Zimbabwe was once the “breadbasket” of Africa: a country that
produced so much food, it was used by the United Nations as a
source of food relief in the region. But today, it is one of the
world’s poorest countries. Despite some positive developments in
recent years, many people remain in the grip of long-term
poverty and starvation caused by a period of massive inflation
and the destruction of the country’s agricultural sector.
Zimbabwe has one of the lowest life expectancies in the world,
and Christian leaders and congregations have been among the many
victims of President Mugabe’s ruinous oppression. The
octogenarian president has been in power since the country
became independent in 1980. A referendum on a new constitution
that is intended as a step towards democratic reform is due to
be held in March 2013. Barnabas Fund is supporting Christians in
Zimbabwe in two ways: by providing food parcels to alleviate the
hunger and starvation amongst Christians and by supplying seeds
and training local people how