CHIADZWA - Mbada Diamonds yesterday donated 800 tonnes of maize to hunger-stricken families in Marange.
More food aid will be handed over to villagers relocated to Arda Transau.
Christopher Mushohwe, minister of State for Provincial Affairs, told a ceremony to handover the 400 tonnes of maize to the Chiadzwa community that other mining companies must emulate Mbada’s corporate social responsibility efforts.
“Mbada is not the only one (company) here, companies which are not assisting, we will begin to query them because they are exploiting people’s fields who are no longer able to cultivate enough food for their families,” Mushohwe told over 300 villagers who were gathered at headman Chiadzwa’s residence for the food distribution.
The natural farming region five’s vulnerability to hunger has been worsened by mining operations.
Katty Nyangani, a mother of five from Tonhorai Village, said the two bags of sorghum she harvested in March had run out and was facing starvation. She thanked Mbada for the timely donation.
Another villager, Nyarai Mitau said the aid from Mbada, which is benefiting everyone in the ward beyond its mining operations, was timely as her family’s food stocks were running low after harvesting only 150kgs of sorghum.
“We don’t know what we would have done to survive because there really is not much we can do here,” Mitau said.
George Manyaya, Mbada’s corporate services executive, said they were acting on the minister’s plea for help to the community.
“We have come here in response to the minister’s call following your channelling of grievances through his office and we will give each family in Chiadzwa and Mukwada a 50kg bag of maize-meal,” Manyaya told the ululating villagers.
