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Why we needed your help

A severe outbreak of cholera and ongoing food shortages put millions of lives at risk across Zimbabwe and southern Africa. Thanks to the generosity of the public, our appeal raised £369,000.

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    Matt Cochrane - International Federation of the Red Cross:

    In Zimbabwe, since August, about 16,000 people have been infected by cholera, and almost 800 people have died. Now this is right on the cusp of the rainy season, when we typically see the first cases of Cholera. So what we're fearful of is the rains coming, The first floods of the season coming on top of an already serious situation. But it's not just Zimbabwe, we're seeing thousands of other cases in Mozambique and Angola. We're seeing cases in the South African-Zimbabwe border. In Limpopo province, and we've also seen cases in Botswana, so So it's very much a regional issue.

    Cholera is a bacteria that causes quite serious diaorhhea and vomiting. It's spread through dirty water. The key to stopping cholera is knowledge. It's not complicated, it's about basic hygeine and clean water. The Red Cross is responding right across the region. In Zimbabwe thousands of volunteers are out on the street, disseminating key health messages, explaining to them the simple steps they can take to reduce or even eradicate their risks to the illness. We're also supporting public health authorities. We're in the clinics. In other parts of the country, we're digging wells to try and get that clean water, sort of flowing again.

    Anyone can help this situation. And it's simply supporting the work of the Red Cross. A few pounds given here in London is immediately on the street in Harare. If people are concerned about this, if people really, really, feel that they want to do something, donate to the Red Cross appeal.

    It's really a drastic situation, and as an international community, we really need to come together and respond on behalf of the Zimbabwean people.

    Onscreen text:

    Give to the Zimbabwe & Region Appeal, British Red Cross Logo, 0845 054 7200

In Zimbabwe alone, cholera claimed more than 4,000 lives and the total number of cases was more than 87,900. That far surpassed the original worst-case scenario. Cholera also affected people in Angola, Mozambique and South Africa.

In addition, Zimbabwe, along with other countries in the region, struggles to cope with the effects of HIV and AIDS. Thousands of people living with HIV are particularly vulnerable to the risk of cholera.

Although cholera is an easy disease to prevent and treat it can also be deadly. You can lose 10 per cent of the water in your body every hour. Within six hours you're chronically dehydrated and within a day you can die.

But prevention is not difficult and is based on basic hygiene such as washing your hands after using the bathroom. It was vital that we reached as many communities as possible with the messages on how to prevent cholera – especially because it is a cyclical problem which could easily flare up again when the next rains arrive.

Food crisis

Having enough food is also a critical part of the survival equation in Zimbabwe. There was insufficient food due to poor harvest, and lack of imported food due to escalating global prices and skyrocketing inflation in Zimbabwe.

Food aid was therefore critical to help meet the gap in food available nationally and to help those who do not have enough resources to purchase food available in the shops.

Money from the appeal was used to support community-based health, water, sanitation and hygiene projects, and to deliver aid and education to those most in need across the region.

The cholera situation improved, thanks to the end of the rainy season and the emergency response work of a number of organisations, including the Red Cross. However, there is still a  very clear need to promote good hygiene and the situation will not be fully resolved until large-scale water supply and sewage infrastructure repair projects are completed.

More about the Zimbabwe & Region Appeal

More about the food crisis in Zimbabwe
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