Chronicle Editor
Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Senior Reporter
GOGO Hilda Ncube (72) from Hlababomvu Village, Ward 9 in Matobo District remembers waking up to pounding rains as a result of Tropical Storm Anna which reduced one of her thatched huts to a heap of mud and sticks in January this year.
Within a few minutes floods had soaked the widow’s few belongings.
She lost everything to the disaster, only escaping with the clothes she was putting on together with her five grandchildren.
Tropical Storm Anna was first detected in Zimbabwe on January 25 and left a trail of destruction in more than 100 households in Matobo District. Moderate to heavy rains with daily maximums of 80mm accompanied by strong winds of up to 80km per hour pounded several communities in the country.
More than 3 000 people were affected by the heavy rains and flooding which damaged schools, bridges and roads. The tropical storm first hit Mozambique before it washed away many homes in Matabeleland South and Manicaland provinces.
Although five of her children are working in South Africa, Gogo Ncube had to endure sleepless nights in the remaining hut which is not suitable for human habitation. The hut is almost falling with patches of thatch on top which exposed the family to cold and rains even after the storm came to an end in February.
After losing one hut, she had to share the remainder with her grandchildren including one who is living with a disability. Before the tragedy befell her, she and her grandchildren lived off handouts.
Two of them aged eight and 14 years old are out of school as she does not have money to pay their fees. The one aged eight has special needs and there is no school or centre nearby that can cater for him.
Her five goats were stolen after the floods destroyed her home.
When all hope was lost, villagers recommended that Gogo Ncube be assisted as her dire situation needed intervention from well-wishers.
As a result Gogo Ncube was one of the 25 victims of Tropical Storm Anna who benefitted from the Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund’s Sizimele Project.
The Sizimele project is a group of seven non-governmental organisations whose interventions are aimed at helping rural communities withstand disasters.
The project built two-roomed houses in the 11 affected Matobo wards after identifying the vulnerable who would not easily bounce back from the effects of the catastrophe.
Matabeleland South Director of Local Government Mr Peter Mahlathini handed over the houses to the beneficiaries on Tuesday in Matobo district.
In an interview inside her new house, Gogo Ncube said she was happy to have a decent home at last.
She said it had been her dream to have a proper house before she died as her thatched huts had always been of poor quality from the time she started living in the village.
“Today is one of the happiest days of my life. At last I now have a proper structure to my name after so many years of struggling. Before Cyclone Anna struck, my two huts were already dilapidated but that’s all I had with my grandchildren,” she said.
“My husband died five years ago and of the nine children I had, four died and others are based in South Africa. I currently live with five grandchildren but I cannot even afford to take them to school or give them food because I am old.”
She said although she now has a roof over her head, the family needs clothes, blankets and food to survive.
“Before the cyclone we were struggling and the destruction of the hut worsened things as I lost a few blankets and what was left of my old bed was eaten by rats. We have nothing at all but at least am grateful to Sizimele for their help. May God bless them so that they continue bringing hope to impoverished people like us,” said Gogo Ncube.
She also practices climate proof Pfumvudza or Gatshompo to supplement the handouts she gets from well-wishers.
Another beneficiary Ms Sibekiwe Ngwenya (61) from Ward 6 said lightning destroyed her thatched hut during the same floods.
“I am a peasant farmer who lost more than three quarters of her belongings due to the floods. There was so much water in the yard, I am glad we didn’t suffer medical conditions. However, since I am unemployed, it was going to take me years to rebuild the hut and I am grateful that I was selected to benefit from the Sizimele project,” said Ms Ngwenya.
In Ward 3, Eslina Ncube (59) also lost her two huts to the storm and had to seek accommodation from neighbours as she had nowhere to turn.
“I am poor but the floods left me in a worse condition as they washed away my two huts, clothes and a few household properties I owned. Since January I have been living with neighbours and thanks to Sizimele, I will now go back to my homestead and try working on buying whatever that was lost. This is a dream come true because the huts that were destroyed by the floods were not as strong as this house which has been built for me.”
Matobo District Development Coordinator Mr Obey Chaputsira said the project had alleviated poverty in many affected homes.
He said the project had helped 15 villagers to rebuild their homes last year after Cyclone Eloise hit the community.
“We are grateful for the intervention to address disasters that have been experienced in this district. We appeal for funding to help the affected build toilets as we could not do so due to constraints,” said Mr Chaputsira.
“The other challenge is that villagers are suffering from drought and we hope that the drought relief which President Mnangagwa spoke of recently will address that.”
Ward 9 Councillor Otto Dube said many families were in need of food aid in the community.
“We are happy for Gogo Ncube and grateful to her neighbours who have been feeding her from the day she lost her hut. The same neighbours were kind enough to provide food to the team that put up this structure. We appeal to well-wishers to chip in and help this woman with food now that she has a home,” said Cllr Dube.–@thamamoe
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