Energy News
CLIMATE SCIENCE
'Crying from hunger': Zimbabwe drought hits children
'Crying from hunger': Zimbabwe drought hits children
By Fanuel JONGWE
Harare (AFP) June 5, 2024
Mother of four Laiwa Musenza is already reliant on aid from a local NGO to feed her family and Zimbabwe's drought is only getting deeper.

"Imagine hearing your children crying from hunger when you cannot do anything about it," the 54-year-old said.

At a farm on the outskirts of the capital Harare, a queue of children, some as young as three, and a small group of elderly gather near two large cooking pans.

A volunteer calls out names from a register and, plate in hand, the hungry take turns to step forward and receive small portions of macaroni and a soybean stew.

For most, it is their main, perhaps only, meal of the day.

The makeshift feeding station was the idea of Samantha Muzoroki and is the newest of five similar centres run by the immigration lawyer's Kuchengetana Trust.

It was started four months ago after parents at the Karibone Farm compound complained children were going to bed hungry as a result of crop failure in most parts of Zimbabwe.

Residents at Karibone earn a living from working part-time at neighbouring farms, but this year the farms had no jobs to offer because of the drought.

- Budget halved -

"We could only manage one meal per day. For those of us with young children it was particularly tough," Musenza told AFP.

Kuchengetana, which means "looking after each other", provides two meals to an average of 1,500 children a day at its five kitchens.

But Muzoroki fears that her organisation may be overwhelmed as the drought continues.

"Our movement is donor driven. We have had a huge dip in donations. We are receiving $400 every three months, down from $600 which is way below half of our budget," Muzoroki said.

"We try to make sure that every day everyone we cater for is able to get at least a meal a day if we fail to give them two meals.

"The drought is definitely going to affect us in many ways and I hope and pray that it doesn't lead us to closing any of our centres."

Zimbabwe is only one of a band of countries in Southern Africa experiencing food shortages due to the drought, which has been exacerbated by the El Nino climate phenomenon.

Last month, President Emmerson Mnangagwa declared a state of disaster, saying the country needed at least two billion dollars to respond to the drought.

At least 7.6 million people, almost half of the population, is in need of aid.

- Skipping meals -

The United Nations has appealed for $429.3 million to help people affected by the drought.

UNICEF also launched an urgent $84.9-million appeal last month "to provide lifesaving interventions... amidst a complex humanitarian crisis exacerbated by water and food shortages".

"Zimbabwe has been experiencing drought conditions now for a few months with failing harvests in key areas of agricultural production," UNICEF's Nicholas Alipui said.

Additionally, it is "experiencing overlapping emergencies through a cholera outbreak and we also have a situation of polio in the country", Alipui added.

In Epworth, a semi formal settlement east of the capital, families are skipping meals, while children are missing school as families struggle to find food.

"We are having two meals a day instead of three," said Letwin Mhande, a 36-year-old mother of four, whose fruit and vegetable store is struggling to find stock and customers.

"We eat once at midday and once before going to bed, sometimes we don't have food to give the children and they miss school."

Related Links
Climate Science News - Modeling, Mitigation Adaptation

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
CLIMATE SCIENCE
IMF to unlock nearly $600 million for drought-hit Zambia
Lusaka (AFP) June 4, 2024
The International Monetary Fund said Tuesday it has agreed to unlock $574 million in financial assistance to support for Zambia following severe drought. The "staff-level agreement" follows a review of a $1.3 billion loan the International Monetary Fund granted to the debt-ridden African nation in 2022, and is subject to approval by the IMF's executive board, it said. Vera Martin, the IMF's mission chief for Zambia, said, "The 2024 outlook has worsened due to the drought; GDP growth is now proj ... read more

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Vast Gets Approval for Solar Methanol Plant in Port Augusta

Singapore shipper claims milestone with bio-methanol refuelling

Studying bubbles can lead to more efficient biofuel motors

Chicken fat transformed into supercapacitor components

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Some countries could meet electricity needs with floating solar panels, research shows

Solar investment outstrips all other power forms: IEA

Atlas reveals solar energy potential in Germany

Upcoming Workshop to Address Net Billing Tariff and Net Energy Metering

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Why US offshore wind power is struggling - the good, the bad and the opportunity

Robots enhance wind turbine blade production at NREL

Offshore wind turbines may reduce nearby power output

Wind Energy Expansion Planned for China's Rural Areas

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Swiss renewable energy battle moves to the ballots

UN chief urges fossil fuel ad ban as heat records pile up

World falling short on 2030 renewables goal: IEA

Australia's first 'green bond' a $4.8 bn hit with markets

CLIMATE SCIENCE
AI Enhances Nanofiber Acoustic Energy Harvesters

Apple versus donut: How the shape of a tokamak impacts the limits of the edge of the plasma

Giant lithium partnership created in Chile

STEP Demo Supercritical CO2 Pilot Plant Produces Electricity

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Meet Neo Px: the super plant that attacks air pollution

Cambodia environmental activists boycott 'plotting' trial

Indonesia law giving religious groups mining permits sparks outrage

'Come back': Champs-Elysees wants to win over Parisians

CLIMATE SCIENCE
China's Xi says wants to deepen energy cooperation with Arab states

SE Asia gas expansion threatens green transition: report

Cleaner shipping fuel accelerated global warming: study

Shareholders back Exxon bullying of green investors

CLIMATE SCIENCE
Martian meteorites offer insights into Red Planet's structure

South Korea targets Mars mission with new space centre

Western geologists test instrument for Mars rover mission in search for life

RNA study reveals potential for life in Mars' extreme environments

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2026 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.