Food Security Zimbabwe Project #16275

Help Feed Hungry Children in Zimbabwe

by Action Change (Formerly GVI Trust)

Project Report | Nov 8, 2016
Thank you for giving the kids something to smile about!

By Bookey Peek | Project Coordinator

Hurry! It's lunch time!

Dear Supporters,

Zimbabwe may be in a bigger mess than ever, but the 270 day-scholars at Marula school are happy, thanks to you, our very generous donors. Happy, in Zimspeak, is simply a good meal – and thanks to you, we have been able to feed every child a nutritious lunch every school day so far this year, and this will continue until the first week of December when schools break up for the holidays.

Every school day at 12 noon, grades 0 and 1 tear out of the classroom to the smoke-blackened little hut where local ladies are stirring two huge cast iron pots - one containing “sadza”, a thick porridge which is the staple diet of Southern Africa, and the other with a mix of cabbage, tomatoes, beans etc. Each child gets a full plate. When the littlies have had theirs, in come the Grade 2’s, and so on, till the Grade 7’s have finished, and the ladies can finally clean the pots, pack up and walk home. It’s a big job.

Even though our rate of unemployment is around 99% these days, and it’s very probable that none of these children will ever have a job, their parents would rather go without food themselves than deprive their child of an education. The 80 or so boarders, whose parents are employed, and can afford the fees, receive their meals at the school. The day scholars pay $25 per term, a huge sum for their unemployed parents, which is indicative of how crucial they consider education to be. Those children receive nothing but their tuition at the school. When the bell goes for lunch, the boarders head for the dining room, and were it not for the meal our donors provide, the day scholars would be left hungry outside.

With food in their bellies, their lives are transformed – for them joy is a square meal. Children smile so easily – and you are giving them something to smile about. Compared to daily hunger, our own concerns and irritations seem so trivial.

Today, Scout Jabulani Khanye and I went up to the school when the infant grades were lining up with their empty plates, and as you can see from the pictures, I was swamped – dozens of little hands reaching out to shake mine.

There are so many worthy causes that you could contribute to – and we feel immensely grateful that you have chosen support this little school.

As for Zimbabwe, we keep hoping for change. We don’t give up - we’ve been hoping for over 30 years now, and it must come. May I recommend a marvelous book for those who are interested in our country? It is called The Struggle Continues – 50 years of Tyranny” - written by David Coltart, a lawyer and political activist who has fought against our corrupt dictatorship ever since his university days. This is the only definitive political account of our country ever written, and in my view, the man should be in line for the Nobel Peace Prize, having survived 5 attempts on his life and still fearlessly carried on.

Lastly, here is an excerpt from a recent report from Oxfam which refers particularly to the problems in our area:

“In 2015/16 up to 75 percent of crops failed in some of the most drought-affected districts in the south due to prolonged dry spells and record high temperatures. Agriculture based livelihood was severely impacted, leading to loss of crops across two cropping seasons. This subsequently had an impact on livelihood options for the majority of poor households across the country, especially in the south. As a result of the ongoing dry spell and drought, there are acute water shortages in the affected districts and nationally, 31 percent of boreholes are no longer functional. South of the country currently faces acute food insecurity and disruption to agricultural practices impacting on food security. As per FEWS-net Masvingo and Matabeleland South provinces (Southern provinces) continue to experience Crisis(IPC Phase 3) food security outcomes from April through September. According to the findings of theJuly 2016 Zimbabwe Vulnerability Committee (ZimVAC) Assessment, 4.1 million people will need assistance at the peak of the 2016/2017 lean season. This group of affected community will therefore remain the main priority for humanitarian support for the remaining part of the year. Oxfam’s assessment in the target districts highlight severe food insecurity at community level, loss of crops; absence of carryover stocks, asset loss including critical water shortages impacting the targeted communities.”

Once again, thank you from the bottom of our hearts for all of your donations, it really does give us something to smile about!

With Gratitude,
Marula School

The little ones lining up first!

