Matabeleland North’s Bubi and Umguza, aswell as Matabeleland South’s Umzingwane are set to benefit from the HOCIC Protecting the Psycho-Social Well-being of Children during Covid-19.
BUBI district community in Matebeleland north, smile with joy as they register for Protecting Psycho-social wellbeing of Children during Covid -19 (PPS-S), a new programme under HOCIC Zimbabwe, on the 18th of August, 2020.
The first port of call was Bubi district’s ward 13 where villagers gathered at different points according to their villages for the PPSS registration. Bubi district ward 13 consists of Battlefield, Clonmore, Wessels, Blocksome and Allendale.
The Project Officer of Self Help Group Approach, a running project under HOCIC’s Women Economic Empowerment strategic focus, Pesistance Mkwena said, “The nature of the SHG approach is currently compromised due to hyperinflation and Covid-19 lockdown restrictions, therefore we are complementing the SHGA with food component, PPEs and psychosocial support for children,”.
“Basically the program focuses on children,” she added.
The Self-Help Group Approach (SHGA) is a holistic development approach which starts with the poorest and marginalized members of the community especially women and transforms them into empowered persons. Through the SHGA program, HOCIC Zimbabwe as a child centered organization is reaching a child through women empowerment. In partnership with KinderNothhilfe, HOCIC Zimbabwe is implementing the program in parts of Matabeleland North and Matabeleland South.
The Protecting the Psycho-Social Well-being of the Child during Covid-19 (PPS-S) was announced at inception meetings of SHGA held last week in Bubi.
To date 88 SHG groups have been formed among which there are 7 CLAs. Through the SHG Approach women are involved in Income Generating Activities and they are able to provide welfare for their families. Members save an agreed amount weekly, get loans to run businesses and repay the loans to the group with interest. The approach help develops marginalized members economically, socially and politically and has proved to be a sustainable way of escaping poverty.
The PPSS is an extension project that aides the household sustainance in SHGA communities currently hurdled by COVID-19 effects. Families with children (below 18 years) will recieve food packages of 10kg mealie-meal, 2kg soya chunks and 750ml per head per month for the next coming 3 months. Adolescent girls and young women will also receive sanitary pads whilst Village Health Workers (VHWs), SHGA Community Facillitators (CFs) and Child Protection Commitees (CPCs) will be assisted with PPEs.
Villagers believe in HOCIC and hope that with this aid of help their lives will change.
“Thank you HOCIC staff for remembering us with another programme as we already have SHGA on the ground” said the village head of Ward 13, Banjamin Swene. “We hope this programme will help us as a community and improve the lives of our children” he added.
The registration process, which is the initial and critical activity in relief aid will strect for four days covering Bubi, UMzingwane and Umguza. “PPSS registrations just began today at Bubi and are meant to cover 3 districts; Bubi, Umzingwane and Insiza,” said Mkwena. “Meanwhile, the registration continues as we move to other districts until Friday 21 August 2020” she mentioned.
The programme seeks to provide food assistance to 2418 individuals from 450 households in the three districts of Matabeleland North and South.
