from act for peace, the international aid agency of the National Council of Churches in Australia
To download the high resolution photo that aligns with this release, please go to: http://www.ncca.org.au/actforpeace/zimbabwe_media_release.
Australian households are beginning to feel the financial strain of a global economic crisis. The spirit of giving and sharing at Christmas time will be a true test of people’s generosity this year. However, while we face a difficult and uncertain period, Zimbabwe is in crisis.
More than 5.1 million Zimbabweans need food aid urgently, as the country is crippled by a collapsed economy, severe food insecurity, a lack of basic service delivery, a political stalemate and a devastating Cholera outbreak. In the past few weeks, aid channels have been opened again and it is time to help.
The Christmas Bowl supports several partners in Zimbabwe including Christian Care Zimbabwe, which delivers food aid and agricultural assistance to more than 720,000 people.
Christian Care Director, Reverend Forbes Matonga said, “As a nation, we are confronted with the greatest humanitarian challenges of our time. The near collapse of the financial system, near destitution of close to five million members of our population who are now reliant on food aid, a run away cholera epidemic already spinning out of control and spilling beyond our borders and the HIV/AIDS scourge.”
The Christmas Bowl has been a source of resilience and hope during the protracted 10 year food crisis in Zimbabwe. During this time, Australian churches have demonstrated a significant kinship through the Christmas Bowl by standing in solidarity with the people during the country’s immense struggles.
Rev. Matonga said, “We express our profound gratitude to the goodwill of the Australian people for standing by us during our darkest hour.”
78 lives have been lost to Cholera in Beitbridge where Christmas Bowl helps provide rainwater tanks. The outbreak has spread to all of the nation’s eight provinces, killing more than 1000 people. Cholera is spreading because of Zimbabwe's collapsing infrastructure. The Australian church community needs to engage and contribute meaningfully to combat this horrendous loss of life.
Despite Zimbabwe’s immense challenges, the people are resilient, and are still full of optimism and hope.
Rev. Matonga said, “As a people of faith we remain hopeful and confident that God will remember us and heal our land. May the Good Lord honour your service and assistance to the people of Zimbabwe.”
Christian Care Zimbabwe is calling the Australian church community to support the Christmas Bowl and ensure that it can continue to:
• Improve household food security through environmentally friendly, low cost methods of crop production.
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• Fight the root causes of poverty by positively empowering communities at the grassroots level.
Alistair Gee, Executive Director of act for peace said, “The crisis in Zimbabwe is staggering and we must do our part to assist Zimbabweans. A gift of $35 to this year’s Christmas Bowl can provide a farmer with a supply of high yield maize, millet and cowpea seeds and $94 can educate farmers in efficient farming methods. act for peace aims to send at least $160,000 to help Zimbabweans in the coming months, so we need your support. Despite our personal hardships and the crisis we face in Australia, we should consider Zimbabwe’s people as we share Christmas with our loved ones.”
The Christmas Bowl is a program of act for peace, the international aid agency of the National Council of Churches in Australia.
For further comment from the Executive Director, please contact Edwyn Shiell, Marketing & Communication Coordinator, on 0402 254 968.
www.actforpeace.org.au
