Back to Index

Regaining dignity in Zimbabwe
Trócaire
December 05, 2007

Trócaire supports a number of feeding programmes in Zimbabwe and feeding programmes are absolutely essential in the short-term. They can however, also have the effect of stripping people of their sense of self worth and dignity if they extend beyond a necessary period.

Because of this Trócaire is also working to secure people's livelihoods so that they are able to prepare for and survive such shocks as food shortages and economic or political instability in the future. But the present food shortage is now entering a critical stage, coupled with hyper inflation rates and a volatile pre-election climate. It is now unclear how much people who have benefited from Trocaire funded projects in the past year will actually be able to cope with these multiple shocks or whether they will become some of the millions who will need food aid to survive over the coming months.

People such as Jane Mapongno and her neighbours who live in a ward 10 in the Mhondoro district of Zimbabwe and are part of the Cheziya self help group run by a local NGO, Tsungirirai, meaning perseverance. Tsungirirai, a Trocaire partner, works with the most vulnerable people in the community to encourage self-sufficiency, particularly for people affected by HIV/AIDS through self-help projects. They also work to reduce the stigma attached to HIV/AIDS. Jane supports her family of seven and four of her grandchildren whose parents have both died. Prior to joining the self-help group Jane and her friends would have been seen as the most vulnerable people in the district as they all lived below the poverty line, were either widowed or had no means of earning a living, and many are caring for extended families as a result of HIV/AIDs.

The Mhondoro district is one of many in Zimbabwe that continues to suffer the consequences of 2005's Operation Murambatsvina (Operation Restore Order or literally translated 'clear the filth') when many people were forced back to their rural roots with nothing but the clothes on their back. During Operation Restore Order, with little or no warning, often with great brutality, tens of thousands of houses, and thousands of informal business structures were destroyed without regard for the rights or welfare of the evictees.

As an already vulnerable group, Jane and her friends became even more challenged and vulnerable following Operation Restore Order as resources for few needed to be shared out among many more. Some even found themselves having to resort to begging. Because of this they were identified within their community as people who would benefit from participating in the self help group where they have been able to secure additional resources through the growing of vegetables for sale as well as participating in a savings and lending scheme.

However while their livelihoods have been improved, the women spoke emotionally about how this project gave them much more than that. In Jane's words ' before we were begging, now we are the same as others. We have our dignity back. Instead of crying for help we can plan and have a better future'. Our hope is that this future is not put on hold yet again due to the deteriorating conditions in Zimbabwe.

Please credit www.kubatana.net if you make use of material from this website. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License unless stated otherwise.

TOP