‘Privilege’ to visit families living on the frontline of climate crisis

A West Cork farmer recently saw first-hand the work being done by an Irish charity in a drought-affected region of south-eastern Africa.

Roy Kingston, whose family farm is located outside Bandon, recently returned from Zimbabwe, where he met people struggling with extreme poverty and the impact of living on the frontline of the climate crisis.

Mr Kingston spent ten days in July visiting projects supported by Christian Aid Ireland in the drought-affected Mwenezi region.

The aid agency is helping farmers in the area to survive by planting sesame, a naturally drought-tolerant crop which puts down a three-metre root able to reach damp soil below the surface.

Christian Aid’s local partner Sustainable Agriculture Technology is helping almost 4,000 small-scale farmers in the region to survive drought and other climate shocks.

One of the farmers Mr Kingston met was Vhaina Mahweta.

Ms Mahweta received sesame seeds from the project and she said they proved to be life-savers.

“We planted all our seeds as usual but the rains have been poor and some of the sesame received no rain at all after planting,” she said.

“All our other crops perished but the sesame germinated and produced seed for us to sell.

“The sesame is helping us to survive the drought. I use the income to buy food and pay school fees for my children,” Ms Mahweta said.

The Christian Aid-supported project also includes a processing plant to clean the seed and prepare valuable products such as sesame oil for sale, while a cooperative allows growers to reach new markets and fetch a higher price for their harvest.

It is estimated that across Zimbabwe around six million people are facing food shortages as a result of the drought currently affecting much of southern Africa.

The drought has been caused by the El Niño climate phenomenon, with poor rainfall leading to crop failure and livestock deaths.

Upon leaving Mwenezi, Mr Kingston travelled to the Chipinge region in the east of the country.

There he met a young family who recently received a new home thanks to funding from Christian Aid, after Cyclone Idai destroyed their previous home in 2019.

Christopher Mutisi and his wife and their two young children were among more than 150 families whose homes were repaired or rebuilt following Idai, one of the worst tropical cyclones ever to make landfall in the southern hemisphere.

Mr Mutisi said his family’s new home was made from concrete and steel, and was strong enough to survive any further cyclones.

“We feel safe now,” he said. “We are happy here.” 

Mr Kingston is a member of Bandon Methodist Church. He and his wife Jennifer have four adult children and two grandchildren.

He supports Christian Aid Ireland’s fundraising events, including its annual Sheep’s Head Hike and coffee mornings at the Gateway Centre in Bandon.

He and the other supporters who travelled to Zimbabwe covered the cost of their trip.

Mr Kingston said it had been a privilege to visit Zimbabwe and to meet people coping with the impact of drought and cyclones.

“I was pleased to see how the donations made to Christian Aid by ordinary people are helping farmers like Vhaina to make a living growing sesame and how Christopher is now safe in his new home,” he said.

This year’s Sheep’s Head Hike is on Saturday, September 7, with details available at caid.ie