Victoria Falls helps itself with 100,000 free children's meals

Yesterday the Victoria Falls Children's Feeding Programme, established to provide regular free meals to school-age children across the town, reached a landmark of 100,000 meals served since it started in mid-July.

Service time at one of the seven community kitchens.

It has been estimated that more than three quarters of workers in Victoria Falls have been unemployed since the implementation of the international tourism close-down at the end of March. A significant portion of those retained by the industry are on reduced hours and pay.

The programme is the result of huge efforts on the ground as businesses and communities have joined forces to establish and then scale up this huge operation. Hotels and lodges have donated perishables including vegetables and salads from their kitchen gardens, national and regional companies and businesses donated other food supplies, allowing provision of nutritiously balanced meals. Local restaurants have enrolled their staff to help prepare ingredients and tourism operators have provided supporting storage and transport logistics.

Service time at one of the seven community kitchens.

Grateful thanks to the amazing individuals making all this happen on the ground, including Russell Manenji, Executive Chef at Shearwater Explorers Village (external link, opens in a new window), who leads the programme and the daily organisation of the kitchens, menus and food preparation (together with support from Chef Ngamani of the Victoria Falls Safari Lodge Boma), Gail van Jaarsveldt, Dani Connolly and Christie Brookstein from the Jafuta Foundation (external link) and the whole of the Pastor’s group who have worked tirelessly to set up the programme.

Gail van Jaarsveldt of the Jafuta Foundation is leading fundraising efforts to support this much needed programme: "We are appealing for those of you that can, wherever you are, to please join hands with us so that the community food kitchens can continue for as long as they are needed. As a result of all the amazing local food donations it only costs 25c to provide each meal. The kitchens are now serving well over 4,000 children every day - meaning we need to find over $1,000 each day to keep this incredible project running!"

For more information - www.victoriafallsappeal.com

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Further Information

The Pastors Counselling and Community Support Group has been central to the introduction of this programme. This group is made up of representatives from the Union for the Development of Apostolic Churches in Zimbabwe Africa (UDACIZA), the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ), Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), and Victoria Falls Ministers Fraternity among others and is open to all Christian affiliations.

Utilising seven churches and school locations across Chinotimba and Mkhosana, the Children’s Feeding Programme, organised by the Pastoral Counselling and Community Support Group and the Victoria Falls Covid-19 Taskforce, aims to supply one meal per day, Monday to Friday for school-age children in the region. It is estimated that there are approximately 8,000 children enrolled in different schools across Victoria Falls.

The Victoria Falls Covid-19 TaskForce was established by Government, local Council and Municipality departments, tourism stakeholders, community groups and concerned residents to develop a coordinated response and preparedness strategy in the face of the global pandemic and collapse of tourism in Victoria Falls.

The TaskForce Food Security Group, together with the support of local tourism operators, community groups, charitable foundations and concerned individuals have launched fundraising appeals and targeted the delivery of its support through several key area initiatives and programmes.

Launched on 14th July, the first day of the Children's Feeding Programme opened with two community kitchens serving over 400 children, and one week later all seven community kitchens were operational, with a total of 14,314 meals served over the first 7 days of the programme. By the second week of the Programme over 4,000 meals were being served each day.

 

Vegetables beat Covid-19

 Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

WHILE the Covid-19 may have left citizens devastated by loss of business and jobs, others have used the opportunity to start gardening projects to improve their families’ livelihoods.

A random check around Chinotimba and Mkhosana high density suburbs in Victoria Falls showed that almost every household now has a booming vegetable garden.

Over the years, Victoria Falls residents would rely on buying vegetables from Zambian vendors popularly known as omzanga who would cross the border daily using temporary passes to sell goods including vegetables, tomatoes, green mealies, sweet potatoes and second hand clothes.

Some vegetables also came from as far as Lupane and Umguza districts as well as Bulawayo, Chegutu, Harare and Gokwe.

Because of the distance, vegetables were expensive in Victoria Falls where a bundle that is generally worth US$1 in Bulawayo was sold for between US$3 and US$5 in Victoria Falls.

Kalahari soils which make farming less viable and borehole drilling unthinkable also contributed to less people doing gardening as there are no community boreholes like in other towns.

People would afford to buy vegetables from shops and vendors and not worry about growing their own because they had disposable income from the tourism industry.

However, the outbreak of Covid-19 changed lifestyles as many have been left jobless.

