About - Health, Education and Food Organisation

The Health, Education and Food Organisation (HEFO) is a Faith-Based Non-Governmental Organisation working in Nkayi District, Matabeleland North Province, Zimbabwe. HEFO was established in 2007 and formally registered as a Private Voluntary Organisation (PVO No. 20/2012) in 2012.

The organisation operates under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Nkayi Rural District Council (2022–2026).

HEFO was founded by members of Christian churches in Nkayi and Bulawayo who were deeply familiar with the livelihood challenges faced by rural communities. The founders were driven by a strong passion to serve vulnerable, poor, and food-insecure communities, with particular attention to women, youth, the elderly, and people living with disabilities.

Vision

Empowered, self-reliant, and dignified communities living sustainable livelihoods in poverty-stricken areas of the Matabeleland region.

Mission

To restore dignity and improve the quality of life of disadvantaged communities through sustainable interventions in health, education, and food security.

Core Values

Equity
Quality
Health
Dignity and Decent Life

At a Glance

Nkayi District Context

Nkayi District of Matabeleland North Province is situated in natural region four – an area prone to erratic spatial and temporal rainfall distribution, which often leads to dry spells and arid/drought-like conditions. Mean rainfall in this region is 450–650 mm, an amount insufficient for most cash cropping. As a result, livestock and drought-resistant fodder crop production are the major economic engines in the largely rural areas selected for programme implementation. These conditions make the districts highly vulnerable to poverty. In addition, with a political and cultural history sometimes perceived as counter to the dominant power structures in the country, the district is generally regarded as among the least developed areas of Zimbabwe.

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Strategic Objectives

Through Nkayi District community driven projects, we facilitate;

1. Strengthening the governance of Nkayi District community structures that the HEFO program engages with.
2. Establish and strengthen the communities’ linkages with other development partners, including Government departments.
3. Make clean drinking water accessible within a 3km radius through drilling boreholes along with the construction of weirs, small dams and roof water harvesting.
4. Adoption of climate smart conservation agricultural practices.
5. Creation and promotion of gardens that produce nutrient-dense foods.
6. Establish viable crop-livestock businesses.

HEFO in Action

HEFO,having recognized the needs and challenges faced by these communities as highlighted above, designed and implemented the Community Livelihoods Recovery Programme (CLRP) and scaled up its work in 2007 in Nkayi District initially covering two wards. Similar activities were extended to Bulawayo in 2009 under Protracted Relief Programme (PRP) funded by DFID, covering seven wards and Orphans & Vulnerable Children (OVC) covering 5 wards in Bulawayo. To date, in the Nkayi District, HEFO’s activities cover 5 wards on a Development Area programme for 10 years in partnership with both Tear Fund Australia and Action Aid International Zimbabwe (AAIZ).