His Excellency President DR Emmerson Dambudzo MNANGAGWA has declared a nationwide State of Disaster due to the El Nino-induced drought. Measures will be taken by the government to mitigate against the disaster. April 3rd 2024
Summer Greetings! Hope this finds you well with a flourishing garden or fresh produce from the locals. As you may recall, Zimbabwe is in the middle of a drought. It’s actually been a constant state of affairs the last few years, and has only worsened as the crops did not come in again this year. Please see the March blog where we explain our hopes for the village’s intervention.
April 3rd, their President declared it a state of disaster, but, with little in the way of resources, not much has been done. Occasional food distributions have taken place on a hit-and-miss basis throughout the country. If you are interested in donating now, without reading further, please click here. Following is Nhimbe’s story with our progress the last couple of months.
In March we bought $4,500 worth of maize to help get the staff through the year until March of 2025. Then in the beginning of May we were blessed by a partnership with Healing Hands International (HHI) who generously donated permaculture training and seeds to the residents. They are a spiritually-based organization that doesn’t bring in the evangelical arm of their commitment to alleviate suffering, so it was a perfect match for us, as we within Ancient Ways are apolitical and secular, while being spiritually based.
It took us a few weeks to get organized and locate bulk quantities of supplies. Muda went several places to get a good deal. This bucket salesman assures us he has the right number. And then, just contemplate the transportation of the hoses, buckets and plastic hardware.
The Magaya’s kindly hosted the teacher, and one person from each of 106 families was able to attend an extremely well-designed workshop. The HHI organization has so much experience all over the world, specifically promoting food security in Zimbabwe, that everyone was absolutely delighted at the quality of teaching.
It went amazingly well, particularly considering the number of participants and the making up of the drip hose kits on the spot from all the pieces purchased. Really . . . what a relief!
They learned how to use cornstalks and manure to build the beds so that the breakdown of the plant matter will continue to sustain the growth.
They studied raised bed building, compost pile building, various techniques for watering crops during a drought, and how/what/when to plant. The particular drip hoses we use are 100’ long which, using a coupler, provided making two 50’ long rows, to be used on 4’ wide rows. The pre-drilled hoses have about 16” between holes. These hoses hook up to a bucket with the plastic hardware.
The next 200 drip hose units have been purchased from our emergency savings including a donation from ZCDP. We spent close to $3,900 on these drip hoses in May. Although nerve-wracking to touch the funds, I knew it was an investment we just had to make. And now seeing the pictures just makes my heart sing! Thank you for your support in this.
We fed them a meal as part of the first day. Each participant received a diploma (although this photo doesn’t show everyone) and was gifted a drip hose system after a very full two days’ work.
We have nearly 200 families yet needing this course and are hopeful that HHI will return after seeing our follow-up pics and videos. They have been so incredibly supportive to us. Muda provided them with all of what they needed to do their job well, like having several villagers bring special kinds of digging tools, and then also, he followed up with Febby, our co-director, going to many homes to see how people were doing with what they had learned. Muda then sent that documentation on to the teacher and we are waiting for a reply. Here is a photo of the garden 2 months after the workshop at the Community Center.
We also have a short video to share the 2-month follow-up at the Community Center here. When Muda and Febby went to the villagers’ homes they found great results as well (click here).
This is sure a nice show of greens about which the family is very pleased.
The situation is dire, and Zimbabwe, as a whole, is suffering greatly due to this drought. Unless you watch BBC or read a Zimbabwean newspaper online, you may be in the dark. Of course, our US news just doesn’t carry much of a story about the situation. We are asking you to contribute to make it possible for these residents to be able to grow basics. Fruits and vegetables, although not meat and potatoes (maize actually over there), provide the foundational vitamins and minerals to fuel so many nutritional needs in our bodies. They are earnestly doing their part, and we appreciate anything you can do to help us help them. Please click here to go to the marketplace . . . whatever you can do makes a difference. Thank you so much!
We stand in continued awe of your support over the years as we remain steadfast in reaching out across the planet. Of course, it was the music that Dumisani taught which first brought me to an awareness of the plight of Zimbabwe. That, coupled with a passion to help people, has put me on this path…2024 brings 30 years as Ancient Ways and 25 years on behalf of Nhimbe for Progress. We are so grateful for your assistance, as are each of the Nhimbe residents and beyond their villages. Besides this current crisis, the ongoing programs and services bring much joy and hope to the families primarily because we are reaching their children in myriad ways – all thanks to you. Many Tender Blessings Your Way!