Report - End of Year 2011
Things are not good in Zimbabwe
Things are not good in Zimbabwe. After reading some of the heart-breaking stories passed on to us by our Team in Bulawayo I have to say that this comment by one of the regular helpers at the Friday morning feeding scheme at Hillside Methodist Church is an understatement. We had asked the Team to give us a feel for the state of the country as experienced by ordinary Zimbabweans whom our colleagues encounter on a daily basis - and not by the tiny elite of powerful and wealthy or by the few visitors who see only the remaining unspoiled tourist sites. They responded with a good number of stories, anecdotes and photos, to touch the hearts of even the most callous or cynical. We have space of only a few brief excerpts here.
Before me is a hand-written list of 25 patients of Island Hospice who are not only all coping with various cancers and terminal diseases but who, as a final indignity, are utterly destitute and therefore profoundly grateful for the 10 kgs maize meal supplied to them every month by the Fund.
Then there is the story of another of the regimes countless victims - for whom tragically in this case the helping hand of ZVSF was not enough. Aaron Vundla, 75 years old, was living with his wife and five orphaned grandchildren in rural Tsholosho. He received from the Fund 10 kgs of maize meal every month but it was not enough to feed the seven members of his family. In desperation he tried to supplement this with an additional 20 kgs promised him by another source in Nyamandlovu, some 60 kms away. There was no alternative but to walk that distance, both ways. Setting off towards his home and carrying the extra bag of maize he had secured, Aaron went missing. Five days later his body was found in the bush with the bag of maize intact by his side. The post-mortem revealed that he had died of dehydration. Subsequent enquiries established that he had been seen walking in a lost and confused state.
Featured in the photo left are some of the women who receive the regular weekly allocation of 1 kg maize meal from the feeding scheme at Hillside Methodist Church, all of whom are either unemployed or receiving a pittance in wages - and who, between them, have seven orphaned children to care for. Their small allocation of food from the Fund is a life-line to them.
Then again in the photo right are two young 13 year old lads, Mpumulelo Moyo and Russell Banda, who also walk a few kilometres every Friday such is their newho walk kms to collect rations weeklyed - to collect their small ration of maize meal from the church. Mpumulelo is an orphan living with his elderly grandmother, unable to attend school because he cannot afford to buy the few books required. Russell lives with his stepfather and has no idea where his parents are. Lack of money forced him out of school after reaching Grade 7. What kind of a future can these two teenagers, and countless others like them, look forward to in Zimbabwe ?
Certainly things are not good in Zimbabwe - and there is so much more that we could do if we had greater resources ourselves. But for this we are profoundly grateful - that your generous support and faithful prayers have made possible the little help that we are delivering regularly to a great number of the poorest of the poor. Praise God, his compassion for the least of these his children our sisters and brothers is touching their lives and bringing a ray of hope into a desperate situation.
GrahamTreasurers Report
I echo Graham's thanks to everyone who has continued to give so generously to ZVSF. We have wondered at times whether we would be able to meet our promised transfers but your gifts have arrived when needed. We are also grateful that the cost of grain in Zimbabwe has stabilised over the past 6 months after a period of steep inflation.
During 2011 we have been able to transfer just over 57,300 for use in the regular feeding programmes and an additional 2,500 to agricultural training projects in Siabuwa and Bulawayo.
Below are the draft accounts for 2011. Because we have now submitted our application for charitable status, our independent examiner recommends that we present our final accounts in the approved format. These, and news on our application, will be on our website shortly
Reciepts And Payments Accounts For The Year Ending 31st December 2011
| 12 Months to 31st Dec 2011 £ | 12 Months to 31st Dec 2010 £ | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| RECEIPTS | |||
| General Donations | 64,822.38 | 79,199.51 | |
| Restricted Donations | 3600.00 | 0.00 | |
| Net Intrest | 4.16 | 5.84 | |
| 68,426.54 | 79,205.35 | ||
| Balance at start of year | 3,906.14 | 2,634.21 | |
| PAYMENTS | |||
| Zim Trustees ZVSF | 57,369.06 | 76,733.42 | |
| Designated transfers | 1,200 | ||
| - Ebenezar training centre | 1000.00 | ||
| - Bulowayo Projects Centre | 700.00 | ||
| - Siabuwa agricultural project | 1000.00 | ||
| - Pending transfer to Siabuwa agricultural project | 759.40 | 3,259.40 | |
| Website development | 240.60 | 240.60 | |
| 60,869.06 | 77,933.42 | ||
| Balance in Yorkshire BS at year end | 11,463.62 | 3,906.14 |
Changes Within ZVSF
I'm sure you will join us in thanking John Lark who is stepping down from various admin roles after quite a few years. Glenys Blackmore will be stepping into his shoes. Glenys lived in Zimbabwe from 1985-89 and continues to take an active role in supporting local charities there. Her contact details are, 25, Templemere, Oatlands Drive, Weybridge, KT13 9PA. You can email her from the Contact Us Page.
Donations, however, should still be sent to Christine Jones, 73 Robin Hood Crescent, Knaphill, Woking, GU21 2NB
Please also check out our new website for more news and information:
www.zimbabwevictimssupportfund.org