Zimbabwe is a landlocked country in southern Africa. It is known for its dramatic landscape, nature reserves and safari parks.
Once the bread basket of the region, Zimbabwe now experiences high rates of hunger and poverty. This is the impact of severe droughts and economic mismanagement over a period of years.
Ireland’s relationship with Zimbabwe
Ireland has provided development cooperation to Zimbabwe since its independence in 1980.
Ireland's priorities in Zimbabwe are in the areas of health, education and gender. Our programme in Zimbabwe is managed by our embassy in South Africa.
Background
Having emerged from colonial rule, Zimbabwe experienced economic growth in the 1980s and 1990s. However, mismanagement saw those trends reversed.
Zimbabwe has significant humanitarian and development needs. Economic development is low and people lack job opportunities. The country suffers from repeated food crises. Essential services such as health, education, water and sanitation are lacking.
The country’s socio-economic decline was accompanied by the rise in HIV and AIDS. The legacy of the HIV and AIDs crisis still lingers today.
Zimbabwe has huge potential. There are high agricultural prospects and a hub of mineral and agricultural commodities. The tourism sector also presents investment opportunities.
Ireland works with a variety of international partners to support people in Zimbabwe to realise their potential.
Ireland's work
Irish Aid works in Zimbabwe covers three main policy areas:
Health
Ireland’s programme in Zimbabwe helps to improve maternal and child healthcare. Working with UNICEF, we channel resources to isolated district health care facilities.
Gender equality
Ireland works in Zimbabwe to address the problem of gender-based violence. We support civil society partners to run shelters and provide services to people who have experienced violence.
We also work with UNFPA to counter the problem of child marriage.
Strengthening governance
Poor governance has been at the heart of Zimbabwe's problems. We work with organisations and communities to support the increased involvement of women and youth in politics.
Irish funding also helps civil society organisations to promote respect for human rights.
Teacher training
How Florence achieved her dream to become a teacher thanks to support from Ireland
Florence Maoko (36) is a mother of three who lives in Mutasa district in Manicaland Province in Zimbabwe. She is married into a traditional family that does not value the empowerment of women.
In spite of this, Florence succeeded in enrolling at a local teachers’ college, and her husband paid all her tuition fees. Florence graduated in 2018, but the family influenced her husband not to allow her to get a job.
Florence recalls the despair she felt at the time, and her anxieties about the future.
“I felt like my world had crumbled," she said. "I had thought that the diploma would help me and my family to escape the poverty that was always our guest, year in, year out. I tried to engage my husband, reasoning with him on our situation, but all was in vain. It was going to be a choice between going to work and walking out of my marriage.”
A solution came thanks to Safe Space, a female-run NGO supported by Ireland. It helps to create safe spaces for women and members of the LGBTI+ community in public, in their homes and in their minds.
Through Safe Space, Florence learned how some negative cultural norms are hindering women’s development and their rights. She and her husband had counselling with the Safe Space team after which Florence’s husband agreed she could register as a teacher.
Florence began her first teaching role in 2022. She is convinced she would not have achieved her dreams without the help she received from Safe Space.
“If it were not for this intervention, I don’t think my husband would have given me his blessing to go and look for a job”.