How to start fostering resilience in a health crisis

Emergency financial support is slow in coming, and many vulnerable groups are missing out because they are often only viewed within certain issue contexts.

For example, sex workers seen only in light of HIV, when of course they also face the same challenges as others, like food shortages. Because of the nature of the crisis and the work we do, our workload has become 24/7, sometimes receiving calls for help at midnight. We do everything we can to help but also try to carve out time ‘off’ in order not to burn out.

In crises the Women’s Coalition of Zimbabwe, of which we are a member, comes together for a coordinated response, e.g. during the cyclone last year, and we have learned to plan ahead.

We have few COVID-19 cases but hold ‘What If?’ meetings for forward planning. We facilitate access to contraceptives and SRH services through partners and outreach. At Women’s Action Group (WAG) we purchased PPE to distribute to district COVID-19 response teams, with a strategy of training trainers who will then go to the communities.

• You have to respond to emergencies instantly.
• Preparation can be vital. Crisis plans can be made ahead of time to some extent, for use when needed.
• Working in partnership is crucial. Reach out to even unusual partners, like district authorities.
• Self-care is vital to maintaining mental health and resilience. We send weekly messages to staff for support. We only ask staff to go into the community if they are ready and comfortable. Information overload is another risk.
• The issue of livelihoods is crucial to all aspects of health and well-being and needs to be considered within SRHR.
• There is a need to mainstream SRHR and GBV in any emergency response