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Trust Freddy
Herald Correspondent

The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) has donated 19 service vehicles to the Ministry of Health and Child Care, the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, the Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency and a few selected local organisations.

The vehicles will be used to improve access to vital services for communities across the country, including health care, social services and disaster response.

Among the local organisations that received vehicles were Musasa, SayWhat, and World Vision International (WVI).

Speaking during the handover ceremony, UNFPA country representative Miranda Tabifor expressed her commitment to supporting Zimbabwe’s Vision 2030 through its programmes and initiatives.

“All our efforts are in line with the national strategy of Zimbabwe and are aimed at improving the lives of women and young people and everything we do is in line with the vision of the country.

“I would like to express our gratitude to the partners who are benefiting from the donations and I also want to commend the strong partnership that has been established between us.”

She also revealed that the donation was part of the celebrations marking the 30th anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Deputy Minister Mercy Dinha hailed UNFPA for the timely intervention.

“We will use these vehicles to reach elderly people, especially those in rural areas, and provide them with the care they need.

“The vehicles are strong and well-suited for travelling on difficult terrain, which will enable us to reach more people and provide much-needed services.”

“In addition to our social protection work, we will also use these vehicles to carry out a campaign against drug and substance abuse, which has become a growing problem and with these vehicles, we will be able to reach more communities. ”

Ms Dorcas Chikorova, Head of Programmes at SayWhat described the donation as a significant milestone which will allow them to expand their reach.

“For us, this is not just a vehicle but a symbol of the strong partnership that has been in existence between Saywhat and UNFPA.

“This marks a turning point for us in our journey as an organisation and with additional project vehicle Part of our challenge is going to be resolved and it is also an opportunity for us to expand our reach.”

Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency received six off-terrain vehicles, while the Ministry of Public Services and the Ministry of Health each received two vehicles with similar capabilities.

Four-wheel-drive vehicles were also distributed to local non-governmental organizations, ensuring that they have the necessary transportation to meet their needs in different terrains.