Jennifer Dube
18 November 2007
SWEDEN, through the Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency (Sida) has committed more than US$700 000 towards a project aimed at scaling up the fight against HIV and AIDS in Zimbabwe's private sector.
Unveiled last week, the three-year revolving fund will be administered through the International Labour Organisation (ILO), which will work in conjunction with employers' and labour organisations.
"Sweden believes that actors are needed to win the fight against HIV and Aids -- the government, multilateral agencies, bilateral cooperation, private sector, churches, civil society and all other instruments in the tool box must be used," said Swedish ambassador Sten Rylander in Harare last week.
The first phase of the project saw the implementing partners, the Employers' Confederation of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions, receiving a computer and a printer each.
Director and ILO Representative for Zimbabwe Tayo Fashoyin, said the two organisations were to receive a vehicle each under phase two of the project to be launched this week after the finalisation of customs clearance processes.
Aimed at contributing towards the reduction of the adverse consequences of the HIV and Aids scourge on the socio-economic development of the private sector, the project will benefit both private sector workers and their organisations and the employers and their organisations.
Secondary beneficiaries include employers' and workers' spouses and family members, service providers, community-based organisations and non-governmental organisations, among others coming into contact with the workforce.
Rylander said a strong tripartite interaction among employers, workers and government was necessary for the project's success.
He also encouraged other donors to come on board and support the project.
EMCOZ's David Govera and ZCTU's Lucia Matibenga pledged their organisations' commitment to the successful implementation of the project.
Zimbabwe is among other sub-Saharan African countries battling with a high HIV and Aids prevalence.
Both Rylander and Fashoyin welcomed recent news that the country's HIV prevalence rate this year dropped from 18,1% to 15,6% saying the statistics were encouraging.
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