PWRDF partner TSURO Trust restores hope in Zimbabwe

The scars are visible.

Deep gullies. Deforested hills. Washed out roads. Five years after Cyclone Idai, the scars are still visible. It hit Chimanimani, Zimbabwe with unprecedented force. From March 14 to 17 the cyclone’s heavy winds and sustained rainfall triggered landslides and flash floods.

But the scars go beyond the landscape.

The storm claimed 300 lives, displaced thousands and impacted the livelihoods of over half the population of Chimanimani District.

Livelihoods of people like Mercy Gwegweni. Gwegweni has lived in Zandonyi village since marrying her husband 29 years ago. Together they raised their three children in the village. Though it is remote, it was well connected to nearby centres with good access to schools and health care. But Idai’s flash floods washed out bridges and left many road impassible. The nearest clinic is now a 15 km walk. And Gwegweni is unable to get her tomatoes, once a valuable cash-crop, to market.

COVID worsened the situation. Tourism, already badly affected by the cyclone, all but disappeared in 2020. To make money to buy household essentials some people turned to gold mining. The destruction caused by Idai opened up land to artisanal mining. While mining policies are in place enforcement was limited. Many miners used chemicals such as mercury and cyanide to separate gold from the ore and soil. This contaminated by-product was freely released into rivers and water catchments creating highly toxic water for those living downstream. This has led to a sharp increase in cyanide poisoning.

Driving through the winding roads of hilly Chimanimani it is easy to understand why tourists would be attracted to the beautiful landscapes. The terrain is marked with tall eucalypts trees and waterfalls. This unique biosphere represents 30% of Zimbabwe’s biodiversity and is home to 74 species of plants and birds that are only found here. The events of the last five years have demonstrated the fragility of this landscape and the livelihoods that depend on it.

PWRDF’s partner, TRUSO Trust, has been working in Chimanimani for more than 20 years. Founded by farmers coming together to form cooperatives and learn new, sustainable agricultural techniques, TSURO Trust has long been a champion for preserving the unique eco-system of Chimanimani.

A new three-year project has begun to renew and preserve this unique landscape. Working in partnership with the Canadian Foodgrains Bank and with support from Global Affairs Canada, the project introduces nature-based solutions (NBS) that aim to protect, manage and restore ecosystems as well as address societal challenges, such as food security.

As Roseline Mukonoweshuro, TSURO’s Nature + Project Manager explains, “It isn’t about choosing livelihoods or the environment but, instead, choosing livelihoods and the environment.”

Jackie Koster, PWRDF’s Director of Programs and Partnerships, had the opportunity to see the work of TSURO Trust with a representative from Global Affairs Canada and the Canadian Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Alder Aristilde.