Tomatoes grown in the village garden. photo: Christian Aid/Louise Orton
'The garden’s name, Sizanani, means "help each other"'

The Matobo district in the southern part of Zimbabwe has suffered from years of drought and food shortages. But in Silonkwe village, Christian Aid partner, the Dabane Trust, has helped villagers to build a water pump, making sure their vegetable garden provides them with food and an income throughout the year.

Ever since Christian Aid partner Dabane Trust helped villagers to build a pump system, their harvest no longer depends on the unpredictable rains.

Sibonakaliso Dube is one of the fourteen gardeners. She explains that the nearby river is often dry, and local people used to have to dig deep holes in the riverbed to reach water. Now water can be pumped directly to the village garden.

‘We never knew that you could grow vegetables all year round,’ she says, ‘Now there’s always something in the garden.’

As well as putting onions,green leafy vegetables (covo and rape), carrots and tomatoes on the menu all year round, the pump system has also enabled the villagers to grow an extra maize crop.

‘I can even buy bread now,’ says Sibonakaliso, ‘But in the past that was considered such a luxury. We eat onions and tomatoes in our sauce just like people do who live in town.’

For Sibonakaliso and her family the garden is providing much more than just regular meals. The money she has earned by selling food has paid for her children to go to school. She’s also been able to afford a kitchen and new roofing for her home.

The garden’s name, Sizanani, means ‘help each other’. Like all projects that Dabane Trust supports, the water pump system was built by local people working together. ‘We dug the sand out of the river and made trenches for the pipes,’ explains Sibonakaliso, ‘It was very hard work but we were all determined.’

After helping to build the pump, Dabane Trust provided practical training in skills like crop rotation food preservation and business management. They also taught the gardeners how to make sturdy wire fencing, as their wooden garden fence was often destroyed by animals.

Seeing the success of Sizanani, other nearby villages are interested in setting up similar schemes. ‘People come and visit us to hear more about the project and how we work together,’ Sibonakaliso explains, ‘We are a good example of what people can achieve if they put their mind to it.’

Over the coming year, Dabane Trust will be helping six more communities to set up pumps and irrigation systems for their gardens and more families will reap the benefits.