16 OCT 2020 UPDATE

We have once again extended the deadline for this page, as we are feeding more children than ever - over 6000 daily - and hundreds of adults through Food for Work. Although our international border is open at Victoria Falls Airport, travellers are few and far between with the sad surge of COVID-19 cases in Europe and continuing in USA. We do not expect to see any kind of viable tourism until June next year, so we are really in the trenches now.

World Vision are on the ground and after an extensive assessment process are distributing usd12 per person a month to identified families. However they are only able to work in three areas of town and only have funds to assist 4700 people in our population of over 35 000, due to the massive need across the country. We are working together to try to cover as many families as possible with aid in various forms.

Thanks to Malcom Ainscough, Graham Springer and Jafuta Foundation, we have had a life giving injection of USD 60 000 (as per our updates) that will allow us to serve meals until the end of December. We are now working to assist schools to take over the feeding of their pupils, whilst we will feed the little ones and anyone not in school.

World Vision are here until at least April and have warned us that we will need to continue until at least then, so once again we are appealing to your amazing kindness and generosity to help us keep our town fed. Please spread the word where you can - we know so many people have donor fatigue and are facing another lockdown but we cannot give up. Thank you for being our lifeline.

UPDATED APPEAL

We started this page 5 months ago, not sure of what lay ahead of us as the ripple effect of the COVID-19 pandemic closed down our entire tourism based town of Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe literally overnight. All we knew was that what was to come would not be easy and that we needed to work as one giant family to care for each other to get through to other side.

Currently, we are right in the middle of the maelstrom and we are devastated. Zimbabwe has been identified as one of 27 countries in the world that is most likely to experience famine as a result of COVID-19 related economic issues. We rank between number 2 and number 5 on the Famine Early Warning System network as countries in most need and for the first time Victoria Falls and the Hwange District have been listed as Critical. Critical is described as one stage before outright emergency and famine and it is thought that this stage is only just being maintained by humanitarian assistance. It is estimated that 8.5 million people need food assistance in Zimbabwe.

Whilst we campaign for assistance from the big international food relief agencies, we are the only lifeline our town of 35 000 inhabitants has. As this disaster was not predicted on annual reports, it is understandably taking time for bodies such as World Food Program to come to our aid. It is estimated that job losses across the town stand at nearly 90 percent and those who do have jobs still are on severely reduced salaries. We cannot let our people starve and we need your help to ensure this.

We have already spent the original £9000 raised on food supplies and have doubled our target as the great need increases. With the money originally raised, we purchased mealie meal (maize staple food) and received a donation of rice from Ministry of Public Service, Labour & Social Welfare and purchased other basic food stuffs. We then set about figuring how best to distribute the food and have set up several schemes.

KIDS’ FEEDING SCHEME

Every week day, at 7 church and school kitchens, an army of 140 volunteers begin cooking giant pots of food, creating nutritiously balanced meals. By 12 o’clock the massive crowds of children have gathered, all standing in socially distanced groups, lunch tins in hand ready to receive for many what is their only meal of the day. We started with 400 kids and are now feeding up to 5000 a day. Thanks to our incredible volunteers, support from community businesses such as Shearwater Adventures, local food donors and our community gardens planted in March, we are able to feed each child for just 25 cents a meal! However when you multiply this by the numbers in need, we can only hope that with your generous help we can continue this scheme. Malnourished children are identified at these sites and given nutritional porridge to take home.

FOOD FOR WORK

Any adult in need of food can volunteer for our “Food for Work” program. Under this scheme, we ask volunteers to work for several hours on town regeneration projects, preparing for the return of tourism. In return they receive a snack meal and drink and a 10kg bag of mealie meal (maize staple food). To date we have collected over 3200 bags of litter, painted road markings following on from Ilala Lodge’s fine example, collected lantana from the rainforest under Greenline Africa’s guidance and planted trees. We are taking on more projects as the need for food grows. This scheme encourages community ownership of our town and natural resources and hope for those who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. A bag of mealie meal can cost anywhere from USD8 upwards depending on availability.

EMERGENCY DONATIONS

Through our wonderful Pastors’ network, which runs the children’s feeding scheme, families in great need are often identified by the children at the feeding stations. These include child-headed families and families with disabilities. Where possible, we donate food and goods packs to assist and the Pastors’ network monitors them from a social welfare point. It costs around £50 to feed a family of four for one month.

Zimbabwe continues to be in lockdown, with all businesses shut unless deemed essential and borders closed except for transit freight vehicles, as it battles the onslaught of COVID-19. This means supply lines are broken, most informal traders are not operating and few tourists are able to travel. We do not know how long this situation will continue, but world bodies are estimating until April 2021 at least before some signs of recovery will be seen.

Please can we ask you to help us in our fight against hunger, malnutrition and famine by donating whatever you can. The cost of a cup of coffee can feed 8 to 10 children in a day! We need the world’s help to help ourselves and we thank you for taking the time to read about our dire situation and hopefully for passing the information on to others. All funds received in the UK are passed on to USA registered Jafuta Foundation. If you are in USA, you can donate directly to Jafuta Foundation on Paypal to obtain tax rebates on your donation, details as below.

You can see your generosity at work and find out more about our schemes on Vic Falls Famine Appeal Instagram . Please contact Christie on kidamonafrique@gmail.com or Gail from Jafuta Foundation on gcvj@mweb.co.za or Kent on kent@shearwatervf.com for further information.

If you would prefer to donate through another platform, here are all of the options:

Please ref: FAMINE (where option)

PAYPAL : Jafuta Foundation

FOREX Account : Jafuta Foundation, First Capital Bank Limited Acc: 1059 077 Branch Code: 2598 Swift Code: BARCZWHX RTGS corresponding bankers : CORRESPONDING BANK DETAILS : US$ CROWN AGENTS BANK, LONDON CRASGB 2L

Local Zimbabwe Account : 2598 1034228 (FC transfer/zip it)

ECOCASH : Kim Schlachter (Finance and Resources contact) +263 77 802 5189

ORIGINAL APPEAL

As a result of Covid-19, the entire economy of Victoria Falls has collapsed overnight. The 35,000 inhabitants of this tourist destination town have regularly faced significant challenges and have always done so with stoicism, dignity and a degree of fatalism. This is the first time it has faced starvation as a result of factors beyond it's control.

Millions of tourists have three abiding memories of Victoria Falls.

Site of one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

Abundant African wildlife

The extraordinary people.

With the entire town now unemployed, we estimate that from the end of April, most will be unable to feed themselves. We have formed a task force to try and address not only the virus, but the greater threat of famine. We have tried to alert all the major food agencies across the world, but their attention is understandably focused elsewhere for now.

Zimbabweans are resourceful and dynamic (we've had to be). The community has set up a Task Force to deal with the dual challenges of the virus (and raise funds for badly needed medical supplies via a go fund me page) –and this imminent secondary wave of catastrophe. The Famine task force has organised commercial kitchens, warehousing, transport, logistics and an army of volunteers. To date we have only secured one supply of rice which will feed no more than 350 people for one month.

We urgently appeal for donations to allow us to procure emergency supplies. We are playing for time - eventually we hope established food agencies will come in and relieve our needs - but it is nowhere in sight for now, and we are on our own. £50 feeds a family of four for one month. Please give generously.

Our task force and fundraising effort is supported by ALL the major operators and stakeholders in the town . All funds received in the UK, will be transferred to a registered trust www.jafutafoundation.com.