Friends for Matibi

Friends for Matibi is a community-based Trust located in Matibi, Zimbabwe, with its headquarters based in Zurich, Switzerland. The organisation’s core mission is to address the most pressing issues faced by communities in neglected regions of Zimbabwe, particularly in Matibi. With over 30 years of experience, Friends for Matibi focuses on improving community maternal health and nutrition through coordinating Matibi Hospital development projects. The organisation's footprint dates back to the 19th century, when the co-founders in Switzerland began mobilising resources for Matibi Hospital.

Today, Friends for Matibi continues to advance the vision of its predecessors, refining its approach to align with the Sustainable Development Goals agenda (SDGs). The organisation has designed community-led and community-focused programs centred on the Nook, a community training centre it established. To date, these initiatives have supported over 23,000 pregnant mothers through skills development in agriculture, carpentry, sewing, and pastry. Friends for Matibi has also contributed to a 3.5% reduction in child marriages in Matibi and achieved over a 23% reduction in household poverty through innovative climate-smart agriculture aimed at community upliftment.

All projects are strategically aligned within the intersection of climate change and health, and the organisation’s expertise includes project design and implementation, research, and advocacy.

Supporting the following commitments:

• Commitment 4: Set a target date by which to achieve health systems net zero emissions (ideally by 2050).
• Commitment 6: Develop an action plan or roadmap by a set date to develop a sustainable low carbon health system (including supply chains).

Country experience:

Zimbabwe: Commitments 4 and 6