Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
MATABELELAND North has received 195 tonnes of rice from Government to be shared by all 13 constituencies in the province.
The People’s Republic of China donated the rice to President Mnangagwa in December last year.
The rice is meant for rural communities with each constituency getting 15 tonnes to supplement the grain that is distributed on a monthly basis to fight starvation.
A total of 300 bags of 50kg each were delivered in Victoria Falls for Hwange West Constituency on Tuesday.
Some constituencies have also collected theirs in Bulawayo.
Each Member of Parliament was asked to mobilise transport to ferry the rice from Bulawayo to their constituencies.
Matabeleland North provincial Social Welfare officer Mr Macnon Chirinzepi said the rice is part of Government’s obligation to provide social protection to vulnerable and disadvantaged communities.
He said the province has close to 88 000 vulnerable households.
“This is another social welfare scheme coming through Constituencies which is why MPs were asked to look for transport. Distribution will be done in the presence of social welfare.
“We are targeting vulnerable households including those that are already receiving grain from Government as we seek to improve their basket. Those who may have been left out in the existing schemes will not be side-lined as well,” said Mr Chirinzepi.
Lupane East MP Cde Mbongeni Dube said his constituency had already started distributing the rice.
Hwange West MP Mr Godfrey Dube said stakeholders in his constituency were identifying additional beneficiaries to those on the social welfare list.
“Here in Hwange West we decided to put the consignment under the care of the taskforce team that was set up for the Covid-19 situation although the donation was not meant for coronavirus initially. It’s the Government of Zimbabwe through President Mnangagwa that gave MPs the rice to assist people regardless of political affiliation and not for campaign purposes.
“We are not yet distributing anything and we have tasked church and community leaders, councillors, and the taskforce team to identify deserving people. It’s important to note that this was not directed towards the Covid-19 situation but if need be those affected by it can be given,” said Mr Dube.
He said priority will be given to health institutions, vulnerable children and the elderly especially in rural areas.
Meanwhile, the social welfare department is running a number of schemes targeting the vulnerable in the province.
These include drought relief for ultra-poor families, food for work for those who are poor but able to work, relief for refugees and homeless, public assistance allowance, Assisted Medical Treatment Orders, vocational and tertiary training as well as procurement of assistive technologies for people with disabilities, school fees for vulnerable children through the Basic Education Assistance Module and social service to children’s and old people’s homes.
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