The app is called Rerai Umntwana, which means “take care of the child”.
It was created by Zimbabwe’s Ministry of Health and Child Care with UNICEF, with financial support from the Japanese government.
Parents can find advice about children’s food, vaccines, breastfeeding, child development and how to care for them.
The app can also work without an Internet connection once it has been downloaded. It is available in English, Shona and Ndebele, three languages spoken in Zimbabwe.
Why is the app useful? On the Internet, people can sometimes find false information or bad advice. Rerai Umntwana gives parents a place where they can find reliable information.
For Ronald, a young father quoted by UNICEF, the app is “a real game changer”. He says it makes information “easier, clearer and more useful every day”.
Zimbabwe is the first country in Africa to launch its own version of this global UNICEF platform.
