Zimbabwe was already facing an economic and food supply crisis even before Covid-19 and now there are real fears of mass starvation. Because of the lockdown, those who rely on meagre daily earnings suddenly have no income, and tourism - a lifeline for millions of Zimbabweans – is non-existent. Could you send a donation to help us support our two Zimbabwean projects?
Joy Mahobele of the Cross Over educational project reports: ‘Most of our students live in illegal settlements and high-density suburbs. Each household can have up to 8-10 people in a small house and people rely on communal boreholes where they have to queue up to fetch water. Our most vulnerable students rely heavily on the porridge that we give them during school days.
The students were given some nutritious porridge meal to take home when school closed but it was not a lot to sustain them throughout the break. If we have to close schools for a long period our students will fall behind as their families do not have access to the internet.’
Maggie Norton, our contact at Chishawasha, reports that some of the orphans, at least, were able to take food home from the farming project, but other families are absolutely destitute. Maggie and Natalie are distributing food and medicines to the most needy. Maggie says: ‘Zimbabwe is used to facing crises but this has added so much additional need and the crisis is ongoing.’
There is a news report on Zimbabwe (12 April) at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3kCWthruz0 .
MNCP have had to suspend all their activities, including the breakfast club, during the Covid-19 lockdown in South Africa. Sandra Pillay has reported as follows: ‘Today Pastor Chris accompanied me to hand out food parcels to the most needy families at Ezinketheni. We had a permit to get through the Police and Army roadblock. It was just so touching to see the elderly Gogos (grannies), who were desperate for food as it is mid-month. Some were in tears. They just couldn't believe that God had answered their prayers as they had barely any food to see them through. Some of the children are so desperate that they are eating wild berries in the bushes or stealing sugar cane.’
Those who had jobs are mostly now not able to go to work and life for them is really tough. Sandra goes to the MNCP office once a week to pick up supplies of dehydrated vegetable and rice packs for distribution. Social distancing is not possible in the squatter camps, and the people don't have anything to keep them occupied. Of course, they don’t have the online facilities that we take for granted in the UK.
We have cancelled our planned 28 June garden party/barbecue due to coronavirus outbreak restrictions. Please consider sending a donation today so that we can help our projects to feed some of the destitute people in South Africa and Zimbabwe (both currently in lockdown). Or participate in the 2.6 challenge on/around 26 April – see below. Please donate online if possible. Cheques are also acceptable but will be subject to delays in clearing. The need is huge! See the news stories on MNCP and Zimbabwe.
Our projects in South Africa and Zimbabwe need funding more than ever, as the lockdowns mean that millions of people have no income at all - not even the little that they were making daily from selling or informal working. The projects have had to temporarily suspend their mentoring and educational activities (including the provision of one good meal a day to children/school pupils), but are providing food parcels wherever possible.
You could also join the rest of the nation in ‘The 2.6 Challenge’ on 26 April, the date that would have been the 40th London Marathon – and participate in the world’s largest one-day fundraising event. Anyone can take part! There are just five simple steps to take:
To find out more, click the link: https://www.twopointsixchallenge.co.uk/.
