CARE received notice today that the government of Zimbabwe will permit registered humanitarian organizations to resume full operations, effective immediately. The announcement was made in a press statement from L.C. Museka, Zimbabwe's permanent secretary of the ministry of public service, labour and social welfare.
"CARE welcomes this news. This announcement will allow CARE to quickly mobilize," said Stephen Gwynn-Vaughan, director of CARE in Zimbabwe. "CARE looks forward to continuing aid the people of Zimbabwe as CARE has always done – independently, impartially and apolitically."
CARE has resources prepositioned and staff are prepared to quickly restart all programs that were suspended in Zimbabwe in June. The suspension affected approximately half a million beneficiaries. CARE programs in Zimbabwe cover small economic activity, agriculture and natural resources, water and sanitation, health and nutrition – including helping those affected by HIV and AIDS – disaster preparedness and emergency relief.
Given universal and unimpeded access to beneficiaries, CARE is confident that, by the end of October, we will be able to provide hot meals to 100,000 vulnerable children each day and provide basic rations to 500,000 more people who lack food security. CARE will be able to provide training and distribute seeds and supplies to approximately 20,000 households before the planting season begins. The resumption of additional CARE programs will benefit over 120,000 people in the poorest communities of the Masvingo and Midlands provinces.
"I would like to express CARE's gratitude to our major donors, including USAID, CIDA, DFID, SIDA, the European Commission, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, for their unwavering support over the past few months," said Gwynn-Vaughan.
On Monday, September 1, CARE will join other registered humanitarian organizations in meeting with government officials to discuss the specifics of resuming humanitarian operations.
