By TAMARY CHIKIWA in ZVISHAVANE
THE United States (US) President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief has mobilised over US$75 million to assist in the fight against HIV in Zimbabwe’s Masvingo and Manicaland provinces.
Over 57 000 adolescent girls and young women in Manicaland under the DREAMS programme and 70 000 orphans, vulnerable children and their families in Masvingo province are set to benefit from the programme.
“The programme expands into Masvingo province taking on four new districts.
“The Family Aids Caring Trust (Fact-Zimbabwe) and its partners Populations Solution for Health, Bantwana Zimbabwe, Christian Blind Mission and Pact will implement the programme,” read a recent report by Fact-Zimbabwe.
The report said provision of vocational training to caregivers of orphans and vulnerable children to improve their economic stability was one of the aims of the programme.
The programme included sustaining, prevention, increasing access to care and empowerment of orphans and vulnerable children (Space for OVC).
The programme has since benefitted over 172 000 vulnerable children.
“It expands into Masvingo province taking on four new districts.
“It is part of the broader USAid orphans and vulnerable children programme worth US$78 million,” said the organisation.
“For the next five years, the organisations will work in high HIV burden districts to assist HIV infected and affected children through social pyscho support and also providing balanced nutrition.” – Xinhua