Category: Features

When the River Found Its Way Into Simwenge, Binga

Michael Gwarisa
Women collecting water from the Simwenge water point in Binga, Zimbabwe, using buckets and jerrycans

By Michael Gwarisa Some years ago, a borehole drilling company struck water in Simwenge Village under Chief Siansundu in Binga, sparking celebrations across the community. But the joy was short-lived. The water was hot and salty, likely the result of hitting a natural hot spring. Even after the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRCS) intervened in 2023 to rehabilitate the borehole, the problem persisted, leaving the community in ongoing water distress. The old borehole served 93 households but frequently broke down due to the high temperature of the water. “The water…

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Fruit Trees and Textbooks: A Community’s Dual Fight for Growth

Kuda Pembere

By Kudakwashe Pembere Under the blazing Hatcliffe sun on the outskirts of Harare, a resilient community keeps growing against all odds. Among its youngest members is Ruvimbo, a Grade 5 pupil whose dreams take root in both soil and study. For her, a brighter future begins with education. Each day, she walks to school — now closer to home after transferring from Hatcliffe 2 Primary. On this sunny Monday morning, she kneels beside a Rotary Club Msasa member to plant a tree. As they chat, she opens up about her…

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Red Cross Restores Dignity to Persons with Disabilities in Binga Through Accessible Toilets

Michael Gwarisa
Construction workers completing an accessible toilet for Gogo Mleya, a person with disabilities, in Saba village, Binga.

By Michael Gwarisa in Binga For more than a decade, Mrs. Esteri Simwaka from Siansundu Village in Binga has been helping her 13-year-old daughter, Bwime, relieve herself in the backyard or nearby fields. “It was easier when she was younger,” said a teary Mrs. Simwaka. “But now she’s grown and much heavier. I can’t lift her anymore. I place her in a bathing dish, drag her across uneven ground to the bush, lift her up so she can relieve herself, clean her, and then drag her back home. The sun…

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The silent weight of love – a mother’s journey raising a child with disability

Healthtimes

Abstract The birth of a child with a disability presents significant psychological challenges for mothers, often resulting in heightened emotional distress, including grief, depression, and anxiety. Mothers raising children with disabilities often bear a profound, yet silent, emotional and physical burden.  This article reviews the psychological effects experienced by these mothers, identifies contributing factors, and discusses evidence-based interventions to mitigate adverse outcomes. Understanding these dynamics is critical for healthcare providers to offer comprehensive care and support. Introduction   The arrival of a new-born typically signifies hope and joy. However, when a…

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Door-to-Door Mobilisation Under SLL Brings Healthcare Closer to Children and Elderly in Gokwe

Michael Gwarisa
Gogo Bhunu, a sprightly woman in her early 90s, warmly welcomes a door-to-door health mobilisation team at her homestead in Bhunu Village, Gokwe North, as part of the Saving Lives and Livelihoods program bringing healthcare services closer to children and the elderly.

By Michael Gwarisa in Gokwe For years, healthcare in Gokwe North has been beyond the reach of many. The terrain is unforgiving, rocky, bumpy, and scorched by a relentless sun. Narrow footpaths snake through thorny bushes and jagged rocks, leading to scattered homesteads perched in places so remote you can’t help but wonder how anyone managed to settle there. Clinics are few and far between, with some as distant as 25 or even 30 kilometres away. In such an environment, seeking healthcare often means risking dehydration, exhaustion, or worse. It…

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Dust, Gold, and Infection: Midlands Province Grapples with Mining-Driven HIV Epidemic

Michael Gwarisa
A young artisanal miner operates a lever at a mine shaft in Gokwe, Zimbabwe, highlighting the risks faced by children working in unsafe mining environments.

By Michael Gwarisa in Midlands Province As one descends the winding Boterekwa curves in Shurugwi in the Midlands province, the scale of mining activity becomes impossible to ignore. The landscape has transformed dramatically since the turn of the millennium. In the distance, rocks are blasted from the earth, sending thick clouds of dust into the sky. Just past the curves, Musasa Shopping Centre is a hive of activity. Evidence of the night’s revelry litters the open space, with empty beer bottles and used condoms scattered near Chirasha Bar, one of…

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Village Delivery Turns Deadly: How Home Births in Gokwe Are Fueling New HIV Infections

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa in Gokwe South When Sister Farisai Mlambo, the nurse in charge at Katema Clinic in rural Gokwe South, spoke in an interview with HealthTimes on the sidelines of a Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) dialogue, she revealed a chilling case that has unsettled health workers and traditional leaders in the area. “We had an unusual case here, a baby delivered to HIV-negative parents tested HIV positive. Upon further investigation, we discovered that the delivery had been conducted in the village by a traditional birth attendant. The baby…

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Bedroom Revolution? Condoms That Delay Ejaculation Hit Zim Market

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa  Zimbabweans are seeing a shift in sexual wellness products as new condoms designed to enhance pleasure and prolong intimacy enter the market. While condoms have traditionally been promoted for preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and HIV, the latest options reflect changing consumer expectations and a growing interest in sexual wellbeing. “By introducing TRUST and LOVERS+ brands, PSH is expanding the range of options available to Zimbabweans, potentially increasing condom use and reducing the risk of sexually transmitted infections and unplanned pregnancies,” said Kumbirai Chatora, the Population Solutions…

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Zimbabwe’s Mobile One-Stop Centres Reveal Growing Cases of Women Abusing Men

Michael Gwarisa
A counselor speaks with a man at a Zimbabwe mobile one-stop centre for gender-based violence survivors, highlighting the growing number of men reporting abuse by women.

By Michael Gwarisa in Mutoko Mobile One-Stop Centres (MOSCs), designed to support survivors of gender-based violence (GBV), are revealing a lesser-known reality in Zimbabwe: men being physically and verbally abused by their female partners. These centres provide a safe space for men and women alike to report abuse and access critical services, challenging traditional perceptions that GBV affects only women. “My wife cut me with a knife,” said 51-year-old Shadreck Madziwa* from Mutoko, Mashonaland Central. “We had an argument, and she grabbed a knife and stabbed me. She joined hands…

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Harare’s Expanding Sex Work Industry Amid Service Disruptions: A Public Health Time Bomb for Zimbabwe

Michael Gwarisa

By Michael Gwarisa In 2024, Theresa*, a 23-year-old from Chitungwiza, turned to sex work not by choice, but out of necessity. Zimbabwe’s faltering economy had left few opportunities for young women like her. What began as a means to survive quickly became a dangerous gamble with her health and safety. “At times, I risk and have unprotected sex,” she admits. “You either agree to it or you lose the client. The market is flooded now, and it’s survival of the fittest.” When she entered the industry, Theresa did not anticipate…

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