CARE Zimbabwe has announced the appointment of Delilah Takawira as its new Country Director, marking a historic milestone as she becomes the first Zimbabwean to lead the organization since CARE began operations in the country in 1992.
The appointment, announced via LinkedIn, underscores CARE’s commitment to locally led development and sustainable impact. Takawira brings over 20 years of distinguished experience in food and nutrition security, livelihoods, resilience building, and systems strengthening across Zimbabwe.
With 13 years at the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and seven years working with the Government of Zimbabwe and various international NGOs, Takawira has designed and led large-scale, multi-donor programs that have delivered measurable improvements in rural communities. She previously led the UK FCDO-funded Livelihoods and Food Security Programme (LFSP), which introduced innovative approaches to boost household incomes and strengthen food security.
Most recently, she directed the USG-funded Takunda Resilience and Food Security Activity, overseeing a consortium of partners and a team of over 120 staff across four districts. Under her leadership, the program advanced resilience, nutrition, governance, and risk reduction initiatives while introducing new food value chains and expanding market access for smallholder farmers.
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Takawira is widely recognized for her ability to forge strong partnerships between communities, government, and the private sector. She has been instrumental in advancing CARE Zimbabwe’s market systems and private-sector agenda, particularly through blended finance solutions, risk-sharing mechanisms, and efforts to link Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) and rural micro, small, and medium enterprises to formal financial institutions.
“Delilah brings a wealth of experience, leadership, and deep commitment to advancing resilience and sustainable development across communities in Zimbabwe,” CARE Zimbabwe stated in its announcement.
A holder of a Master’s degree in Nutrition from Stellenbosch University in South Africa, Takawira combines technical expertise with a passion for understanding human behavior and food culture. Her appointment is expected to further strengthen CARE’s work in building inclusive, sustainable, and resilient food systems across the country.
