Flood victims still need help

A few weeks before the onset of the rainy season, hundreds of villagers affected by floods in Tsholotsho are still living in the open.

A few weeks before the onset of the rainy season, hundreds of villagers affected by floods in Tsholotsho are still living in the open.

Last week we reported that scores of villagers in the++were living in makeshift tents, months after they were forced to vacate their homes by floods.

Tsholotsho villagers were left homeless and lost their belongings after torrential rains pounded the district early this year.

Floods killed livestock and destroyed their houses, leaving the already poor villagers stranded.

It took the government several weeks to respond to the disaster as it gave priority to the Tokwe-Mukosi basin floods that displaced thousands of people around the same time.

A delegation of Cabinet ministers was dispatched to Tsholotsho last year after a Southern Eye exposé on the plight of the flood victims.

After the visit by ministers there was a stampede by donor agencies, companies, State entities among other corporations, to assist.

However, the assistance dried up after the publicity about the Tsholotsho disaster died down and promises made by government ministers were quickly forgotten.

Families are starving and they have no proper shelter as we approach the rainy season.

Therefore, the recent donation by the Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights)of clothes, soap, sanitary ware among other goods to Butabubili flood victims in Tsholotsho has to be applauded.

ZimRights director Okay Machisa said they were touched by the plight of the Tsholotsho flood victims and organised a fundraising concert to mobilise assistance.

Unlike other donor agencies, ZimRights did not limit its assistance to the Tokwe-Mukosi villagers as if they were the only ones affected by the floods.

The Tsholotsho flood victims need food to take them through to the next harvest season and assistance to rebuild their homes to avoid a repeat of the suffering that visited them early this year.