The Zimbabwe Council of Churches (ZCC) General Secretary, Rev. Dimingu, accompanied by representatives from Local Ecumenical Fellowships (LEF) and ZCC Management, this week concluded a two-day monitoring and support visit to ZCC-supported development programmes in Bikita District.
The visit focused on projects funded separately by Tearfund and jointly by the United Church of Canada (UCC) and the Canadian Foodgrains Bank (CFGB). Its purpose was to assess progress, draw lessons, and strengthen collaboration with project beneficiaries, churches, and government stakeholders.
The delegation visited Ward 18, where they interacted with beneficiaries at Mataga and Kudyaibadza community gardens established under the livelihoods project titled Enhancing Community Resilience through Sustainable Income-Generating Scalable Projects, supported by Tearfund. The project has registered significant achievements, including the establishment of two solar-powered water schemes that support community gardens benefiting 125 households. An additional garden has also been established using fencing materials on an existing borehole system.
Community members in all three gardens received training and starter seed packs, which they have successfully cultivated to improve household food security, nutrition, and income generation. In addition, 300 farmers have been trained in Conservation Agriculture, while nine Internal Savings and Lending (ISAL) groups have been formed to strengthen household resilience against climate-related shocks.
The team also visited a beneficiary farmer under the Scaling Up Resilience Programme in Ward 31, supported by UCC and CFGB. Farmers under this programme are adopting Conservation Agriculture practices, a climate-smart approach that promotes sustainable food production, environmental protection, and increased resilience among smallholder farmers.
Another key highlight of the visit was a learning and reflection session held in Ward 17 at Boora Reformed Church in Zimbabwe under the Church and Community Mobilisation for Transformation (CCMT/CCMP) programme. The initiative, currently being implemented in Bikita, Buhera, and Zvishavane districts, is anchored on biblical principles of holistic ministry and integral mission.
Through the CCMP approach, churches and communities are empowered to identify and utilise God-given resources, promote self-reliance, and work collectively to address poverty and vulnerability. The programme emphasises transformation of the whole person — spiritually, socially, economically, physically, and mentally — while strengthening relationships between God, people, and the environment.
Participants shared experiences, reflected on lessons learned, and reaffirmed their commitment to partnership, collective action, and sustainable, community-led development.
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