Support organisation revived

Elita Chikwati: Senior Reporter

Government has revived the Freedom From Hunger Campaign (FFHC) to assist vulnerable children and capacitate rural communities to be self sufficient. The organisation, which had collapsed in 2008 following economic hardships, used to target children and pregnant women affected by hunger.Addressing journalists yesterday, FFHC board chairman Dr Godfrey Sikipa, said former board chairperson and patron of the organisation, Dr Timothy Stamps, had played a pivotal role in its resuscitation.

Health and Child Care Minister Dr David Parirenyatwa had appointed a board for the organisation which will be launched next week. Board members include Dr Stamps, Ministry of Health and Child Care director of Epidemiology and Disease Control Dr Portia Manangazira, Professor Priscilla Mugabe, and Ms Salom Dube among others. Dr Sikipa said FFHC would continue targeting children with local funding and assistance from development partners.

“The board is putting emphasis on preventing hunger among children who can be damaged physically and mentally by not getting nutritious food. We will, emphasise on assisting communities to be able to produce on food and also reduce food losses,” he said.

Dr Sikipa said it was disturbing that some people were throwing away a lot of food when other children were starving. He said there was need to ensure that communities helped each other.

“This is in line with ZimAsset. We want to promote self sufficiency and this time we will also focus on equipping communities with irrigation facilities,” he said.

FFHC advisor and patron, Dr Stamps said there were a lot of people who were geared to do something for themselves if they received appropriate support.

“We will rely on grant from the Ministry of Health and Child Care and also source funding from development partners. If communities are educated, they will come up with various forms of assistance to the needy,” he said.

FFHC is a global movement started by the Food and Agriculture Organisation in 1960 to encourage support and capacitate developing nations to address issues of hunger.