Zimbabwe launches digital parenting app

Zimbabwe has become the first African nation to adopt and localise a global digital parenting platform with the launch of the Rerai Umntwana mobile application, an initiative aimed at strengthening childcare knowledge and support across the country.

At the launch, Minister of Health and Child Care, Douglas Mombeshora, said the app was developed to provide parents and caregivers with accurate, evidence-based guidance on child health, nutrition, early childhood development, and protection.

He noted that the platform recognises that "when a child is born, a parent is also born—often with many questions that require reliable and trusted answers."

Originally developed as Bebbo by UNICEF's Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Office (ECARO) and partners, the platform has been localised in Zimbabwe as Rerai Umntwana, meaning "Nurture the Child" in Shona and Ndebele. The application is built on the Nurturing Care Framework, a global roadmap advanced by the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and the World Bank.

Minister Mombeshora highlighted that many families continue to rely on unverified information circulating on social media, making the delivery of "accurate, accessible, and culturally relevant information" increasingly critical.

He explained that caregivers who download the app and enter basic child information receive age-specific guidance, including reminders for immunisations and micronutrient supplementation. The tool complements community-based health and development services, placing essential parenting knowledge directly into the hands of families.

The minister also urged health workers, community leaders, development partners, and the private sector to support the app's rollout, calling for expanded national connectivity and encouraging mobile operators to assist through infrastructure development or subsidised access.

UNICEF Representative Etona Ekole said the launch reflects a renewed commitment to a "healthier, brighter future for the children of Zimbabwe." She noted that more than 76 percent of children under five live in food poverty and over a quarter are stunted, emphasising that "what happens during the earliest years matters deeply."

Ekole congratulated the government for leading Africa in the localisation of the platform and highlighted the app's accessibility features, including evidence-based content delivered through text, audio, and video in local languages, as well as offline functionality for remote communities.

She added that the app will also support frontline health workers by improving early identification of malnutrition and strengthening follow-up care.

Ekole thanked the Government of Japan for its support, noting that its partnership helped make the launch possible, and said the application represents a collective promise to ensure every child in Zimbabwe "grows, learns, and flourishes."