Make a meal of it, says Tearfund launching appeal

The charity is launching an appeal to support thousands of orphaned children and a sustainable farming initiative – with hundreds of UK Christians involved in barbeque fundraising events. Make a Meal of It is the perfect reason to have a barbeque this summer. Events can engage local church communities, bring awareness to the issues and raise funds, whilst making it fun, said Tearfund International Director, Peter Grant. . Of course Tearfund is unable to arrange the weather, but all money raised will enable churches in Zimbabwe to give the poorest people a step up, helping them to overcome extreme poverty.

Churches are at the heart of Zimbabwes long term recovery beyond aid relief and they are now reaching out to more people than ever, said Grant. The need for help, hope and transformation is on-going and urgent. We want churches in the UK to feel part of this, share in Zimbabwes transformation, and have fun at the same time.

Tearfund is supporting Foundations for Farming, an initiative linked with churches that is training local farmers around 100 at a time in Bulawayo and Harare. These farmers will in turn train 100 others in their communities, rolling out agricultural training to thousands of families, teaching them to grow food for themselves on a sustainable basis. The scheme, over five years, will see the number of newly trained farmers compounded, having the potential to produce food for communities as they become self-sufficient, feeding hundreds of thousands of people.

We are excited about this project because we see such potential in Zimbabwe again being able to feed itself, said Grant. People dont want to depend on relief aid. This sustainable farming will strengthen the poorest families that have had to rely on so little for far too long. After the desperate hardship that the country has suffered, it will help to build self-esteem and hope for the future.

The formation of a power-sharing government in 2009 returned a level of stability to Zimbabwe after a violent and contentious election, however widespread malnutrition had remained due to the shortage of food and the chronic deficiency of public services. Out of a population of an estimated 12.4 million there are some 1.3 million people living with HIV and children in Zimbabwe remain extremely vulnerable. Some 1.8 million children have lost one or both parents, chiefly to AIDS related illnesses.

Tearfund partner agency, Zimbabwe Orphans through Extended Hands (ZOE) works with church volunteers to mentor individual children and their families, giving them not a hand-out, but a hand-up. Currently 70,000 orphaned children receive training, guidance and spiritual support that is helping to release them from poverty.

Working in this way we have achieved miracles, helping to transform the lives of thousands of children and families, said Jean Webster, ZOEs founder.Today, with relative political stability, we have been blessed with a window of opportunity to reach even more vulnerable people in this way. Church volunteers can now reach children and people in remoter communities, without fear of violence.

At just 12-years-old, Shadreck is the head of his household, having lost his parents to AIDS related illnesses. He lives with his sister Primrose (aged 10) in a village near Bulawayo where home is a dilapidated shack shared with their elderly grandmother. They cook meagre food on a fire and their only furniture is a small table. On a small patch of land they were able to plant maize, but with no rain in January it is likely to fail, leaving them extremely vulnerable. Shadreck works on local farms to supplement his familys sparse income and help pay Primroses school fees, which means he doesnt attend school himself. He is smaller than his younger sister, who eats a midday meal at school.

I get very tired, Shadreck said. I wish I could go back to school and get enough food and clothing. The local Agape Pentecostal Church, that both children attend, provides porridge, sugar, beans, cooking oil and maize supplies once a month. Local church volunteer Sellinah Farakeza visits them regularly to offer support and she has taught them how to dig and plant their maize. With this church support, the children have hope and their faith remains strong.

I believe God is going to provide for us, said Primrose. With your prayers, and through your gifts, we can seize this opportunity to perform miracles in Zimbabwe and lift ever more people, and children like Shadreck and Primrose, out of poverty forever, added Webster. Sharing a faith, and a commitment to end poverty, with you, has helped us through the nightmare of the last few years.

A Make a Meal of It resource pack is available via the Tearfunds website. It includes recipe ideas, childrens activities, a quiz, and an invitation to give to friends, family, church and others in your local community.