While some have resorted to complaining about life becoming tougher or others resorting to flouting lockdown regulations by frequenting drinking spots such as shebeens, others have become industrious and started viable horticulture businesses that have literally turned Victoria Falls green.

Mr Herbert Masunda of Chinotimba, who was employed by African Sun, said gardening has become his family’s source of income.

“I have been doing gardening as hobby for many years but now because of lockdown I have realised that it’s actually a source of livelihood. I have more time to work in the garden because I have nothing else to do and this has improved our livelihoods because we now have enough vegetable supply for consumption. We also sell some and use the money to buy mealie meal and other basics,” he said.

Mr Masunda said he can make US$5 per week.

“There are few customers these days because of the situation as almost everyone is growing vegetables in their backyards,” he said.

Mrs Sikhangeziwe Nyathi of Mkhosana said she makes US$5 per day from her garden.

She is one of dozens residents who established gardens at an open space near Smart Corner.

“I have been doing gardening since 2009 but this time I have plenty vegetables compared to other years. This is because I have nothing else to do since I am not going to work because of the lockdown and have dedicated all the time to gardening.

“On a good day I can get US$5 and we are able to buy mealie meal, meat and other basics from that. Generally, almost everyone now has a garden and some come here to get suckers and seedlings for their gardens. So, we are now drying most of the vegetables because you may not know what the future holds, we may run out of water and need these dried vegetables in future,” she said.

Some have started community gardens here and they work as groups.

Ms Loveness Nyoni, coordinator of Energy Star Smart Garden which was established by 20 members on 18 May in Mkhosana said: “This has become a source of income. We are members of Women’s Voice

Housing Cooperative Society Limited and people had stopped paying subscriptions because of the situation, but since we started the garden, we have resumed paying using money from sale of vegetables.”

The 20 members fetch water from Ms Nyoni’s nearby house for the garden and share the water bill.

The taskforce on Covid-19 has also capacitated residents and villagers outside Victoria Falls with seedlings to start gardening projects.

Pastor Stanfordias Ndlovu who heads the pastors’ wing of the taskforce said the idea is to mitigate against effects of Covid-19 and make sure families have food.

“Many are now selling to the feeding scheme hence they have stable source of income for the time being,” he said.-@ncubeleon

Source: Vegetables beat Covid-19  (20/08/20)

Victoria Falls Community Programme Serves up 50,000 Children's meals

With virtually the entire town of Victoria Falls out of work due to the collapse of tourism, and with no source of income to support their families, children are bearing the brunt of run-on effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on our community. Most are not getting more than one small bowl of maize porridge or bread a day. 

Utilising seven churches and school locations across Chinotimba and Mkhosana, the Children’s Feeding Programme, organised by the Pastoral Counselling and Community Support Group and the Victoria Falls Covid-19 Taskforce, aims to supply one meal per day, Monday to Friday for school-age children in the region. It is estimated that there are approximately 8,000 children enrolled in different schools across Victoria Falls.

Launched on 14th July, the first day of the program opened with two community kitchens serving over 400 children, and one week later all seven community kitchens were operational, with a total of 14,314 meals served over the first 7 days of the programme.

By the second week of the Programme over 4,000 meals were being served each day, and by the 13th day a total of over 40,000 meals had been served by the Programme through its seven community kitchens - reaching a landmark total of 50,000 meals on the 16th day.

The Pastors Counselling and Community Support Group has been central to the introduction of this programme. This group is made up of representatives from the Union for the Development of Apostolic Churches in Zimbabwe Africa (UDACIZA), the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe (EFZ), Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), and Victoria Falls Ministers Fraternity among others and is open to all Christian affiliations.

Hundreds of face masks have also been distributed to the children through the kitchens, which also gave the pastors an opportunity to take temperatures and assess the health of each child.

The programme is the result of huge efforts on the ground as businesses and communities have joined forces to establish and then scale up this huge operation. Hotels and lodges have donated perishables including vegetables and salads from their kitchen gardens, national and regional companies and businesses donated other food supplies, allowing provision of nutritiously balanced meals. Local restaurants have enrolled their staff to help prepare ingredients and tourism operators have provided supporting storage and transport logistics.

Grateful thanks to the amazing individuals making all this happen on the ground, including Gail van Jaarsveldt, Dani Connolly and Christie Brookstein from the Jafuta Foundation, Chef Russell from Shearwater Adventures, Brian Nyamande and the Pastor’s group who have worked tirelessly to set up this programme.

