Story by Abigirl Tembo, Health Editor
In a ground-breaking move, KidzCan Zimbabwe has joined forces with the Apostolic Churches Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ) to tackle childhood cancers.
The partnership is meant to raise awareness, improve detection, and increase the survival rate among children diagnosed with cancer.
The Apostolic Council of Churches in Zimbabwe (ACCZ) comprising 60 Apostolic sects from across the country is generally challenging to engage due to its strong religious and health convictions.
KidzCan Zimbabwe’s efforts have, however, led to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in May 2024, paving the way for collaboration in the fight against childhood cancer.
“The main aim is to raise awareness and to increase the survival rate of childhood cancer in Zimbabwe, being part of the World Health Organisation global initiative to increase the survival rate to 60% by the year 2030, we cannot leave different sectors behind. One of those sectors that we have now engaged in is the ACCZ, which is the Apostolic Churches Council of Zimbabwe. They are a sector that has been difficult to partner with regarding their religion and also health. And yet they have a very strong following throughout Zimbabwe. We are glad to say and share with you that in May this year, 2024, KidzCan Zimbabwe and the Apostolic Churches Council of Zimbabwe signed an MOU in Zvishavane in the presence of 600 of their bishops.
“This is to partner together to say, yes, we as a church want to play a part. And we as Kids Can, we’re saying to them, you are respected church community leaders. You have a part to play. People come to you first. If we look at our stats in Zimbabwe, almost 60% are seeking alternative treatment, either going to a traditional healer or to a faith healer. Hence, this partnership. And we are glad that they have accepted this partnership.
“They are coming forward. And what they’ve done as a church is elect 10 childhood cancer coordinators representing each province. And then each of those coordinators will come through for this training. And then from there, they will go back. The whole idea today is just to have an appreciation of the work that we do, childhood cancer in Zimbabwe. What is cancer and what role can play? They will then go back to their provinces, gather their bishops together, and then we will go back to their bishops province by province and start cascading the different signs and symptoms of childhood cancer,” said Kidzcan Zimbabwe Executive Director, Mr Daniel Mckenzie.
The partnership is already bearing fruit, with the ACCZ electing 10 childhood cancer coordinators to represent each province.
“This meeting is very important because as churches in most cases we were acting blindly sometimes a child will have cancer but to us we will just deem it as evil spirits so in this case we want to partner as health and religion. This will help our children if they seek help early it will increase their survival rates,” said New Way Evangelical Fellowship representative, Bishop Tsitsi Matenhese.
Zion Apostolic Church 1923 represenative, Mrs Mathrin Mapako weighed in, “We are coming across cancer issues but it is just that as a church we don’t have the knowledge and expertise on how to handle them but the cases we have them even in children. Our partnership with Kidzcan will assist us, especially with the knowledge to deal with this disease. You know the apostolic doctrine sometimes you will be blaming evil spirits but now we have been equipped with the knowledge to differentiate.”
Through leveraging on the influential role of religious leaders, KidzCan Zimbabwe aims to promote health awareness and community engagement, ultimately saving lives.
