Some solutions for health and education in Zimbabwe

October 31, 2008 by Dom ·
Filed under: How Zimbabwe can be better, I was just thinking 

Practical ways to Help Zimbabwe- Education and Health, just for now!

EDUCATION:

Problem: there is a severe shortage of teachers in schools as many are leaving for the informal sector due to poor salaries. My nephews in Form 3 at a boarding school outside Bulawayo are supposed to be taking 9 classes, but only have 4 teachers out of 9 teachers needed for the classes showed up this semester- 5 classes are without teachers. Furthermore, there is a great shortage of books.

Current efforts: We have established links with book publishers in Zimbabwe to print copies of the books used in the local examinations. On average a book costs no more than US$20 if we buy in bulk for many schools. We are raising money to pay for student tuition fees, but it is not enough to only support students. Our partner foundation in the US already sends books to Zimbabwe about twice a year to a group of 75 schools.

New Practical Solution: Start a teacher recruitment program to be piloted in five schools where we already support students. We intend to pay the tuition of students who qualify for university in Zimbabwe, but cannot afford university tuitions to earn a degree by taking “distance learning courses” DLC. As a condition of our financial support, these people would teach in a school, while they are working towards their degree. Selection of first five schools will be based on location, current programs, and willingness of the school to partner and produce results. The cost of these DLC courses is just $250 a year. Imagine for a mere $250, we can put a teacher in front of a classroom and at the same time allow that teacher to work for a degree.

Teachers need food and basics: So, we have a Zimbabwean businessman who sells groceries to Zimbabweans abroad to buy food for people in Zimbabwe. He has been getting calls from people who would like to buy food for people in Zimbabwe, but do not know who to give it to. We are partnering with him so that these people and churches can buy food for the teachers in these schools. Individuals from all over the world can buy food for these schools online via Zimbabwean websites and the company will deliver the food at these schools, since he already has an efficient system in place. The teachers will continue to earn their inadequate salary, but will also have another source of food, and most important, an educational opportunity.

WHAT YOU CAN DO- Help us raise money, resources, and contribute your time to our efforts. We are all volunteers, without much resources, spending nights, weekends to do what we must for Zimbabwe. And an hour of your time, a phone call to a friend, a colleague, could help our nation.

Education Taskforce Conference Call
Saturday, November 1, 2008 at 2 pm EST
Dial in number: +1 309 946 5100
Access Code: 685810

Join the Education Taskforce

HEALTH:
Problem: In addition to the deterioration of equipment, lack of water, food and medical supplies, a large number of medical practitioners are leaving the country. Furthermore, the institutions of higher learning that produce the human resource base to support health care delivery, are crumbling and some are closing down. So, even if there are medical supplies, without doctors and nurses, the problem in health is dire. Because of lack of supplies, medical students cannot conduct practicals, let alone do examinations.

Current Efforts: We have collected some money, set up an account with a South African medical supplier and have sent medical supplies to the University of Zimbabwe Dental School to help 19 students graduate this year and are linking the University Medical School to institutions that can help revive health. Hopefully, we can create a small fund in which people can donate money to sustain this program. A partner foundation is paying for the salary of a Doctor in a rural clinic at a cost of $500 per month.

Practical Solution: Link churches around the world to church run hospitals where they can adopt a nurse, doctor and pay their salaries monthly through donations. The money can be sent directly to the hospital and we could help the church with checking to see progress on the ground.
Collect medical equipment and supplies such as gloves and other non-perishable goods for use in clinics and for training at the University.
Collect non-medical equipment such as generators, water pumps and other materials like flashlights, pens to be used in clinics.

Medium-Term Efforts:

  • Create an organized system that allows for Zimbabwean professionals and other global citizens to use their skills to help build Zimbabwe. For instance, specialized doctors practicing abroad could conduct a workshop for their colleagues at home under the auspices of a local organization that provides further education credits. Joe the plumber could volunteer to do some plumbing work in the hospitals for a few weeks. To facilitate all of this, we are collecting information on schools and hospitals in Zimbabwe.

Long-Term Efforts:

  • Facilitate the return of Zimbabwean professionals by advocating to multilateral institutions such as the World Bank, IOM and UN to hire Zimbabweans in reconstruction efforts.
  • Establish a Diaspora Fund to help pay for scholarships for strategic areas. For instance, while we may send equipment, when these pieces of equipment break down, you need someone to fix them. Develop an intensive training program, with say the Polytechnic colleges or a university, to teach equipment repair for say 2 years to students who would qualify. Once they finish, they can work for us for a year on contract in hospitals to repair equipment. What about spare parts? Government can and should buy this! Salaries? Government again should take care of this!

How you can help:

  1. Individuals- Help us collect resources and establish networks. Volunteer your time and be a part of the committees.
  2. Church goers- talk to your church or pastor to get the church to adopt a church-run hospital and pay for the salary of a doctor, raise money for a borehole, or buy supplies. We will link you with a church-run hospital in Zimbabwe.
  3. Students- ask your student association, sorority, fraternity, to raise money for a university in Zimbabwe or to buy books for a school.
  4. Professionals- donate your professional skills and some money and help us reach out to your networks to raise resources.
  5. Medical Professionals- you can volunteer you time, help us collect supplies and other medical equipment, such as your used, but not junk stethoscope, dental equipment.
  6. Teachers- Mobilize your school to raise resources, volunteer your time to teach in Zimbabwe, help us develop the training program e.t.c.

Health Taskforce Conference Call
Saturday, November 8, 2008 at 2 pm EST
Dial in number: +1 309 946 5100
Access Code: 685810

Join the Health Taskforce:

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Comments

One Response to “Some solutions for health and education in Zimbabwe”

  1. Brian Gondo on October 31st, 2008 7:59 am

    @Liberty, Emmanuel, rmupfudza this sounds like something that can make a difference of the ground. I like the fact that even a “Joe the Plumber” like myself can make a contribution!

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