Story by Providence Maraneli
GOVERNMENT’S commitment to cushioning the citizenry against the effects of the El-Nino-induced drought continues, with the Sibona community in Gwanda receiving a mealie meal consignment.
Matabeleland South received meaningful rains late in the season, the majority of the cereal crops are at the late maturity stage, making the communities food insecure until harvest time. As such, the government has sourced mealie meal to cushion the Sibona community of Gwanda to sustain themselves before the harvest period.
“We are grateful for this donation, you see we are yet to harvest anything from the fields and we were in need of food,” a food beneficiary said.
“The rains came late so most of our crops are still not yet ready, so getting this donation will go a long way,” a local farmer said.
ZANU PF 2023 election candidate for Gwanda North constituency Cde Lungisani Ncube who is spearheading development in the community thanked the government and development partners for the timely intervention.
“This is what the Second Republic is all about, being people-centred, no one is being left out and we are so grateful to the government and its development partners,” Cde Ncube said.
The consignment, a culmination of an engagement between Matabeleland South Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution and a development partner -Tzu Chi Foundation Zimbabwe, is set to sustain vulnerable members of the community until the next harvest.
“We have been offering humanitarian aid across the country and we will continue on this path. We have come here to Gwanda following a request by the Minister of State and we plan to roll out intervention programmes in Matabeleland South,” Chi said.
“I engaged Tzu which has been offering humanitarian support for many years, so that they may provide mealie meal to our people. We know we are yet to harvest because the rains were a bit late so we do not want anyone to die of hunger,” Matabeleland South Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Dr Evelyn Ndlovu said.
Zimbabwe is expecting a good harvest after the country received normal to above normal rainfall this summer cropping season.
