Ambassador visits resilience project in Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe
The Canadian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, H.E. Adler Aristilde, recently visited a project by Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC), a Mission and Service partner of the United Church, spending two days in the field with the organization and learning more about their work.
Aristilde joined Rev. Wilfred Dimingu, ZCC General Secretary, and Maria Tendai Dendere, Director for Humanitarian Services and Diakonia, for a two-day visit to Masvingo Province, where they learned firsthand about the Scaling Up Resilience Project. The project is delivered in partnership with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank and The United Church of Canada.
“The Canadian Ambassador’s visit was a significant milestone in reinforcing the partnership between Canada, the Government of Zimbabwe, and ZCC,” said Rev. Dimingu.
Zimbabwe faces many hardships, from frequent droughts, to unpredictable rains, tropical cyclones, economic instability, and disease outbreaks, including cholera. Many people face severe food insecurity, including in the Bikita and Gutu districts, where about 43 percent and 60 percent of people, respectively, are affected. The pressure of scarcity doesn’t just affect the dinner table—gender-based violence is on the rise, and many families can no longer afford to send their children to school.
Currently in its second year of implementation, the Scaling Up Resilience Project faces these challenges by reaching 1,376 households—or about 6,880 people—with practical training that addresses some of the challenges of food insecurity, climate change, and attaining sustainable livelihoods.
“The engagement not only showcased progress in addressing food security, gender-based violence, and promoting resilience,” said Rev. Dimingu, “but also reaffirmed collective commitment to achieving inclusive, sustainable development in Zimbabwe’s rural communities.”
The United Church of Canada celebrates this visit as an important recognition of the transformative work that the Zimbabwe Council of Churches is leading.