Beautiful smiles

The hard working kitchen team!

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Aug 17, 2016
Some Good News

By Bookey Peek | Liaison Officer

Dear Supporters,

For a change, I do have some good news! Thanks to the incredibly generous help from our donors, we will be able to feed our day scholars for the next term (three months from September to December).

Actually, that is about the only good news to come out Zimbabwe right now. Things are so chaotic and unpredictable on every front that I sometimes wonder if, coming as we do at the end of the alphabet, we might someday just drop off the planet altogether.

As a result of our not being able to control our own currency, we adopted the US$ around eight years ago. For a while all went well and the shops once again had food, though much of it was unavailable to the majority of our mostly unemployed populace. However, the temptation proved too much for our leaders who have managed to relieve the country of nearly all of its cash – to the point that banks have limited withdrawals to $100 per person per day, for those who have the time and the ability to stand in line for hours. Even then, this option is available only to those who live in the cities – not to rural people who have no access to banks. It is possible to move theoretical money around using mobile phones, but of course, many people do not have one, and although some rural outlets may accept that form of payment, they also demand a substantial purchase of goods before they will release even a minimal amount of cash (if indeed they have it).

The only people who are in a position to survive this situation, are those with foreign currency credit or debit cards, which are fortunately accepted by most outlets (with alacrity!)

Add the monetary disaster to the failure of the crops after last season’s drought, and you have a desperate and very hungry populace, who can see no end to their troubles.

Nothing is closer to Zimbabweans’ hearts than the education of their children, and they will sacrifice almost everything else to find school fees which, at $25 a term, are almost unaffordable for most of them. This is where the daily meal is so essential for their children, who not only have very little to eat at home but have to walk long distances to school and back every day.

So, that’s the update, and once again, very many thanks to all those who have given so generously so that these children can eat. What is more important than that?

With Gratitude,

The GVI Trust

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Jun 4, 2016
Zimbabwe Doesn't Begin With the Last Letter of the Alphabet for Nothing.

By Bookey Peek | Project Co-ordinator

Dear Supporters,

Zimbabwe doesn’t begin with the last letter of the alphabet for nothing. We feature last on the list of countries of the world and if we carry on as we are, we’ll probably drop off it altogether.

But, please, that’s no reason to forget us.

It is not the fault of the people of this country that we are in this mess, it is entirely due to the total neglect by the government for the past thirty-six years. Thanks to a ruinous agricultural policy, we haven’t been able to feed ourselves for decades but we have muddled through by importing from our neighbours. But this year is different and this winter will be far, far worse. The last “rainy” season barely happened, with minor falls in February and March - too little and too late for the maize crop (the staple diet in this part of Africa) that should be planted in November/December.

The drought has affected the whole of southern Africa so there will be almost no imports this year – and what does come in will, as usual, be handed out to the party faithful in Mashonaland. People here, in Matabeleland (the most arid area of the country at the best of times), have no maize stored away and it won’t be long before they are facing starvation – with no help in sight from their government.

Thanks to the very generous donations we have received so far this year, we are still managing to feed over 270 day scholars at Marula Junior School – every lunchtime for five days a week during term time. Up to now, we have been able to provide them with mealie meal (porridge made from maize) which is still available – at a price – plus beans, soy chunks, cabbage, tomatoes and a soup. I was at the school two days ago and attach photographs of some of the very happy recipients. For most of these children, this is the only proper, balanced meal they will have in the day – and many of them have to walk miles to school and back on an empty stomach.

That’s the thing about this country, and you can see it from the photographs: no matter how tough things are, the people remain amazingly cheerful and friendly. But right now they are being pushed to their limits – and this year there will be no relief to their suffering.

We are so grateful for the help that you have given us in the past. If you can spare a little more, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you will be saving lives. Many of these children are HIV positive or actually have AIDS – so once their immune system is compromised through hunger – they are in danger of succumbing to the disease.

Many thanks from the children at Marula Junior School for your kindness.

With Gratitude,

Bookey

Links:

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