Gail van Jaarsveldt of the Jafuta Foundation is leading fundraising efforts to support this much needed programme: "We are appealing for those of you that can, to please join hands with us to help in anyway that you can so that our children’s Food Kitchens will continue for as long as we are able, or for as long as they are necessary until international aid reaches us. It costs us 25c to give one child a nutritious meal, once a day."

It has been estimated that more than three quarters of workers in Victoria Falls have been unemployed for more than three months after the implementation of the tourism close-down at the end of March. A significant portion of those retained by the industry are on reduced hours and pay.

For more information - www.victoriafallsappeal.com

Follow on Facebook - Victoria Falls Good Causes

Donate: JustGiving

5 000 Vic Falls Children Go Hungry As Feeding Scheme Is Suspended

ABOUT 5 000 vulnerable children in Victoria Falls went without food Friday after the planned nationwide protests on the day saw the suspension of a feeding scheme that has been running for the past two weeks.

The Covid-19 local taskforce initiated a feeding scheme early this month targeting to feed about 9 000 vulnerable children in the country’s tourism capital with hot lunches from Monday to Friday.

The number was brought down to 5 000 as the target.

However, the vulnerable children were left hungry Friday after the feeding scheme was forced to cancel due to a lockdown and residents’ travel restrictions

In a statement, the local taskforce said police on patrol Thursday banned the feeding scheme.

“Dear all! We are not conducting feeding programme at the request of ZRP,” the taskforce said.

The feeding takes place every Monday to Friday with the exception of weekends and there are seven feeding points at schools and churches in Mkhosana and Chinotimba high-density locations.

Some children who had missed the message went to feeding points and found no one while other parents responded angrily, castigating the organisers of the botched protests for disrupting the scheme.

“Today (Friday) our children are not going to get free food from the seven feeding points dotted around Victoria Falls because of this day. This is not right and our children will starve,” one parent complained after learning the free lunch would not be available.

Meanwhile, the Covid-19 taskforce has made an appeal for more donations to continue with the programme.

“We need to have a common goal to continue fund-raising efforts to support this. We need constant supplies of food and other materials such as detergents, and roofing sheets to construct foodsheds at feeding points,” said the taskforce in the statement.

Targeted are infants to high school students and is meant to cushion them from hunger as most of their families are struggling to provide daily decent meals.

In the past, Victoria Falls was not on the international food aid radar because of its once flourishing tourism industry. However, the demise of the sector due to the Covid-19 pandemic has left thousands of children exposed to hunger.

This is because the pandemic has rendered more than 90% of tourism workers jobless as the majority of operators, hotels and lodges terminated contracts of workers because of lack of business.

Victoria Falls now needs food assistance like never before, with some adults also turning up to beg for food meant for minors from infants to high school.

The taskforce said after feeding 500 children on the first day on July 14, the number had grown to more than 5 000 per day and a cumulative of 39 934 last Thursday.

Numbers have been steadily rising since the first day with some parents accompanying their children. The minors are given lunch consisting of sadza or rice with cabbage or beans and coleslaw, as well as nutritional porridge for malnourished babies.

Source: 5 000 Vic Falls Children Go Hungry As Feeding Scheme Is Cancelled (01/08/20)

Vic Falls feeding scheme benefits 4000 children

Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
A daily community feeding programme initiated by the taskforce on Covid-19 in Victoria Falls last week has attracted close to 4 000 vulnerable children.

A steering team comprising pastors from various churches in Victoria Falls and some individuals from the taskforce are overseeing the programme.

They are targeting more than 8 000 school pupils up to Advanced Level, a figure which the organisers say is informed by findings of their research.

From less than 1 000 children fed on the first day on Wednesday last week, the figure shot up to 3 377 on Tuesday this week and increased to 3 870 on Wednesday.

Seven feeding points have been opened at Apostolic Faith Mission Church, Salvation Army, Christian Centre, Family of God, Seventh Day Adventist, United Methodist Church and Trust in God Pre-School.

The feeding centres are in both Mkhosana and Chinotimba high density suburbs.

Kids are served either isitshwala or rice with soya mince, beans and coleslaw.

Various well-wishers in Victoria Falls donated mealie-meal and other items while part of the rice came from the 30 tonnes of rice given to the local taskforce by the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare recently.

The programme comes after the realisation that the Covid-19 induced lockdown had left most families facing hunger. The closure of the tourism industry in the resort town left about 80 percent of workers jobless.

The feeding programme is a relief to some families that had resorted to one meal per day due to lack of food.

