When all else fails, try urban farming/community gardening....

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Food security programme launched

Health Reporter

THE Mission to Live Trust, a nongovernmental organisation, has launched a food
security programme worth more than $1,5 billion to assist more than 3 000
orphans in the city.

In an interview, the Programmes Coordinator, Mr Nkululeko Tshuma, said the
oneandahalfacre plot in New Magwegwe suburb would go a long way in assisting
orphans in the city.
He said the planting of maize was the first phase of the programme that was
expected to assist the orphans with food and school fees.
"Many orphans are suffering especially those in child headed families. Through
this programme, we intend to assist them with food most of whom were being
overwhelmed by the burden of playing the role of parents to their siblings at
a young age," said Mr Tshuma.
"Part of the maize that will be harvested will also be sold to enable us to
raise money for the payment of school fees."
He said the organisation was expecting to harvest at least 30 tonnes of
maize.
Mr Tshuma said the second phase of the programme would involve the
establishment of incomegenerating projects that include market gardening,
poultry rearing and the establishment of herbal gardens.
He, however, appealed to he business community and other interested
stakeholders to assist in whatever way they could so that more orphans could
benefit from the programme.
"Clearly the resources we have are limited and we would like to appeal to the
community, the business community and other stakeholders to come and assist us
to make this programme a success and to benefit more orphans in Bulawayo,"
said Mr Tshuma.
He said they needed funds to drill a borehole at the site and a fence to
secure the field.
In Zimbabwe, the HIV and AIDS pandemic has made more than one million children
orphans.
About 20 percent of the country's 11.6 million population is HIV positive,
down from 24.6 percent two years ago.

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