by Martha Tholanah, a SRHR and HIV rights advocate working at national, regional, and international levels, and AmplifyChange Strategic Advisor
Across Zimbabwe, organisations working on sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) are navigating an increasingly difficult landscape, one defined by funding cuts, escalating political barriers, and a worsening climate crisis. For many grantee partners working in local communities, these circumstances are becoming increasingly hard to navigate.
For years, much of the SRHR movement’s work has relied heavily on international donor funding particularly from the United States and European partners. Today, that funding is decreasing rapidly; for instance, the closure of USAID had terminated USD$ 388 million worth of funding to global development projects in Zimbabwe. These include global health projects working on issues such as HIV/AIDS, family planning, and health system strengthening.
With less funding available, several organisations have been forced to scale down, with some no longer able to host students or interns which has historically been a critical human resource pipeline for their organisations to sustain advocacy work. In addition to supporting the organisations, students were able to develop skills and knowledge through these internships, preparing them for the workplace. Downsizing and closure of CSOs means less chances of gaining work experience before graduation for young people. The closure of key donor divisions, including SRHR portfolios within diplomatic missions, has further reduced available support. Organisations report that:
- Advocacy programmes have paused or stopped entirely.
- Rural outreach teams have reduced or dissolved.
- Staff are taking on second jobs to able to sustain themselves.
Where funding remains, it often comes with tighter restrictions. This has resulted in a widening gap between need and capacity to access SRHR funding in Zimbabwe.
Climate Crisis: The Multiplier Effect
The climate crisis is intensifying existing challenges. The recent rainy seasons have brought severe storms and flooding across Zimbabwe, washing away bridges and damaging already fragile infrastructure. In some areas, classrooms have been uprooted, leaving no safe spaces for young people to gather. In some rural communities, young people are unable to reach school at all because roads are impassable or transport routes have been cut off.
For organisations working on SRHR, these disruptions have direct consequences. Outreach teams cannot travel, community meetings must be cancelled, and mobile services are delayed. Even attending events has become risky. Partners have described instances where the storms have struck during gatherings and grantee partner vehicles have been wrecked by falling trees. This is forcing organisations to reconsider whether travel is safe at all.
Natural disasters that were once predictable are no longer following familiar weather patterns. In the past, organisations could prepare for rainy seasons and request support in advance. Now, extreme weather arrives without warning, leaving little time to mobilise resources. With reduced funding and limited flexibility in grants, organisations cannot quickly redirect resources to emergency needs when communities turn to them as first responders.
The climate crisis is not separate from SRHR work. When access routes are cut off, when safe spaces disappear, and when services cannot reach rural areas, women, girls, and marginalised groups lose access to essential care, information, and protection.
What Is Needed to Move Forward?
Zimbabwe’s SRHR ecosystem remains resilient, but it is under unprecedented strain. Organisations are embedded in their communities, and they continue to serve their communities despite shrinking resources and unpredictable natural disasters.
When disasters strike, organisations need to be able to respond immediately. Yet many funding mechanisms require lengthy applications and approvals before any money can be used.
Partners describe the frustration: people need help now, but funding arrives weeks later.
Without more adaptable funding models, the combined impact of funding cuts and climate crisis risks undoing years of progress in SRHR. This is why many partners emphasise the importance of core and institutional funding rather than narrowly restricted project grants. Flexible funding would allow organisations to respond to crises as they happen, maintain staff, repair infrastructure, and keep services running even when conditions are unpredictable.
For example, a grantee partner in a remote location in the northwest of Zimbabwe reached out to their AmplifyChange Grants Manager after the area endured heavy thunderstorms that destroyed infrastructure. The project team had one last activity to complete the project: their final project evaluation. This activity required their staff and community members to travel to ward central points and visit health facilities for focus group discussions. The heavy thunderstorms caused flooding, resulting in crossing points across rivers to become unsafe. As the organisation had to adhere to guidance by the Meteorology Services Department and local district Civil Protection Unit, they were anxious about missing the deadline for submitting their final report as it was difficult to get a clear estimate of when it would be safe to travel within the district. The torrential rains were relentless and continued damaging infrastructure. With such uncertainty, the AmplifyChange Grants Support Team worked with the organisation to meet minimum reporting requirements and apply for a no-cost extension of their project. This flexible approach helped the grantee partner to be more relaxed about their situation, and they successfully completed the evaluation within that the extension period.
Strength and Resilience
Grantee partners are clear about what is needed to move forward:
- Core and institutional funding
- Faster emergency response mechanisms
- Investment in climate-resilient infrastructure
- Reduced administrative barriers
Despite the challenges they face, the commitment of Zimbabwe’s SRHR organisations remains unwavering. Advocates and community leaders continue to adapt, support one another, and find creative ways to keep serving their communities. Their resilience reflects the strength of the communities they serve and the deep belief that progress in SRHR is still possible. With sustained solidarity, flexible funding, and continued global attention, there is hope that the movement will not only endure but emerge stronger and more prepared for the future.
Martha Tholanah is a longstanding activist who has been advocating for the rights of people living with HIV, particularly women and children, and has been involved in advocacy for women’s rights, access to treatment, disability rights, LGBTQ rights, and strengthening health systems in Zimbabwe. Martha is a trained family therapy counsellor with a background in medical rehabilitation who has led multiple health programmes and has received international recognition for her work, including the David Kato Vision and Voice Award and the Elizabeth Taylor Award for her contributions to HIV and human rights advocacy.
Thanks to Regional Network of Children and Young People Trust, YES Trust Zimbabwe, and SAT Zimbabwe for their images.