Ms Nyarai Mudimba (40) of Chinotimba who was at AFM feeding point with her three children, one aged 13, the other one 10 and another less than a year, said she was happy that her chilren are now guaranteed lunch.

“For the past months we have been having one meal which was in the evening and just porridge in the morning. We had resorted to beg from neighbours and I am happy that now we can have two proper meals a day,” she said.

Another parent Ms Florence Ncube (29) whose two children are being fed said: “We were struggling to have decent meals after my husband lost his job in the tourism sector. This is a relief because it’s been hard especially with minor children who need food regularly. I can now make porridge in the morning knowing we are assured of their lunch and then have our supper. All along we have been foregoing both breakfast and lunch to save for supper and kids were now eating left overs in the morning.”

Feeding is from Monday to Friday between 12.30PM and 2PM.

Source: Vic Falls feeding scheme benefits 4000 children (24/07/20)

Winter warmer for Vic Falls orphans, elderly

Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

THE Hindoo community in Harare and the Rotary Club of Victoria Falls have separately donated blankets and gloves to an old people’s home and two orphanages in the resort town to cushion them during winter.

The Hindoo community which incorporates the Muslim group, with more than 6 000 members in the country, also donated blankets to Victoria Falls isolation centre at Zimbabwe Aids Project Clinic.

Chinotimba Old People’s Home got 24 blankets while Rose of Charity and Mummy’s Angels orphanages received 10 each, with the isolation centre getting 16.

Chinotimba Old People’s Home now has 14 elderly persons after one died last week after a long illness.

Victoria Falls businessman Mr Jay Gopal and his wife Mrs Shakuntala Gopal handed over the blankets on behalf of the Hindoo Community in Harare. The donation came after a realisation of the need for blankets by the old people’s home and orphanages during winter.

Mrs Gopal said the Hindoo community will always help the needy.

“It is the Harare Hindoo society that’s giving the donation as they have always been donating to charity. After donating a fridge to the isolation centre recently, they inquired if there was anything needed and we indicated there is need for blankets for winter for the old people’s home and orphanages,” said Mrs Gopal.

Welcoming the donation on behalf of the isolation centre, Mr Martin Mhlanga encouraged other well-wishers to donate to the needy.

Rose of Charity founder Mrs Simangele Moyo said the orphanage is facing challenges sourcing food, medication and blankets.

“These blankets will go a long way in helping keep kids warm. Covid-19 has turned our situation into a desperate one as well-wishers are no longer able to help. We are no longer getting food and medication donations the way we used to because of the prevailing situation,” she said.

Rose of Charity takes care of 79 orphans, 23 of them housed at the orphanage with the rest being taken care of by the home while living in the community.

Speaking on behalf of the Hospitality Association of Zimbabwe which coordinates corporate social responsibility by the tourism industry in Victoria Falls, Ms Yvonne Jandles said the industry was always ready to donate to charity despite the challenges brought about by Covid-19.

“The home is not closed despite the Covid-19 lockdown. It’s unfortunate a lot of things were put on hold but anyone who wants to donate should approach the home as they need winter items including some mattresses,” she said.

Tourism executive Mrs Barbara Murasiranwa handed over knitted knee blankets and gloves to Chinotimba Old People’s Home on behalf of Victoria Falls Rotary Club. She said the Rotary Club will donate to the orphanages.-@ncubeleon

Source: Winter warmer for Vic Falls orphans, elderly (10/06/20)

Victoria Falls Old people’s home falls on hard times

Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

CHINOTIMBA Old People’s Home in Victoria Falls is now failing to provide decent meals for 15 elderly people housed at the facility.

Sometimes the home skips a meal while relish is now limited to soya chunks and vegetables.

The old people’s home used to get donations from individuals, hotels, tour operators, tourists, churches and schools who are now not helping as they have been incapacitated by Covid-19 restrictions.

Some doctors from Victoria Falls Hospital who used to take turns to visit the home during weekends have also stopped because of commitments in the fight against Covid-19.

A Chronicle news crew visited the home and spoke to members of the board who said the elderly lack access to medication and are facing food shortages.

“We no longer have any company coming to donate or spend time because of the lockdown caused by Covid-19. It’s now tough for us and we are just surviving by grace. Our major challenge is on medication and food, especially relish,” said Mr James Nyoni, a board member.

“We need gloves, medication including pain killers and adult diapers because some are bed-ridden. These are elderly people who are actually sick and we should be having pain killers at any given time.

