A WEST Cork farmer said it was a ‘privilege’ to visit Africa as part of a charity project organised by Christian Aid Ireland.
Roy Kingston from Bandon was speaking ahead of Christian Aid’s fundraising Sheep’s Head Hike on September 7th. Roy saw first-hand the difference being made by the aid agency, meeting people struggling with extreme poverty and the impact of living on the frontline of the climate crisis during a 10-day visit to Zimbabwe in July.
‘It was a privilege to visit the beautiful country and to meet people coping with the devastating impact of drought and cyclones,’ said Roy.
Roy, whose family farm is at The Park outside Bandon, visited the drought-affected Mwenezi region where Christian Aid is helping farmers survive by planting sesame. Sesame is naturally drought-tolerant because it puts down a 3m root which can reach damp soil below the surface.
Roy is a member of Bandon Methodist Church. He and his wife Jennifer have four adult children and two grandchildren. He supports Christian Aid Ireland’s work with his gifts, and he attends the charity’s fundraising events including its annual Sheep’s Head Hike and coffee mornings at the Gateway Centre in Bandon. He and the other supporters who travelled to Zimbabwe covered the cost of their trip themselves.
Across Zimbabwe, it is estimated that around 6m people are facing food shortages as a result of the El Nino-induced drought affecting much of southern Africa, with poor rainfall leading to crop failure and livestock deaths. Christian Aid’s local partner Sustainable Agriculture Technology is helping almost 4,000 small-scale farmers in the region to survive drought and other climate shocks.
The project also includes a processing plant to clean the seed and make more valuable products such as sesame oil to sell, while a co-operative allows growers to reach new markets and fetch a higher price for their harvest.
After leaving Mwenezi, Roy travelled to Chipinge region in the east of the country to meet a young family who received a new home thanks to funding from Christian Aid after Cyclone Idai destroyed their previous home in 2019.
To donate to support Christian Aid Ireland’s work, visit, caid.ie/donate or to join this year’s Sheep’s Head Hike in September, visit caid.ie/sheepsheadhike.
