We work at the grassroots for a better future in Zimbabwe

SABONA’S CENTRAL PROJECTS

#1: Sabona frequently works to achieve targets 1.1 and 1.4 to eradicate extreme poverty and ensure access to basic services and natural resources. Our help fund provides medical help from professionals and access to medication, and our focus on vegetable cultivation and production of chicken ensures nutritious food to vulnerable people and the opportunity of generating income through sales. Read more.

#2: Sabona frequently works to achieve targets 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, and 2.4 to end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture. Our boreholes and food production projects ensure thousands of vulnerable people with access to water and nutritious food. Our food stations (school lunches) provide children with a nutritious meal every day, which is extremely important for child development.

#3: Sabona frequently works to achieve targets 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, and 3.8 to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages. Our project involving HIV patients ensures access to essential medication and nutritious food which is particularly important for this group. We also work to stop the stigmatization of HIV patients. Our projects within food production, access to clean water, health clinics, and food stations contribute to the goal of ensuring healthy lives for all.  

#4: Sabona frequently works to achieve targets 4.1-4.7 to ensure inclusive, equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. More than 16.000 vulnerable children have received an education, and both men and women get essential training in different fields. We have sewing groups that make school uniforms and we provide courses to repair water wells. Some schools have gained access to tablets which contributes to effective and upgraded learning.    

#6: Sabona frequently works to achieve targets 6.1, 6.2, 6.4, and 6.b to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all. We have drilled 11 boreholes which ensure access to clean water and good sanitation in long periods of droughts. This makes it possible to keep livestock and crops. In addition, hundreds of children can spend their time doing schoolwork rather than having to spend the day doing hard labour and providing water for their families. 

#8: Sabona frequently works to achieve targets 8.2, 8.5, 8.6, and 8.8 to promote sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all. Our projects within food production and boreholes among other things have generated lucrative work for more than 451 people in the rural areas. Creating and ensuring jobs are extremely important to create hope for a better future and for the next generations. 

It all started in 1999 when our founder, Ynghild Solholm, travelled to the village Dopota. As a teacher, she experienced that children were fainting from hunger during class lectures, and she realized quickly that something had to be done! With her own student loan and contribution from a charity concert in Norway, she started a food station at the school where she was working. Poor parents that otherwise would have kept their children at home to work to help bring food in, would now send them to school. The issue of student absence disappeared, and a brighter future was made possible.

This is where we work

Zimbabwe is located in the southern part of Africa. The population is approximately 16 million people. There are multiple ethnic groups living in Zimbabwe, but the majority belong to the Shona group (85%). The minority group Ndebele (15%) is mainly located in Matabeleland, which is the southwestern part of Zimbabwe and borders Zambia and Botswana. 

Development in Zimbabwe has faced uphill battles for many years. Political instability and inflation have had a significant impact on the country for several years. The population also faces challenges related to HIV/AIDS, climate change, and soil degradation. Sabona’s projects are meeting these challenges and establishing growth and positive repercussions in the local community. The organization has been able to stay connected to local communities and sustain our projects during the country’s difficult times. We are persistent in helping as many people as possible and providing a safe environment for our projects. 

Ethical guidelines 

Sabona and Sabona Trust work against all forms of discrimination, harassment, and economic fraud and corruption. We have strict policies and all of our employees, partners, and other associates that represent the organization are well informed about our tools to report incidences and applicable ethical guidelines. Our employees receive careful and thorough training on our ethical guidelines. We have zero-tolerance for exploitation of position, corruption, sexual harassment, violence and assault, or any other behaviour that violates our principles. Read more about our guidelines here.