Five of them are on mental health treatment and we have to buy pills and injections every month which needs foreign currency that we don’t have. On average each injection or tablet is US$10 per month per person.”

He said before the lockdown they used to get some forex from tour operators, hotels and tourists who visited the home and would use the money to buy medication in Zambia where it’s cheaper than locally.

Mr Nyoni commended TM Pick n Pay supermarket which has maintained a RTGS$2 000 monthly grocery voucher donation which they use to buy mealie-meal.

He said the home desperately needs assistance.

“As much as we observe lockdown rules, we desperately appeal for donations. If we don’t get help some might die of hunger. We have no stocks anymore as the lockdown closed out people who used to help us hence, we are just managing the little we have to survive. Each time we are not sure if we would manage to serve them the next meal,” said Mr Nyoni.

The home has a vegetable garden but baboons destroy the crops.

They are also struggling to refill a gas tank which they use for cooking.

Source:  Victoria Falls Old people’s home falls on hard times (30/05/20)

Nearly U.S.$18,000 Raised to Boost Anti-Poaching Efforts in Victoria Falls

Nearly US$18,000 has been raised to combat poaching in Zimbabwe's top tourist destination of Victoria Falls by an annual fundraising golf tournament, coordinated, hosted and sponsored by hospitality group Africa Albida Tourism.

A total of US$17, 852 was raised at the 19th annual Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Unit (VFAPU) Golf Day at Borrowdale Brooke Golf Club on September 20, where 136 players, making up 34 teams, teed off for the charitable cause playing a 4 Ball Alliance format.

The tournament was won by the Toyota 2 team, made up of Yeukai Gatsi, Felix Sachiti, Fanuel Moffat and Irimayi Madyambudzi, who finished on 99 points, while Curverid Tobacco's Natural Disaster and Paperhole Investments took second and third places respectively.

The lucky winners each took home an accommodation voucher for two nights for two people at the premium Victoria Falls Safari Club, with breakfast included, and one dinner at The Club restaurant.

Dendairy won the Best Dressed Ladies' Team, while Trentyre was named the Best Dressed Men's Team, and the Zimbabwe Special Olympics Team, sponsored by The Bronte Hotel, participated in the event for the sixth year.

The lucky raffle winners went home with a four-night fully inclusive safari package for two, staying at Matetsi Private Game Reserve and Camp Hwange; two return regional air tickets on BA Comair; and three nights for two at Ruckomechi Camp in Mana Pools.

Africa Albida Tourism (AAT) chief executive Ross Kennedy said the success of the VFAPU Golf Day was yet another example of the incredible strength and character of our community in the midst of a very tough economy.

"Many regular supporters stated it was the best VFAPU Golf Day ever, and we thank every single person involved for making it happen ... our AAT team, Borrowdale Brooke Golf Club and all players, sponsors and donors," Kennedy said.

The golf day is just one element of our continued fundraising efforts and so we urge those who can still assist in cash or resources to please consider supporting VFAPU," he said.

VFAPU head of operations Charles Brightman thanked everyone involved, saying the funds raised annually at this tournament were vital to VFAPU's survival and this would go a long way towards covering the unit's operational costs.

VFAPU's 17 scouts, who tackle all forms of poaching in the Victoria Falls region, have arrested 792 serious poachers since the unit was established in 1999 by Brightman, a professional guide and conservationist, and Victoria Falls Safari Lodge, AAT's flagship property.

The unit, which works closely with the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and the Zimbabwe Republic Police, has also removed nearly 22 500 wire snares from its operational area, and rescued 243 mammals injured by snares.

Source: Nearly U.S.$18,000 Raised to Boost Anti-Poaching Efforts in Victoria Falls (03/10/19)

Hell and High Water

Phillips Idowu (and Jack Dee in the background!) walking with local school children.
Image credit and copyright: Tom Dymond/Comic Relief Ltd/Rex Features

Written by Peter Roberts for the Zambezi Traveller

Six celebrities from the UK took on the Zambezi Challenge in January to raise money for the British charity Comic Relief. Former Spice Girl Melanie Chisholm, actress Chelsee Healey, DJ Greg James, Olympian Phillips Idowu and comedians Dara O'Briain and Jack Dee battled the rapids and dodged the rocks, crocs and hippos as they canoed and rafted over 111km down the Zambezi River over five days.

Read full article in the latest issue of the Zambezi Traveller and also available online on the Zambezi Traveller website.