adminElita Chikwati Senior Reporter
Government assisted 189 276 children under the Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM) this year against a target of 500 000 children as sanctions and harsh economic conditions continue to hamper efforts to provide social services to vulnerable communities, a Cabinet minister has said. Officiating at a handover ceremony of goodies and money by the International Islamic Relief Organisation of Saudi Arabia (IIROSA) to vulnerable children at Arcadia Mosque in Harare on Thursday, Minister of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Cde Prisca Mupfumira said Government was facing challenges to offer social services and was getting assistance from private organisations through the Private Public Partnerships.
“The ministry has a mandate to provide social and child protection services to vulnerable members of the community. This includes BEAM, where 189 276 children were assisted this year out of the target of 500 000.
“We also have the Harmonised Social Cash Transfers, which are child sensitive unconditional cash injections into labour constrained and food for poor households to strengthen their economic capacities. This programme is supporting 148 229 children of whom 47 844 are orphans against a target of 537 057 households.
“The shortfall requires that private organisations such as IIROSA come in to fill the gap. This will go a long way in complementing Government efforts in supporting orphans and vulnerable children,” she said.
Minister Mupfumira said the ministry used methods such as the traditional individually based case-work and the community-based approaches to help people.
She urged organisations involved in social welfare provision to work with communities in identifying beneficiaries to avoid double allocation of resources and reduce corruption.
She said non-governmental organisations should work within the country’s regulations and stop meddling in internal politics.
Minister Mupfumira expressed gratitude to the IIROSA for the donation of money, clothing and school fees to 200 children in primary schools.
The beneficiaries who included orphans, children from child- headed and single parent-headed families, were drawn from all provinces including Harare.
The beneficiaries were identified through community leaders as well as school heads in their respective provinces.
“I appreciate the gesture by IIROSA. Such assistance is in line with the Quran teaching, which encourages people to love their relatives and assist those in need.
“I urge the IIROSA and other similar organisations and individuals to continue working with the Government to support and improve the welfare of vulnerable people,” she said.
IIROSA Southern Africa regional director, Mr Sheikh Waleed Elsaad, said the organisation was also going to assist with construction of clinics, sinking 500 boreholes and establishing schools to assist the vulnerable in Zimbabwe.
“We thank the African hero, President Robert Mugabe for opening doors for us to come and serve the people.
“Leaders such as President Mugabe love their people and have the needs of their people at heart. We belong to one God and we should help each other,’’ he said.
IIROSA director in the Department of Child Care who is based in Saudi Arabia, said the organisation had helped a number of people to undergo eye surgeries and was looking forward to be allocated land to build a school, clinic and assist the vulnerable.
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