Trust fund for Tsholotsho floods victims

THE Tsholotsho District Civil Protection Unit (CPU) committee has launched a Trust Fund to enable well-wishers to help flood victims in the district.

The development comes at a time when the flood victims have agreed to be relocated to a new area.

Heavy rains that pounded the country in recent weeks destroyed roads, several bridges and left many people in some parts of the country homeless.

Tsholotsho District was the worst affected with more than 1 000 people being moved to a temporary camp in Sipepa.

Tsholotsho North MP Professor Jonathan Moyo on Thursday met the victims and the CPU District Committee.

"Principally it's the Government's responsibility, which is why it has been declared a state of national disaster. Government has to play a leading role in mobilising the critical resources required.

"However, this is an area like many others across the country which has some of its sons and daughters in the diaspora.

"Quite a number of them have been asking how they can assist in this situation. I'm pleased that the CPU Tsholotsho has responded by coming up with a Trust Fund which will enable the well-wishers in and outside the country to contribute directly," said Prof Moyo.

He said he was also pleased that the Trust Fund has a structure involving the traditional leadership in the community, with Chief Mathuphula playing an advisory role.

Prof Moyo said Tsholotsho District Administrator, Ms Gladys Zizhou and the Tsholotsho Rural District Council (RDC) chief executive officer Mr Themba Moyo, the Department of Social Welfare, Plan International and Red Cross were part of the Trust Fund.

"There is no other part of the country which is experiencing what Tsholotsho is going through.

"It's a total destruction of the community's livelihood, making it practically impossible to repair anything and restore normal life.

"What is happening here requires a radical transformation of the community to move it permanently. We're talking about 300 households or over 1 000 people accommodated in a temporary place," said Prof Moyo.

He said the area where the community has to be moved was not yet ready, meaning affected villagers would spend a few more months at the camp.

"Accommodating that number of people for a temporary period, which we initially said was three months but obviously it would be more than that, is a serious challenge.

"A camp is not the ideal accommodation for the community because this situation affects them psychologically but I'm glad that they have for the first time agreed to relocate from the land of their ancestors, provided there will be a relationship between the new homes and the previous fields because the land there is fertile," said Prof Moyo.

He commended the local CPU for working hard to convince people to move as well as making sure that the affected families get help.

"They're really battling with the situation. Most of what is needed to sustain the community for at least three months is not yet there and this is a serious situation.

"What's critical is to build confidence in the community that not only are we pointing them to a new place but that they will get the support to build the new homes, schools, clinics and also upgrade Sipepa and Jimila schools," said Prof Moyo. The RDC proposed a three-roomed house and a kitchen hut for each household.

The meeting was attended by government officials from various departments, Zanu-PF officials, NGOs, development partners and the community leadership.

Prof Moyo donated food items worth $3 500, while the John Landa Nkomo Memorial Trust donated 1 000 loaves of bread and Glow Petroleum donated 2 000 litres of diesel and 973 litres of petrol.

The flood victims also received an elephant from the Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authourity, clothing and food items from the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe, among others.