Nkayi district in Matabeleland North is experiencing a severe drought, with over 100 000 villagers facing starvation.
Addressing journalists during a tour, district development co-ordinator Matilda Mlothswa said:
We are one of the poorest districts in the country. Our sandy soils are not good for farming and the dryness makes it difficult to access water. People are just surviving under very difficult conditions.
… The people here are hardworking when NGOs come they are eager to be helped. As a district, we are very grateful for the NGOs. We hope more will come to train us on how to empower ourselves.
Mlotshwa added that 28 out of 30 wards in Nkayi district were affected by drought.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe Resilience Building Fund (ZRBF)-Matabeleland Enhanced Livelihoods Agriculture and Nutrition Adaptation (MELANA) project has been launched to work with communities in Nkayi, Bubi, Umguza and Umzingwane districts.