Councillor Facilitates Gardeners Dialogue

LUVEVE – Newly elected, Bulawayo Ward 15 Councillor, Febbie Msipa, recently facilitated a dialogue among gardeners at the Zimbabwe Development Democracy Trust (ZDDT)supported nutritional garden in Luveve.

Funded by Sally Foundation of Australia, the garden falls under Msipa’s jurisdiction in Luveve Township, has not been doing well as a result of water challenges following theft of a water pump which left beneficiaries with reclaimed water as the only source to nourish the garden. An errant local leadership exacerbated the problem, hence the intervention of higher authority.

Upon being asked by ZDDT to assist and facilitate a dialogue on the way forward, Msipa responded swiftly and convened a meeting for all the gardeners, which was also attended by ZDDT members of staff.

“All we need here is to ensure that this garden becomes green again and that is why we are here,” said Msipa.

“Let us all feel free to identify all the challenges that we face in this garden while also proposing solutions to them. After all, this is your garden.”

Yvonne Berkhout, of ZDDT, said the trust wanted to see the garden operational, with beneficiaries being able to earn a decent living from the sales of produce.

She challenged beneficiaries to attend to leadership challenges, stressing the need to adhere to constitutional provisions that protect the interests of the garden members.

Berkhout said that would ensure the project continues to get further investment funding.

The meeting resolved that quotations for fitting a bush pump be looked for so that it can be fitted, while other options are being tried.

Beneficiaries, some of whom did not know their new councillor, thanked their leader for becoming part of the solution to their garden challenges.

In all its activities, ZDDT accesses the residents through the front door of the community, the elected councillor.