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THE United States of America has pledged to donate an additional $4 million towards drought relief programmes for starving communities in Zimbabwe.
United States Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Bruce Wharton, said the funding would be channelled through the World Food Programme (WFP).
The donation brings to $29 million the funding given to Zimbabwe for food relief in worst affected areas.
Speaking before presenting monthly food rations to villagers in Ntabazinduna on Tuesday, Wharton said: “We will continue to work through USAID for sustainable food security to help build an economically stable Zimbabwe.
“We believe that since the country has received good rains people are going to farm and be in a position to feed their families. We are also looking forward to a time when Zimbabweans will use their resources because the country has potential to grow its economy.”
WFP Zimbabwe regional manager Praxedes Moyo said: “We have several ongoing programmes that we have implemented to help alleviate hunger.
“Of the additional $4 million donated by USAID, we will channel three quarters of that to local businesses.
“We will offer people vouchers to do their grocery shopping at local shops so that local business people also benefit.
“We are also calling for everyone to work hard so that we move from dependency and acquire our own assets to address hunger as Zimbabweans without aid in the near future.”
Headman Mkhanyeli Khumalo expressed gratitude for the donation and urged villagers to take advantage of the rains to produce more food.
“We are grateful for the continued food relief programmes in our communities as we have suffered a lot. Such programmes are empowering us to be independent villagers,” he said.
Online Reporter