The Drought is Devastating

Corn stalks did not produce ears of corn. The growth was stunted and there was no harvest.

Southern Arica in general and Zimbabwe in particular, have been hard hit by a massive drought. President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe declared a national disaster over the drought. Zimbabwe has an agricultural-based economy so the nation as a whole has been thrown into a dire food shortage of unprecedented magnitude.

Portions of the corn field had no stalks, and in other areas there was very little growth.

2024 has been a very difficult year for the people of Zimbabwe and specifically the area around Murombedzi. Agriculture is the main source of living in the rural areas. With the drought, food sources and incomes have been drastically decreased. This is particularly devastating for the people near Home of Hope and Murombedzi.

The water supply has also been affected by the drought. Many of the wells in the Murombedzi area are shallow “surface” wells. The sandy ground provides a natural filtration to create clean water for drinking. The lack of rain has lowered the surface water so that the people are struggling to get clean drinking water.

A sunflower field devastated by the drought.

In response to the need for food, Faith in Communities Africa USA team has adjusted the focus for the area. They are temporarily moving from sustainability to emergency food relief. The USA team has committed to raising funds to provide food monthly until the next harvest in addition to the ongoing support needed to fund Home of Hope orphanage.