This has pushed the trading rate of the United States Dollar to the Zimbabwe currency from October 2007’s Z$800 000: US$1 to the current Z$1, 3 million: US$1.
Fuel and transport costs have had a spiralling effect on all trade, rising beyond the reach of the majority poor who live below the nation’s poverty line.
Nevertheless, Zimbabweans have not resorted to confrontational responses to the crisis. Instead they have had to endure long periods without power, water and basic services.
Food security
The national food security situation remains critical, largely resulting from the continued macro-economic meltdown.
ActionAid is mobilising the Zimbabwe food security network (FOSENET), a coalition of local non-governmental organisations and small farmers movements, to lobby and advocate for appropriate policies that will make agricultural inputs more available in the market.
Education
Due to the high levels of education among adult Zimbabweans in both rural and urban areas, most parents realise the need for their children to access education.
However, like everything else in the economy, education has been severely hit by the current economic meltdown.
Most teachers have abandoned classes in search of better paying opportunities in neighbouring countries, particularly South Africa.
Those who remain have very low morale and are constantly on strike, the last one in October 2007.
HIV and AIDS
Zimbabwe government has announced another decline in the HIV and AIDS prevalence rate, from 18.1 to 15.6%, attributing the decline to increased awareness, behavioural change, increased usage of condoms, the use of ARVs and government’s commitment to reducing the spread of the scourge.
ActionAid, informed by the comments of partners and the situation on the ground, is convinced that these figures do not reflect the truth of the HIV and AIDS situation in the country.
In most rural communities, the infected and affected have no access to ARVs or other basic medicines and they are usually food insecure.
The mortality rate from HIV and AIDS related complications remains high.
ActionAid believes these statistics need to be reviewed more thoroughly to establish the sources of this supposed reduction of HIV prevalence in Zimbabwe.
Women Rights
The forthcoming harmonised elections will present Zimbabwe’s potential women leaders with enormous challenges of getting nominations and campaigning.
It is in that spirit that the Women in Politics Support Unit (WIPSU) has partnered ActionAid International Zimbabwe to carry out a 50/50 Campaign which seeks parity in participation of men and women in the elections.
Governance
ActionAid has started its governance work in Zimbabwe and is identifying partners to work with under this theme.
The theme will start rolling out in January 2008 in all the development areas where we work – Chiendambuya, Makoni, Wedza, and Seke – and a new one will be opened in Nkayi.
Key partners in the governance programme will be Civnet, the Public Affairs and Parliamentary Support Trust (PAPST) and Habakkuk Trust in Matabeleland region.