How we work
PROGRAMMES
Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH)
Well upgrading, borehole rehabilitation and drilling and latrine construction
The Water and Sanitation Programme administered by MeDRA is aimed at improving access to safe water and proper sanitation for poor households through upgrading and protection of wells and drilling of boreholes. The project also involves construction of Blair Ventilated Improved Pit (BVIP) latrines. The organisation believes that sanitation interventions have very favorable socio-economic returns to households and society, contributing to improved health, clean environment, dignity and quality of life, among many other benefits. Therefore, there is need for improved sanitation which leads to reduced open defecation.
MeDRA implements its WASH activities in Gokwe South, Muzarabani, Mutoko, Bikita, Chipinge and Buhera districts.
Participatory Health and Hygiene Education (PHHE)
PHHE is also being implemented in communities, through teaching of best practises on health and hygiene. Practical and theoretical lessons are provided through the health clubs and facilitated by health masters focusing on behaviour change, resulting in scaling up of hand washing, use of toilets and hygienic food handling practices. WASH has continued to be one of the most effective projects in changing the behaviour of the communities for improved health and hygiene with the support of Health Clubs in the communities.MeDRA is implementing WASH in Gokwe South,Muzarabani, Mutoko, Bikita, Chipinge and Buhera districts.
SUSTAINABLE LIVELIHOODS
Advancing the rights of poor people to adequate and sustainable livelihoods has been the cornerstone of MeDRA’s work for many decades. The biggest challenge that vulnerable groups in communities, rural informal settlements and communal areas face is food insecurity and engaging in meaningful sustainable livelihoods. MeDRA’s sustainable livelihoods programme aims to achieve household food security through improved agricultural production, improved dietary diversity, improved nutritional status and increased income generation for households. MeDRA’s Sustainable Livelihoods programme is reaching vulnerable households that are identified and registered as beneficiaries through the Community Profiling process. Identified beneficiaries benefit from interventions such as small livestock rearing (pigs, goats, chickens and sheep), sewing, beekeeping, carpentry, fish farming and gardening. In addition, the programme participants receive support and training in marketing and market linkages. MeDRA has gained relevant experience in strengthening small holder agriculture through practice of conservation agriculture as well as through promoting small livestock production. Beneficiaries benefit from the produce as a good source of protein as well as income from sells.
SOCIAL JUSTICE
MeDRA is working together with The Methodist Church in Zimbabwe on Social Justice Issues. The programme aims at training community peace champions who would cascade down to the grassroots and coordinate the peace building initiatives. It involves peace building initiatives which is a term describing interventions that are designed to prevent the start or resumption of violent conflict. Peacebuilding activities done by MeDRA aim to address the root causes or potential causes of violence create a societal expectation for peaceful conflict resolution and stabilise society politically and socioeconomically.
While some use the term to refer to only post-conflict or post-war contexts, MeDRA uses the term more broadly to refer to any stage of conflict. Peacebuilding addresses economic, social and political root causes of violence and fosters reconciliation to prevent the return of structural and direct violence. Peacebuilding efforts aim to change beliefs, attitudes and behaviours to transform the short and long-term dynamics between individuals and groups towards a more stable, peaceful coexistence. MeDRA has worked with various communities to promote peace and mutual tolerance through offering trainings in conflict management, prevention, and transformation trainings. Safeguarding and Gender has been mainstreamed in MeDRA programmes as efforts of capacitating communities are being made so that they practice equality and equity and eradicate gender-based violence. Community awareness programmes on GBV are being done to conscientize them on the effects and how best they can promote gender rights.
HUMANITARIAN RESPONSE
MeDRA responded to affected victims of Cyclone Tropical Ana in Chipinge ward 2 and 9 through the provision of Non-Food items such as tents, water, WASH and dignity kits, purification materials etc. The activities were done under the Start Fund project funded by Christian Aid.
Monitoring, Evaluation and learning
In collaboration with our partners, MeDRA monitors both the actions that bring results in our programmes and projects, and the challenges that prevent us from achieving our goals in our projects. Monitoring takes place on an on-going basis when working on projects and programmes and consists of field visits, discussions, meetings, and follow-ups. In this way, we make sure we keep track of our experiences and create learning opportunities both internally and with our partners.