NGO, villagers work together to reclaim gullies

Victor Sibanda

Jambezi residents under chief Shana’s jurisdiction are working hard with a non-governmental organisation to reclaim gulleys which are threatening  a school, fields and water sources in the community. 

Amalimaloko is a non-governmental organisation under  the United States Agency for International Development(USAID) working with communities in environmental management as well as giving assistance to the vulnerable  members of communities such as the elderly, expecting mothers and those breastfeeding.

Sikhanyile Ndlovu, the watershed champion officer for Amalimaloko said  her organisation is working round the clock with the local communities leadership to manage the environment especially gully reclamation. She said  Sikumbi village had the largest gully which was threatening  to destroy the school and some boreholes.

“Our main thrust here in Nemananga ward is to do environmental management education targeting  residents on how to reclaim gullies using natural resources such as  stones, sisal and vetiver grass(Chrysopogon zizanioides). Sikumbi villagers have welcomed the programme wholeheartedly and some are doing conservation work at their homesteads. As Amalimaloko we motivate them to manage the environment through monetary and material incentives,” said Ndlovu.

Ndlovu said  Sikumbi village is on the Zambezi escarpment where there is too much overland flow and hence severe erosion.

 “The area is prone to erosion because of the nature of the terrain. There was a very big gulley which was threatening  to raze down Sikumbi Primary School, homesteads, roads and boreholes. I assisted the villagers to reclaim it. We paid those who worked US$60 as a token of appreciation. They would work fours a day. Almost all the residents now have an appreciation of the dangers of land degradation in the environment,” said Ndlovu.

A resident of Sikumbi, Fani Moyo applauded the influence of Amalimaloko in his area as it helped avert land degradation. 

“Amalimaloko is doing a splendid job in Nemananga community. We were wondering how these gulleys would be reclaimed until the organisation came to our rescue. What is intriguing is that there is an overwhelming response from residents. We are participating well as we want our area to be safe,” said Mr Moyo adding that people living with disability also partake in community work.

Watershed champion officer, Ndlovu said she is impressed by the presence of people living with disability in her programmes with the the community.

” They are always there to give input in deliberations and work. I am impressed. These people are committed and for sure disability is not inability,” said Ndlovu. 

At Lukunguni vlei, villagers from Musani, Silibinda and Maphucula residents are removing invasive species, Lantana Camara,  a species of flowering plant within the verbena family(verbenaceae). Lantana Camara contributes to biodiversity and is poisonous to animals and other plant species. The shrubs spread rapidly over a wide area. Amalimaloko teamed up with villagers to remove the weeds and those who worked are said to have been given US$30  per month after working four hours a day.

” Lantana Camara is a deadly weed to livestock. Nemananga residents are really hardworking. The Lukunguni waterway is now being cleared of the deadly weed. People have skills on how to get rid of the dangerous  weeds and managing their own environment,” said Ndlovu adding that her organisation also gives food handouts to breastfeeding and expecting  mothers in the ward. She said Amalimaloko operates in five districts in Zimbabwe namely, Nkayi,Tsholotsho,Binga,Lupane and Hwange.

Environmental management is in tandem with the ethos of the World Environment Day which is held annually on the 5 of June. It is an international day for the environment and is led by the United Nations Environment Programme and this event had been held annually across the world since 1973. It is enshrined in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development  that nations should protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems,  sustainably manage forests, combat desertification, and halt and reverse land degradation and halt biodiversity loss.