adminFrom George Maponga at CHINGWIZI in Mwenezi
A FRESH humanitarian crisis looms at Chingwizi following the withdrawal of critical services by non-governmental organisations, leaving 3 000 families at risk of diseases. Action Faim, GIZ and IOM have left the holding camp while Oxfam and Bhaso are winding up operations. The NGOs provided water and sanitary facilities for the Tokwe-Mukosi Dam flood victims.
The NGOs specialised in toilet construction, provision of portable water and carried HIV/Aids awareness campaigns.
Families are now sharing 36 temporary toilets after 64 were decommissioned.
Camp dwellers told The Herald at the weekend that they were now using the bush because of the shortage of toilets.
Chairman of the Chingwizi village heads committee Mr Mike Mudyanembwa said the situation was gloomy.
“We are only left with about 36 temporary toilets which are being shared by over 3 000 households and there can never be a greater disaster than that.
“We used to have over 100 toilets at this camp but the rest were decommissioned after they filled up. The toilets were three metres deep and once they are filled to about two metres with waste they are closed,’’ said Mr Mudyanembwa.
He said no new toilets were being built forcing families to scramble for the remaining ones.
“We now fear that there will be an outbreak of diseases like cholera because at night it is impossible to use the bush so some people end up leaving their waste just outside their tents.
“The withdrawal by most of the NGOs has already started creating problems for us,’’ added Mr Mudyanembwa.
He said an average three cows were dying a day because of the shortage of dipping chemicals.
Mr Mudyanembwa said families were considering going back to the flood basin.
They are demanding US$9 million compensation from Government and four hectare pieces of land.
Bhaso director Mr Farai Mahaso warned of an impending health disaster if no urgent action is taken at Chingwizi.
“We are winding up our operations at Chingwizi after exhaustion of our budget but our fear is that there might be a very serious health disaster at the holding camp especially owing to shortage of toilets,” he said.
“We have been decommissioning toilets at the camp and we have not built any new ones there. Several other organisations (NGOs) that assisted in that line have already pulled out or are winding up.”
Mr Mahaso said Bhaso would soon engage its sponsors for more funding.
“We have built about 300 toilets and we are in the process of drilling 24 boreholes on permanent plots but the challenge is that the majority of the families are still in the temporary camp which is overcrowded,’’ he said.
Masvingo Provincial Affairs Minister Kudakwashe Bhasikiti confirmed that some NGOs had either pulled out or were in the process of doing so.
He said on a positive note Plan International and the World Food Programme would soon provide food baskets to families at Chingwizi for the next four months.
“Some of these NGOs are now realising that they had not done anything to families at Chingwizi and we were going on without their support but we welcome those who are coming to offer assistance,’’ he said.
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