Vasco Chaya
LIFESTYLE EDITOR
KHESANI Musengi could only watch helplessly as heavy rains swept through her home in Mhlanguleni, Chikombedzi, in Chiredzi South, leaving her without a place to shelter her four children.
The rains and flooding did not stop at destroying her home. They also wiped out much of her crop, robbing the family of what little food and livelihood they had. The small portion that survived the floods was later devoured by rats, which were themselves struggling to survive the drought that has long characterised the area, classified as Region 5.
In the space of months, Musengi lost almost everything. She was left with four children to care for, but no home and little food to put on the table.
“I did not know what to do. It was disaster after disaster,” she said.
Early humanitarian assistance brought some relief. Musengi and other affected residents received tents and initial food supplies, giving families a temporary lifeline after the destruction.
But the hardship did not end there. In Mhlanguleni, drought remains a recurring challenge, particularly during the summer months when water becomes scarce and families struggle to meet their basic needs.
It was against this backdrop that the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRCS), with support from the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) through its Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF), returned to the drought- and flood-affected community with further assistance.
The intervention provided food and essential household supplies to 170 people from 40 households, offering much-needed relief to families still trying to recover from the series of disasters.
“The situation was not good at all. It was disaster after disaster. First, there were heavy rains which left a trail of destruction, destroying houses in the area. The rains also damaged large areas of our fields. The situation was made worse by an outbreak of mice, which dealt the final blow,” Musengi said.
For a family that had endured months of uncertainty, the assistance brought more than food. It restored a measure of hope.
“But we would like to thank the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society for being with us from day one. The groceries I have received today will take me through to December. The organisation has wiped away our tears,” Musengi said, her words reflecting the relief of someone who had spent months wondering where the next meal would come from.
Headman Hadhlani Chauke said the community had endured an exceptionally difficult year, with one disaster following another.
“This year was not good for us in the village. The disasters came one after another, but we thank the ZRCS for standing with us during this difficult situation,” he said.
The relief package included food and basic household necessities such as cooking oil, sugar, salt, rice and soap.
For families like Musengi’s, these may appear to be simple commodities, but after losing homes, crops and livelihoods, they provide an important bridge between crisis and recovery.
According to ZRCS Secretary-General Elias Hwenga, the organisation’s support was intended not only to address immediate needs but also to help affected families regain their dignity and begin rebuilding their lives.
“For families who have lost their homes, food and household belongings to flooding, this assistance is about more than meeting immediate needs. It is about restoring dignity and giving communities the support they need to begin rebuilding their lives,” Hwenga said.
“We are grateful to our volunteers, partners and stakeholders for standing with affected communities as we continue to reach those most in need.”
For Mhlanguleni residents, the road to recovery is far from over. The scars left by floods, drought and crop losses remain visible, and the threat of water shortages continues to hang over the community.
But for Musengi and other families who have endured a season of disaster, the latest assistance offers something that had become increasingly difficult to hold on to: hope.
After losing their homes, crops and sense of security, the people of Mhlanguleni are beginning, once again, to look towards rebuilding their lives.