Scholarship Stories: The Zimbabwe Life Project

Zimbabwe Life Project (ZLP) share specialist mental health skills and build positive partnerships between mental health professionals in the UK and in Zimbabwe. Further skills exchange has been made possible with funding from Burdett Trust.

Zimbabwe Life Project (ZLP) is a diverse group of mental health professionals in the UK and in Zimbabwe. Founded in 2018 by Lucia Vambe an Advancing Clinical Practice Lead, Essex Partnership University NHS Trust, Essex, United Kingdom, ZLP members offer their skills and time voluntarily.

In March 2019, Burdett Trust awarded ZLP £7500 towards their second knowledge exchange trip to Zimbabwe, which took place in September of the same year. ZLP is a diverse UK registered charitable incorporated organisation aimed at supporting mental health clinical practice development in Zimbabwe, working in partnership with local hospitals in Harare, Bulawayo and Masvingo. ZLP is a non-profit organisation dedicated to facilitating a link between skilled mental health professionals in the UK and those who work in Zimbabwe.

The donated funds topped up airfares for 15 volunteers, and met other trip expenses including transport to and from workshop venues and catering food for delegates who attended the workshops. ZLP donated much needed hospital equipment such as defibrillators, oxygen masks, syringes, wheelchairs and many more items to four public hospitals.

The two visits to Zimbabwe by ZLP were recognised by the Zimbabwe government through the ministry of foreign affairs and the ministry of health and childcare. As this work continues to grow, a Memorandum of Understanding between ZLP and the ministry of health and childcare is underway.

About The Zimbabwe Life Project
Website: www.zlp.org.uk
Facebook: @zimbabwelifeproject
Twitter: @LifeZimbabwe
Blog: zlp.org.uk/blog/

About Burdett Trust for Nursing
Facebook: @burdetttrust
Twitter: @burdetttrust
Instagram: @burdettrust