing the total number of sponsored children to 10,000.