A severe drought has gripped southern Africa, leaving nearly 70 million people facing food and water shortages. In Mudzi district, northern Zimbabwe, the Vombozi River has turned into a dry, sandy expanse. Residents are now digging the riverbed with shovels and buckets to extract the last remaining water.
The situation is dire: rivers and dams have dried up, increasing pressure on the riverbed in Kurima village. Families and livestock gather around makeshift wells where children bathe and cattle drink from the same water sources used by people.
Food shortages exacerbate the crisis, with 7.7 million Zimbabweans facing hunger and hospital admissions for malnutrition among children doubling since June.
Community efforts, such as a weekly feeding program that combines local produce into nutritious porridge, are struggling due to diminishing supplies and poor harvests. Mudzi district’s medical officer, Kudzai Madamombe, warns that the program may cease if food stocks run out.
Clinics are also impacted, with boreholes running dry and irrigation schemes suspended. Tambudzai Mahachi, a local farmer, faces a total crop failure, having lost her harvest and now relying on handouts to feed her children.
The drought has led to widespread hardship across southern Africa, with the Southern African Development Community (SADC) appealing for $5.5 billion in aid, though only a small fraction has been received. The World Food Programme reports a severe deficit in maize and warns that conditions may worsen as the region approaches its driest and hottest months.
As Zimbabwe waits for potential rains later in the year, the crisis continues to unfold, leaving many uncertain about the future.
