Mutare Rural Drought-Stricken Villages Find New Life Through European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) Programmes

By Evans Jona

MUTARE – In Zimbabwe’s drought-scarred heartland, where scorched earth stretches into a shimmering horizon and riverbeds run dry, hope often arrives not with thunderous rains, but with quiet, determined acts of compassion.

More than 11,900 villagers in the remote, sun-baked communities of Mutare rural are now benefitting from a life-saving humanitarian intervention aimed at addressing the interwoven crises of food insecurity, malnutrition, and gender-based violence (GBV).

Armed with a budget surpassing US$880,000, the programme — funded by the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO) — is being delivered through a collaboration between CARE Zimbabwe, Padare Men’s Forum, and Nutrition Action Zimbabwe. It targets the hardest-hit wards of 8, 13, 15 and 16, where successive droughts and failed harvests have left families on the brink.

Beyond food — restoring dignity

Speaking during a media tour of Zvipiripiri in Bocha on Wednesday, ECHO team leader Mr. Shingirai Saruchera painted a sobering picture of the humanitarian crisis silently unfolding in these rural outposts, while reaffirming the organisation’s commitment to leave no one behind.

“This project goes beyond the mere provision of food,” Mr. Saruchera told journalists. “We are delivering full food baskets through a voucher system to food insecure and vulnerable households. But equally important, we are addressing critical issues of nutrition and gender-based violence — the silent emergencies that often worsen in times of hunger.”

He explained that for Mutare rural, the commodity budget alone stood at 853,000 euros, later converted to United States dollars using the prevailing official exchange rate. The food package comprises 10 kilograms of maize meal per person, 750 milliliters of vegetable oil, 1.5 kilograms of plant-based protein, and dried beans — distributed in alignment with the Government’s Food Deficit Mitigation Strategy (FDMS).

In addition, three supplementary commodities are provided where food deficits persist, ensuring no one is left out.

The programme deliberately prioritises the most vulnerable — people officially registered by the Department of Social Development (DSD) on its government-owned food deficit mitigation strategy list.

DSD Social Development Officer Mr. Joseph Mwanaka explained that the department follows a rigorous set of indicators when selecting beneficiaries.

“Mostly, we choose households considered food poor because of labour constraints, chronic illnesses or advanced age,” said Mr. Mwanaka. “Some are child-headed families, others are over 65 and no longer labour productive. We also include people living with disabilities.”

He stressed that the selection process is a collaborative one involving Village Heads, Councillors, and ward development committees, ensuring fairness and transparency.

Stories etched in hardship and hope

At the bustling food voucher distribution point in Zvipiripiri, the young and old waited patiently under the oppressive midday heat, their expressions etched with hope.

Among them was 84-year-old Gogo Tambudzai Sungwai. Her story is one of resilience shaped by decades of rural life and the unpredictable rhythms of climate change.

“The rains failed us,” she said softly. “I used to survive by molding clay pots and exchanging them for maize meal. But even that is no longer possible.”

She spoke of how, in recent years, the seasons had betrayed them, harvests withered before reaching maturity, and streams that once sang through the villages had fallen silent.

“This food aid came just in time. My grandchildren now go to bed with full stomachs,” she smiled. “And we have learned how to prepare simple, nourishing meals from what we receive, thanks to the nutrition sessions.”

For Winnet Mushipe (39), a lactating mother of five from Nyamadzawo Village, the intervention has meant the difference between life and despair.

“I was struggling to feed my family,” she admitted, cradling her infant against her chest. “I didn’t have enough to eat, and it affected my ability to breastfeed. But now, with this food support and what we’re learning from the nutrition officers, I can fend for my children.

She added that the health tips shared by local village health workers under ECHO’s guidance had helped her improve her family’s well-being and taught her about basic hygiene and infant feeding practices.

In times of crisis, gender-based violence often intensifies, a grim but largely invisible epidemic that humanitarian workers here are determined to confront. Through this initiative, GBV awareness campaigns and safe spaces have been introduced into communities where the topic was once shrouded in silence and stigma.

Padare Men’s Forum has taken a lead role in these community dialogues, encouraging men to become allies in ending domestic violence.

Theresa Matongo (47) from Dzoma Village spoke of how poverty and hunger had fueled constant fights in her household.

“My husband and I used to argue a lot when there was no food,” she said. “The tension was unbearable. But after receiving assistance from ECHO, we are now communicating better.”

Mutare rural is one of several rural areas in Zimbabwe that grapples with food insecurity, exacerbated by erratic rainfall patterns and effects of climate change.

The ongoing assistance from ECHO and its partners forms part of a broader humanitarian response designed not only to protect lives but also to rebuild resilience in battered communities.

Mr. Saruchera said the consortium remains committed to working closely with local leaders and government structures to ensure aid reaches those most in need.

“This is not just about handing out food parcels, but about empowering communities with knowledge, protecting the vulnerable, and strengthening nutrition to build a healthier, self-reliant future,” he added.

As villagers collected their vouchers and nutrition supplements, there was a palpable sense of relief — a quiet acknowledgment that while the road ahead remains uncertain, they no longer walk it alone.

Programmes like these are a reminder that in the face of drought, hunger, and silence, coordinated humanitarian action can restore more than just livelihoods. It can restore dignity, agency, and hope.

For Gogo Tambudzai Sungwai and the thousands like her, these interventions are not mere projects on a ledger, but a reason to rise with purpose in the dawn of another dry season.

 

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