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Prizes go out to C-SAFE Crossword Puzzle winners
Congratulations to Natalie Kruse, American Red Cross (Malawi) and Michelle Parke, WV Zambia - well done!

Communities Show Solid Understanding of C-SAFE-Suggest Inclusion of Agric Inputs

In November/December 2003, C-SAFE Malawi conducted a series of focus group discussions to verify the effectiveness of C-SAFE's current targeting procedures in an effort to see if the food rations were reaching the most vulnerable households. Findings included: Communities were well aware of the targeting criteria and affirmed that

JOHANNESBURG, 30 December (IRIN) - If last year Zimbabweans thought life could not get any tougher, 2003 disabused them of that faint hope.
Ordinary people struggled to cope through interlinked humanitarian, economic and political crises that provided no let up, deepening their poverty and vulnerability.

Record levels of inflation daily eroded people's ability to provide for their families, while under funded public services -including the once impressive health and education systems - fell into even faster decline.

Humanitarian agencies warn that more

Appeal Target: CHF 526,122 (USD 261,000, EUR 357,709)
Period covered: May - October 2003

The Federation's mission is to improve the lives of vulnerable people by mobilizing the power of humanity. It is the world's largest humanitarian organization and its millions of volunteers are active in over 180 countries. For more information: www.ifrc.org

In Brief

Appeal coverage: 107.7% Click here to go to attached Contributions List or refer to the Federation's website.

Outstanding needs: None

Related Emergency or Annual Appeals:

HIV/AIDS is taking an increasing toll on human life, severely affecting the agricultural labour force.
Agricultural skills are lost. Agricultural production and income are dramatically reduced. FAO is continuously adapting its interventions to assist the vulnerable agricultural households affected by this pandemic. In collaboration with other humanitarian partners, FAO is opting for an integrated and multi-sectoral approach.

There is a growing understanding that existing humanitarian programmes and frameworks require readjustment to

Issued December 23, 2003
Seasonal cumulative satisfaction of maize water requirements is poorly correlated with early season rainfall. Scant early rains do not necessarily imply poor crop production for the 2003-04 season. Statistical interpretations of climate forecasts suggest that near-normal end-of-season maize crop water conditions are likely. Western Zimbabwe and Northern Namibia have below normal forecasts. Prospects for the season will come more clearly into focus by the end of January, once the quality of the December-January rains is known.

Highlights

HIGHLIGHTS
Southern parts of the region have still not had sufficient rains for planting. FAO warns that the window for planting is drawing to a close.

Oprah Winfrey visited Zambia on 4 December to raise awareness on HIV/AIDS orphans.

An UN Inter-Agency Team met with Namibian officials to discuss the response to the recent appeal launched by the government of Namibia.

New cholera outbreaks have been reported in Zimbabwe and Zambia.

The three siblings have prepared their plot for the planting season. It is almost one acre and they are proud of their work. Still, they have not been able to plant the maize seeds they received from the Red Cross in October, because the soil is not wet enough to nurture the plants. Like many others in Zimbabwe, they are waiting for the rain.
Fortune, 23, Lovejoy, 15, and Indra, 11, live on their own in the district of Zvimba, just west of Harare. The mother of the oldest two died from AIDS in 1993, and then their father married their aunt who came to take care of the family.

Bulawayo, 19 December 2003 - The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation (TCCAF) today announced that it is donating US$200,000 of food aid to needy communities in Harare and Bulawayo.

With effect from today and until the end of February 2004, the food aid will be distributed by World Vision Zimbabwe to benefit over 12,000 people each month.

A total of 485 metric tonnes (MT) of maize meal, 432 MT of beans and 30 MT of cooking oil has been donated by Coca-Cola for distribution by the non-governmental organisation.

Each ration consists of 12.4 kg of maize