In partnership with Care International, ACDI-VOCA, Organization of Rural Association for Progress and Community Technology Development Trust in Matabeleland South (Bulilima, Matobo, Gwanda, Beitbridge and Mangwe), Midlands (Mberengwa), Mashonaland Central (Rushinga) and Mashonaland East (Mudzi), Catholic Relief Services implemented the Promoting Recovery In Zimbabwe (PRIZE) project which aimed to reduce food shortages in the selected 8 districts through an array of different projects.

Overall, PRIZE addressed the emergency food needs of 151,280 people, and helped more than 2 million vulnerable families to re-establish their food security. CRS provided emergency food assistance and built or rehabilitated 1,300 community-based structures such as wells, boreholes, irrigation ditches, dams and cattle dips.

This project seeks to improve the quality of life of 600 orphans and vulnerable children in Gokwe North, Gokwe South, Bindura and Hwange. World Bicycle Relief will support this project by providing bicycles. Catholic Relief Services, together with three local partners, Lubhancho House of Hwange Diocese, Gokwe OVC Project of Gokwe Diocese and Caritas Harare of the Archdiocese of Harare, will use a community-driven, participatory approach to address the plight of orphans and vulnerable children in the above districts. The project will help children who have to walk long distances to school. These children arrive at school late, tired and hungry, which reduces their ability to concentrate in class. They also get home late and are unable to do their homework. This often results in children, especially girls, either not completing their education or achieving lower grades. The project will also offer psychosocial support to these children. The project will directly benefit 600 children, who will each receive a bicycle and psychosocial support. Their caregivers will be trained in Savings and Internal Lending Communities (SILC), thereby improving access to loans which they can use to start job activities. Funds obtained from SILC and the proceeds from the business activities will be used to pay school fees and other school needs, meet medical needs and purchase food.

From 2006-11, Catholic Relief Servises formed 94 savings groups with 720 members. Eighty-five self-help groups engaged in various employment activities with a quarterly profit of $4,000. One hundred and forty business trainees started their own businesses. CRS served 1,650 home-based care clients and trained 50 peer educators at 3 youth friendly corners. CRS linked 85 students to vocational education, distributed cash to 738 vulnerable families, and constructed 250 low-input gardens.

The project will install 3 rainwater harvesting tanks, rehabilitate one public latrine, conduct solid waste management training for 1,500 families and revive 10 community and 11 school health clubs.

Catholic Relief Services Zimbabwe's health and nutrition initiatives aim to immediately serve the most vulnerable members of society and to better ensure good health for a community and its future. Our strategies include community systems strengthening, rapid response to health emergencies in local communities, and information, education and communication initiatives to help fight diseases within communities.

CRS, through support from the World Food Program, has provided nutritional support to 2,600 malnourished HIV and TB patients, pregnant and lactating mothers and children under 5 years of age. These beneficiaries received monthly rations of corn soya blend and purchased food baskets (which include maize meal and oil) through electronic vouchers. CRS and our partners trained 50 rural volunteer caregivers, providing skills that strengthen communities' abilities to prevent the spread and mitigate the impact of HIV infection. In addition, expecting mothers received information on their children's growth, prevention of mother to child transmission, immunization, and on the importance of regular visits to pre- and post-natal clinics.

In collaboration with Million Memories Project of Zimbabwe Trust, CRS aimed to improve the psychosocial wellbeing of 758 children and youth with HIV and AIDS in Bulawayo. The children and young people participated in experiential learning and hero book activities that have become useful tools that allow children to open up during counseling sessions.

Guided by Catholic social teaching, which emphasizes the dignity and the equality of the human being, Catholic Relief Services promotes peace, justice and human dignity in communities experiencing local conflicts. Our peacebuilding initiatives are based on the "Culture of Peace" theory—if enough people change their behavior towards groups with which they are in conflict, more people will adopt non-violent means to resolve conflict.

CRS, in partnership with the Church, worked with 21 communities in Masvingo and 20 communities in Chinhoyi. The communities participated in peacebuilding activities and increased their understanding of peacebuilding and conflict resolution concepts. Peace committees, with support from the Church, organized peace events (sports tournaments and dance performances) for their communities, and will ultimately reach more than 1,400 people, building a critical mass for peaceful community interactions and fostering lasting peace.

Through the Youth Voices Forum, youth in Masvingo and Chinhoyi discussed local development issues with community leaders such as chiefs, headmen, school headmasters, religious leaders and local government authorities. Presence of development partners operating in the target areas during the meetings created opportunities for the youth to participate in planning and implementation of development activities.

The need for good water and sanitation is widely recognized as an essential component of social and economic development. Safe and good sanitation limits the spread of infectious diseases and is essential to the protection of community health. In Zimbabwe, where a breakdown of water and sewerage systems has been among the major contributing factors of water-borne diseases. Catholic Relief Services' activities focus on restoring services in areas most affected by limited access to water and sanitation facilities.

Through the Enhanced Rural Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Project (ER WASH), CRS and our partners constructed 370 household latrines and 130 latrines at public buildings like schools and clinics in Makonde, Sanyati and Hwange districts. In addition, CRS drilled 25 new boreholes and repaired 50 boreholes that could no longer be used. To ensure maintenance and sustainability, CRS trained latrine builders and pump mechanics to manage the infrastructure. CRS, in collaboration with Environmental Health Technicians from the Ministry of Health, trained 101 village health workers on participatory health and hygiene promotion. As a result of this training, the use of refuse pits and pot racks and the practice of hand washing have risen in the communities—a clear demonstration of changes in knowledge, attitudes and practices by the community members.