Bindura (Nehanda Guardian-New Ziana) – At least 70 000 households in Mashonaland Central province were currently receiving government food relief, with authorities indicating more could be added in coming months.
The food is being distributed under the government’s Drought Relief Programme.
To qualify for the food handouts, able bodied beneficiaries undertake community development work, such as road repairs, while the physically frail are exempted.
Speaking recently, Godwin Bongwe, the province’s Social Welfare department head responsible for the distribution of food, said the exact number of people that received food aid in the province in January was 70 080.
“About 240 tonnes of maize grain is availed to Bindura district per month for those households. Guruve, Mazowe and Mbire get a combined 1470 tonnes whilst Muzarabani, Mt Darwin, Rushinga and Shamva get 1850 tonnes,” he said.
Most of the food insecure families are in Mbire, Mt Darwin, Rushinga and Muzarabani with a combined total of 27 221.78.
Among the food insecure are children of school going age, and some these have since dropped out school.
The Social Welfare department is enrolling some of the children back in school, and paying their school fees under the Basic Education Assistance Module which is currently helping 35 000 pupils in the province.
The same children are getting $250, 00 each from government every month to cater for their other basic social needs.
Nehanda Guardian-New Ziana
