TDB SUPPORTS SCHOOLS AFFECTED BY CYCLONE IDAI IN ZIMBABWE

Harare, Zimbabwe, 11 October 2019 – The Eastern and Southern African Trade and Development Bank (TDB) is donating USD 100,000 in essential supplies to six schools which were heavily affected by Cyclone Idai in Zimbabwe’s Chimanimani and Chipinge Districts, through its partnership with Save the Children Zimbabwe.

A ceremony to mark the occasion was held at Paidamoyo School in Chipinge today where the grant was presented by Prof. Oliver Sasaa, former Chairman of the TDB Board of Directors and of Zambia’s Public Service Pensions Fund and Gloria Mamba, TDB’s Coverage Executive for Southern Africa.

The education sector was identified as facing some of the most pressing urgencies through a needs assessment conducted by TDB after the passing of Cyclone Idai in Zimbabwe. As economic growth in Africa, namely through the empowerment of its youth is among TDB’s corporate social responsibility priorities, TDB acted.

The six schools to benefit from the TDB donation include Mutsvangwa Secondary, Demeni Primary and Mutsvangwa Primary Schools in Chimanimani, as well as Paidamoyo Primary, and Ngaone Primary and Secondary Schools in Chipinge.

Each school will receive supplies and funding for the construction and rehabilitation of water, sanitation and hygiene facilities (WASH), school furniture, blankets, teaching and learning materials, as well as food relief items. As far as WASH is concerned more specifically, at each of the six schools, ten latrines will be constructed at each of the six schools, repairs done to the piped water scheme, school boreholes either flushed or drilled and 5,000-litre water storage tanks installed.

Cyclone Idai has affected 139 schools across 6 of Zimbabwe’s districts, leaving most facing shortages in terms of teaching and learning materials, and damaged school infrastructure. The floods destroyed water distribution systems and swept away a number of boreholes.

According to the Zimbabwe Education Cluster’s Cyclone Idai Rapid Joint Education Needs Assessment Report, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in schools is a critical priority, with 2 out of 3 schools having reported loss of sanitation facilities as a result of the emergency, and 1 in 3 reporting a loss of water supply. Limited access to WASH poses a great risk to the lives of learners, including the outbreak of diseases such as cholera and typhoid.

The goods are handed over through Save the Children, TDB’s partner for this corporate social responsibility initiative. Save the Children which is already present in the two districts, will be distributing all relief items and oversee the construction works under the partnership.

 The patterns of floods, drought, and locust swarms in TDB Member States have been referred to by some as being of ‘biblical proportions’. Such trends are likely to increase in the coming years as a consequence of climate change.

TDB President and Chief Executive Admassu Tadesse says that “in line with the Bank’s mandate, sustainable development is at the core of our operations. We proactively work to mitigate climate risks including through many zero-carbon projects for example in clean energy. In addition to this, we are committed to support our Member States when disaster strikes, as it was the case of Cyclone Idai”.