Health behind prison walls: River Valley Group Extends Major Support for Shurugwi Female Prison
Staff Reporter Inside the walls of Shurugwi Female Prison, the steady beat of traditional drums and the vibrant movements of dance recently offered more than just entertainment; they served as a reminder that reform and heritage go hand-in-hand. The occasion was the correctional facility’s “Culture Day,” an event that took on extra significance when Ambassador
Read More
Zimbabwe Pushes Mercury-Free Gold Mining Amid Rising Health Concerns
Michael Gwarisa in Bindura Without gloves or protective equipment, 32-year-old artisanal miner Mavies Gwiriko carefully swirls mercury with crushed gold ore under the scorching Bindura sun, unaware that the toxic metal in her hands can damage the brain, kidneys, lungs, and nervous system. At Museveni Mine in Bindura, Gwiriko moves rhythmically in clockwise and anticlockwise
Read More
For Years They Woke Up to Ash and Smoke. Mpilo’s New Incinerator Changed That
Michael Gwarisa in Bulawayo For years, families living near Mpilo Central Hospital woke up to the same reality: ash settling on rooftops and washing lines, thick smoke hanging in the air, and fumes so harsh they sometimes forced residents indoors. Today, many say that has changed. A newly constructed high-capacity medical waste incinerator, built under
Read More
Clean Water, Safe Births: How Solarised Boreholes Are Transforming Maternal Care in Zimbabwe
Michael Gwarisa in Midlands Province Moments after washing a bucket at Shurugwi District Hospital’s maternity wing, pregnant mother Martha Macheka carefully closes the tap before calling another expectant woman to help her carry the water back to the waiting mothers’ shelter. Just a few years ago, such a simple act would have been impossible. Before
Read More
For Silicosis Patients, Solar Power Means the Difference Between Life and Death
Michael Gwarisa in Kwekwe A few metres away, the wife of 50-year-old Moses Ndaba stands quietly, her face weighed down by worry as she watches her husband struggle to breathe. Clad in a green dress, she reaches into a plastic bag, pulls out an apple and gently hands it to him. Ndaba stares at it
Read More
From Crisis Response to Lasting Reform: How Zimbabwe Is Building a Stronger Health System from COVID-19 Investments
Michael Gwarisa in Mahusekwa At Mahusekwa Hospital, what once passed for a pharmacy was a cramped room that struggled to serve an entire district. Medicines were often in short supply, storage conditions were far from ideal, and patients frequently travelled long distances only to leave empty-handed or be referred to Marondera for treatment. For Sekuru
Read More
Zimbabwean Pharmacist Tackles Health Misinformation One Book at a Time with Seven-Book Series
Michael Gwarisa At a time when health misinformation spreads faster than facts, a Zimbabwean pharmacist is taking an ambitious step to reclaim the narrative, one book at a time. In a bold effort to bridge the health information gap across Zimbabwe and the broader African region, pharmacist Reuben Katumba has launched a series of seven
Read More
Guruve School’s Biogas and Women’s Waste-to-Cash Initiative Drive One Health Gains in Guruve
Michael Gwarisa in Guruve For years, Chifamba High School in Guruve, Mashonaland Central, spent hundreds of dollars on firewood for cooking and daily needs, placing a heavy burden on the school and its learners. “We relied on firewood, and it was a difficult and time-consuming experience,” said Panashe Gomorago, a pupil at the school. “Now
Read More
Women Urged to Take Active Role as NDS2 Prioritises Gender Equality and Inclusion
Michael Gwarisa Women’s groups in Zimbabwe are urging action, not promises, as the National Development Strategy 2 places gender equality and social inclusion at the heart of national development. In light of the NDS2 launched in December 2025, women have vowed to be proactive in ensuring the strategy does not become just another document that
Read More
Julian Buss Sets Record as First Zimbabwean to Achieve 300 Blood Donations
Michael Gwarisa Seventy-four-year-old Julian Buss has made history by becoming the first Zimbabwean to reach 300 lifetime blood donations, setting a national benchmark for voluntary blood donation and inspiring generations to come. Buss achieved this remarkable milestone after nearly five decades of consistent giving, having made his first donation in 1977 at the age of
Read More