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Oxfam Australia has been working in Zimbabwe since 2001. We support 11 HIV and AIDS service organisations which are working to reduce the rate of new infections, particularly among women and young people, and strengthen community capacity to care for and support people living with HIV.
Our focus
The tense political, economic and social climate in Zimbabwe creates a tough working environment for non-government organisations, particularly those that focus on human rights, advocacy and democracy. We believe it is more important than ever to work in Zimbabwe and support communities which face unprecedented economic and social challenges. By working in partnership with local partners in Zimbabwe, we are able to support and strengthen local responses to local needs.
HIV and AIDS
Zimbabwe has the fifth-highest HIV prevalence in the world (20.1 per cent) and the fourth-lowest life expectancy (36.6 years). Although 1.7 million Zimbabweans are living with HIV, only 8 per cent receive anti-retroviral treatment and few hospitals are equipped to provide adequate care.
Our local partners use educational plays, establish youth clubs, and support groups, resource centres, income-generating projects and peer educators activities to encourage people, particularly women and young people, to adopt behaviours that reduce their vulnerability to HIV. These activities provide a safe and supportive environment for sex workers, single mothers, widows and students to learn about sexual health, gender rights, and HIV prevention and transmission.
We also support partners to provide integrated prevention, care and support services for orphans and vulnerable children and people living with HIV and AIDS. Partners are encouraged to collaborate with other service providers and in some instances have expanded the scope of their work.
Partner projects involve home-based care services, support groups, livelihood activities, vegetable and herb gardens and training in counselling, nutrition, basic treatment and herbal medicines.
Gender
Our local partners educate women and men about legal, sexual and reproductive rights and work with traditional leaders to challenge practices that may facilitate the spread of HIV and AIDS and support those that may help to mitigate its impacts. For example, some partners have worked with their communities to review the practice of wife inheritance and polygamy that can increase women’s vulnerability to HIV. Increasing numbers of men have been trained as home-based carers , reflecting some change in community perceptions that care is only ‘women’s work’ and university students have specific projects to promote positive gender relations.
Donate
Help us continue this work (and similar work in other countries) by making a donation:
Find out more about HIV and AIDS
Stories & photos
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A beacon of hope
Zimbabwe's young people are being decimated by HIV and AIDS. We take a look at a ground-breaking approach which is tackling HIV.
Transforming behaviour
University students are tackling the HIV crisis through a ground-breaking approach based on improving relations between men and women. Find out more
Slideshow: home-based care
In Zimbabwe, home-based care programs are often the only source of support for people living with HIV and AIDS and those who care for them.