Zimbabwe faces tough choices about spending money on children as outside help drops. The country needs more funding for schools and hospitals that serve young people. Leaders want to shift from depending on foreign aid to using local money for children's programs. Government officials created new plans that focus on helping kids grow healthy and strong.
Children make up 40 percent of Zimbabwe's population but government spending does not match these numbers. Health care receives about 11 percent of the national budget when experts recommend 15 percent. Education gets around 3.5 percent of the country's total economic output. These amounts fall short of what children need to succeed.
Zimbabwe created smart ways to raise money for important programs like the AIDS tax that takes three percent from paycomes and business profits. The Child Nutrition Fund doubles government investments to help more hungry children. These local solutions reduce the need for foreign donations and create steady money streams.
Research shows that helping children pays off for everyone. Adults who ate poorly as children earn 20 percent less money throughout their lives. Countries that fight hunger and malnutrition see their economies grow by three percent each year. About one-third of Zimbabwe's children struggle with development problems that last their entire lives.
Children make up 40 percent of Zimbabwe's population but government spending does not match these numbers. Health care receives about 11 percent of the national budget when experts recommend 15 percent. Education gets around 3.5 percent of the country's total economic output. These amounts fall short of what children need to succeed.
Zimbabwe created smart ways to raise money for important programs like the AIDS tax that takes three percent from paycomes and business profits. The Child Nutrition Fund doubles government investments to help more hungry children. These local solutions reduce the need for foreign donations and create steady money streams.
Research shows that helping children pays off for everyone. Adults who ate poorly as children earn 20 percent less money throughout their lives. Countries that fight hunger and malnutrition see their economies grow by three percent each year. About one-third of Zimbabwe's children struggle with development problems that last their entire lives.
