Simba Area Program

The rural community of Simba is home to almost 40,000 people, 24,000 of whom are children. Families often face natural disasters, including windstorms and heavy rains. Many homes and public buildings --including schools-- are destroyed due to harsh weather and poor construction. Some areas of Simba also struggle with soil erosion, which damages crops and limits food production.

Most families here used to earn income at mining and brewery companies. When these closed, many in the community were left unemployed. Parents cannot afford to provide for their families' basic needs, and youth will often leave school to work as artisanal miners to support their families. Children's wellbeing is also threatened by issues including unsafe drinking water, unhygienic sanitation practices, and limited knowledge of their rights.

Livelihoods
Most parents in Simba are jobless and struggle to afford basic education and medical care for their children. The collapse of key mining and brewing companies left the majority of the community unemployed and without benefits. Overall, the absence of these corporations has lowered living standards.

Community members lack training to successfully implement new income-generating activities, including growing crops and raising livestock. This impacts their ability to prevent and respond to soil erosion. Many farmers would also benefit from learning how to appeal to local governments for better access to land, financial loans and other support.

Health
Poverty affects the health of the children and families in Simba. Many children suffer from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea, or HIV & AIDS. New and pregnant mothers also lack opportunities for and access to proper care.

Child Protection & Participation
Many households in Simba struggle with low income due to unemployment or poor wages. Their economic status often makes it hard for parents to provide for their family's basic needs, so children have to drop out of school to work in local mines. Unaffordable fees also stop children from continuing their education.

Most of the community knows little about child rights, including essentials like birth registration. Laws that protect children aren't promoted, and as such children are subjected to hard labour, including selling on the street and artisanal mining.

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene
Families in Simba struggle to access clean and safe drinking water. Many homes are far away from wells, and women must wake up extremely early to line up for water. The time spent traveling and waiting robs many mothers of opportunities to earn income or take care of their children.

Many of the natural water sources in the community are actually dirty. However, families must use it in household chores and to water their gardens. The government takes little ownership over expanding the number of water points or improving existing wells and boreholes. There is no organized water management committee in Simba, and the absence of leadership also guarantees that access does not improve.

Livelihoods
To ensure parents in Simba can provide for their families, World Vision will partner with the community to:

• Empower families to create and locate alternative sources of income.
• Provide farming and agricultural training for unemployed community members.
• Improve farmers' resilience to natural and man-made disasters.
• Educate parents on the benefits of savings groups and how to better advocate on behalf of community needs.

Health
With the partnership of Canadian sponsors and the community, World Vision will work to:

• Ensure children and mothers are protected against diseases, malnourishment, and chronic illnesses.

Child Protection & Participation
To ensure children and youth enjoy a safe and protected environment, World Vision will work to:

• Disengage children from child labour, support them through rehabilitation, and promote child rights.
• Increase the number of children and youth who have birth registration documents.
• Improve school buildings and train teachers on methods that will effectively retain and educate students.

Water, Sanitation & Hygiene
In partnership with families and sponsors, World Vision will work with the community to:

• Increase families access to clean and safe water.
• Train leaders on how to prevent waterborne diseases and promote good hygiene practices. Improve sanitation in homes and schools.
• Promote good community-based water management systems and advocate for more government support.