I have been honored to be part of an on-going project that facebook helped organise (woohoo for social networking!). I would like to outline it here for my friends who are not on facebook.

During the 2008 festive season, when things in Zimbabwe got markedly worse, we felt moved by God to mobilise a group of our (mostly Zimbabwean) friends to do what they could to give food for Christmas to those who otherwise would not have had any. Because most of our friends are in the Diaspora/ West, they felt well-placed to do so, with the only real challenge being how to get foreign currency across Zimbabwe's then iron borders.... With the help of money transfer agencies, or donations by relatives on their behalf, said friends raised some money to buy food packs for strangers. It was never really meant to be much more than a helping hand, acknowledging that the situation in Zim had prevented people with jobs from providing food for their families, and our initial target was three families. Happily, a little bit of forex went a long way in Zimbabwe (still does), and with a bit of courage and a fair bit of prayer, a total of nine people were given basic food packs (10 kg mealie or corn meal, 500 g beans, 750 ml cooking oil- pix above) for their families. And the group of friends came to be known as The Plan.

After a little discussion, it was decided that the method of distribution being used was not the best, and that there was a definite skewing in terms of recipients (easily explained by how the recipients were identified); and so it was decided that the focus could perhaps shift to children. There is a local organisation called Zimbabwe Parents of Handicapped Children Association (ZPHCA) which is, as it says, a group of parents who work in the community to assist other parents of handicapped children, and ensure that children with disabilities are cared for. Because they are community-based, they are well-placed to locate children with needs, whether with disabilities or not... And there are enough stories in Zimbabwe to weep over many times over. Children with disabilities, and AIDS orphans, have been made particularly vulnerable by the events of the last ten to fifteen years. In short, with factory closures and job losses, as well as the decline in income, many families have struggled to keep things together, and the problems are many and complex. Children with disabilities need so much more financially than children without disability, in terms of health care, cost of schooling, etc; and usually one parent cannot work so as to look after the child. AIDS orphans have tended to fall through the cracks as there have been problems with the social welfare system.

ZPHCA has started a day care centre in Luveve, a local township, where they look after children with disabilities- basically a place for them to do basic exercises, play and eat (and sometimes that food is the only food the children get). ZPHCA has received some funding and aid from various organisations, but the need is always greater than what actually comes in. I visited the centre (pix above); as you can see, everything is absolutely basic. ZPHCA also took me around to children in the community, and The Plan was able to donate basic food packs (which have now grown to include 10 kg mealie meal, 500 g beans, 750 ml oil, 100 g dried fish, 375 ml peanut butter, 1 kg salt, and 2 kg sugar- pix above). I am still amazed by how much can be done when people work together.
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Edit Jun 18, '09: If you want to contact ZPHCA Bulawayo, please email them at: zphcabyo@yahoo.com or zphca@netconnect.co.zw