MCF NOVEMBER 2019 NEWSLETTER
The Mike Campbell Foundation’s November newsletter reports that the rains have at last come to Zimbabwe after the prolonged drought conditions. Rural people who have benefitted from the MCF’s practical conservation agriculture training programmes and the 7,500 free packs of open-pollinated maize seed grown for needy families are currently planting their fields. This project has grown in importance because, although there are reported to be plenty of sacks of commercial seed maize in the shops, the people on the ground can’t afford to buy it and will once again have to rely on international food aid
MCF September 2019 Newsletter
I write from a troubled country after the death of our former President of 37 years. I was numb when I heard the news of Mugabe's death early on the morning of 6 September: his death was irrelevant to where we now are as a country. His mantle was already handed on in the jubilant and heady days of the coup in November 2017. We celebrated then. The release was tremendous.
Tragically, in the darkening days of September 2019, nearly 2 years on, there is no such feeling of release. In fact I have yet to meet anyone living here under the dark oppressive atmosphere of his successor, who is either jubilant or in mourning.
MCF August 2019 Newsletter
A year from the rigged election and its violent aftermath, things are at a very low ebb in Zimbabwe - perhaps the lowest they have ever been. Once again at least 5.5 million people – close to half the population - need food aid. A confidential government document puts the figure at 7.5 million rural and urban people by March 2020. Fuel queues have remained very long and chaotic. Electricity is the worst it has ever been with 18 hour cuts every day throughout the country which, compounded with the lack of fuel for generators, is a very serious situation. The lack of power during the day is not only affecting business very badly but crops cannot be irrigated, bread cannot be baked and survival is a daily struggle.
MCF May 2019 Newsletter
In the our latest Mike Campbell Foundation newsletter, our executive director, Ben Freeth, reports that there is a very significant deterioration in conditions on the economic front and in the general situation in Zimbabwe. “Fuel queues are very long and chaotic. Electricity is sporadic. Hunger will be a major problem this year with more than half the population requiring international food aid. Prices continue to sky-rocket. Once again we have the second highest inflation rate in the world.” He also express concern regarding the attempted abduction by State agents of outspoken Paramount Chief Felix Ndiweni, who spoke at our Royal Geographical event in London last year.
MCF newsletter: Update from Ben Freeth in Zimbabwe
Our latest newsletter and update on Cyclone Idai: The eastern part of Zimbabwe, mainly in the Chimanimani Mountains area, has just experienced the worst cyclone in terms of rainfall in the country’s recorded history. In some places, close to 1,000mm (40 inches) of rain were recorded in a period of 3 days. (Harare’s average annual rainfall is 33 inches.) Cyclone Idai has caused massive devastation and hundreds of lives have been lost in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi. Many people are still missing, despite frantic searches by family members, friends and rescue workers who have struggled under very difficult conditions. Numerous bridges have been washed away, which is further hampering rescue operations.
Military crackdown is devastating Zimbabwe
Dear Friends, Family and Supporters,
We thank you so much for the support of your prayers and for encouraging your churches to pray for Zimbabwe and its people at this terrible time as the brutal government crackdown continues.
We are also very grateful for your amazing donations. When I told Ben Freeth, our executive director in Zimbabwe, of your generosity, he was so thankful and relieved to know that your support meant he could help so many desperate people.
Zimbabwe remains on lockdown after the fith day
Dear All
I write on the fifth day of the shutdown in Zimbabwe with still no Internet access, although it has come on intermittently. As a result, it is difficult to ascertain the extent of the atrocities taking place all around us.
I spent the entire day yesterday at the Rotten Road Magistrates’ Court with members of the press, church leaders and concerned citizens, waiting for Pastor Evan Mawarire, initiator of the peaceful #ThisFlag social media campaign, to appear. He was arrested by the police at his home on 16 January.
ZIMBABWEAN TOTAL SHUTDOWN: OPEN LETTER FROM BEN FREETH
We are now in our third day of complete shutdown throughout the whole of Zimbabwe. Banks are closed, schools are closed, roads are closed in and out of the main towns and transport systems have shut down. There are no newspapers to be bought, the Internet has been shut down by the government and everything is at a complete standstill. People are too afraid to move around as a result of the burning of vehicles by vigilante groups and the complete dearth of any updated information or warnings due to the total social media blackout. This means that no WhatsApp messages or photos can be sent, no one can access Facebook or Messenger, and the situation is very tense.
Happy Christmas from Zimbabwe
Dear friends, family and supporters We wish you all a very happy and blesséd Christmas from Zimbabwe. This is always an anxious time for us because by now our rainy season should have started and crops should have been planted countrywide. Having not had a drop since 15 May, we have been desperate for rain to fall. We normally get some showers in October and then the rains arrive in November, but this year, apart from a few spots here and there, the rains failed. Each day we have been looking up at blue and cloudless skies hoping for the clouds to build up.
MCF Newsletter November 2018
Dear Supporters, Friends and Family
It was wonderful to see so many of our supporters at our update event on Zimbabwe at the Royal Geographical Society in London last month. We had an exceptional turnout with more than 300 guests! Our five speakers all discussed the importance of “justice” in their presentations and it was a truly inspiring evening.
Exciting news. Event. New website. Update news on Zimbabwe.
Please support us by coming to our update event and standing with those who are on the frontline in Zimbabwe to give them the courage to keep going after 18 long and turbulent years. Please also forward this invitation to your friends and anyone else who would be interested in attending.
Data Protection Issues - Mailing
After May 25 2018 we will need your consent to stay in touch with you.
Please click on the button below if you are happy for us to continue to send you news of the Mike Campbell Foundation (MCF) events, updates and our newsletter.
When you click you will be taken to the MCF privacy policy on the website, you do not need to do anything further as MCF will have registered your response.
Easter Greeting & London Marathon 2018
We have good news on the London Marathon! On April 22nd, exactly 3 weeks after Easter Sunday, Suzie Moffat will be running the London Marathon for the Mike Campbell Foundation.
Vodafone will match all donations raised! If you give £2, they will give £2. Suzie's target is to raise £2,000. She's reached £1,142 at the moment.
Happy New Year from The Mike Campbell Foundation
Thank you so much for your prayers, support and encouragement throughout 2017.
I would also like to thank our Trustees and all those who work so hard to enable us to achieve our aims. Above all, we thank God for His direction, leading and protection. We pray that 2018 will be a very significant year for Zimbabwe.
They reached the summit of Aconcagua!
Dear All,
After a ferocious storm at 6000metres at the weekend they went down to 5600. We then heard no more. We were all very concerned. When we hadn’t heard anything for 3 days, Laura rang very early in the morning and asked when we needed to raise the alert.
I Googled Inka the people who we had seen in one of their blogs had helped them at the start and were encouraged to see on their website that there was a good track with the various camps which Ben had referred to in his blogs.