The Sunday News
Munyaradzi Musiiwa in Muzarabani
MORE than 14 families in Chimoio area in Muzarabani were left homeless after incessant rains accompanied by strong winds ripped through the area on Tuesday.
Muzarabani Rural District Council, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mrs Annie Gwachiwa confirmed the incident saying the Civil Protection Unit has since moved in to assist the families who are now living in makeshift houses.
“As you are all aware Muzarabani is prone to floods. On Tuesday we received heavy rains that were accompanied by strong winds. At least 14 families were affected. We have since activated the CPU which is in charge of disasters which include floods and these winds. We have informed the provincial office which in turn has taken it up.
“However, as a district a team was sent to go and assess the situation. We have informed that houses were completely destroyed. We also consolidated effort with the department of social welfare to go and assist with food and other basics such as shelter and blankets,” she said.
Mrs Gwachiwa said Muzarabani was on high floods alert as the country approaches the rain season.
National AIDS Council (NAC) has also expressed concern over the recurrent disasters adding that some people living with HIV and end up having drug disruptions.
Meanwhile more than 6000 families in Muzarabani are in need of food aid and are struggling to earn a living.
Zimbabwe AIDS Prevention Support Organisation (ZAPSO) Programmes officer for Muzarabani, Mr Gondai Dekeza said the area had more than 6000 families that were food insecure which in turn had affected adolescents’ sexual behaviour.
Mr Dekeza said there was need for the empowerment of these families to ensure that there was food security at household level as well as ensuring that they were economically self-sustainable.
He said most adolescent girls got married early while some indulge in risk sexual behaviour so as to earn a living.
“ZAPSO is part of the multispectral and multi-sectoral approach in the fight against HIV and AIDS. In this area we have more than 6000 people who are food insecure. This concerns us in that it contributes towards increasing risk behaviour by adolescents. As you are aware we have farming communities in this area. These areas are concentrated and most people in these areas dropped out of school due to various reasons. As a result, they indulge in risky sexual behaviours.
“Most adolescent girls get married early and expose themselves to HIV and AIDS as well as other sexually transmitted diseases (STIs),” he said.
Mr Dekeza said ZAPSO in partnership with NAC have introduced various intervention strategies to curb risk sexual behaviour among adolescents.
