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EU gives Zimbabwe’s poor 8 million ways to live
Woman filling a container with water from a borehole in the high density suburb of Mabvuku ,Harare, Zimbabwe, 28 May 2009. The town has been with no tap water for over a year forcing residents to resort to drinking water from unprotected boreholes. The lack of running water has been a major factor in the high rate of cholera in Zimbabwe.
The European Commission decided to provide Zimbabwe with the financial support of eight million Euro for vulnerable people affected by the breakdown of essential health and water supply services to survive. “The new Unity Government has to address numerous challenges to place Zimbabwe on the path to recovery. The country which was once the bread-basket of southern Africa is facing an enduring humanitarian crisis, compounded by the collapse of basic social services," said Olli Rehn, Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian aid on June 2.
The Humanitarian Aid department decided that the funds will be used for the recovery of essential health and safe water supply services by providing crucial medicine and medical supplies. Moreover the aid will cover the water treatment inputs as well as spare parts for the rehabilitation of water treatment plants and water points.
“The new Unity Government has to address numerous challenges to place Zimbabwe on the path to recovery. The country which was once the bread-basket of southern Africa is facing an enduring humanitarian crisis, compounded by the collapse of basic social services," added Rehn.
In the last few years the situation in Zimbabwe has been really critical. The life expectancy has dropped, maternal mortality has dramatically increased and high rates of HIV prevalence persist. Because of the socio-economic crisis the access of ordinary people to the health services and safe water has sharply weakened with the consequence of the largest cholera epidemic ever recorded in Africa. The aid project of the Commission will be implemented by non-governmental relief organisations as United Nations agencies and the Red Cross movements.
Since 2002, the EU has provided Zimbabwe with 572 million Euro in humanitarian and essential development aid and thus become the main donor for this region. In the health sector the EU has supplied Zimbabwe with at least 60 percent of the available crucial medicines.
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