Govt, WFP, partners’ urban resilience project improves nutrition
By Conrad Mwanawashe, recently in Mutare
IN the 1800s, a Khoisan woman from South Africa, named Saartjie “Sarah” Baartman, was made a public spectacle across Europe, paraded and ehumanized for her unique body form.
Sarah had large buttocks and hips.
In an article published in FIU, Rokeshia Renné Ashley, Assistant Professor of Communication, College of Communication, Architecture + The Arts, observed that many other women from Southern Africa were trafficked to Europe for white entertainment and because they diverged so drastically from dominant ideas of white feminine beauty, Baartman’s features were exoticized.
Prof Ashley noted that Sarah’s voluptuous and curvaceous body – mocked and shamed in the West – was also described in advertisements as the “most correct and perfect specimen of her race.”
To understand how this ideal was viewed by the very people it most directly affects: Black women, Prof Ashley interviewed 30 Black women from various cities in South Africa and the mid-Atlantic U.S. and asked them about Baartman.
One of her interviewees, Mieke, a South African woman, said: “I’m proud of my body because of the resemblance I feel it has with hers (Sarah’s body).”
And so too is Memory Chaipa, a mother of three from Sakubva, Mutare in Manicaland province, east of Zimbabwe.
Memory has joined many other women who celebrate their body form.
She took after Beyonce, who, in “ BLACK EFFECT,” a track from Beyoncé and Jay-Z’s 2018 collaborative album “ EVERYTHING IS LOVE,” describes a black female form:
Stunt with your curls, your lips, Sarah Baartman hips
Gotta hop into my jeans like I hop into my whip, yeah
Memory is also celebrating her hips.
“See I’m growing hips despite my old age. I’ve a small body but you can see from my skin and hips that I’m healthy,” said Memory.
But what is the secret behind Memory’s newly found hips development story?
“I never thought I could grow hips when it was because I was not eating healthy foods. I’m proud that they have grown now and even my skin condition has improved because I’m now eating nutritious foods. I would like to thank the World Food Programme (WFP), Mercy Corps and government for the cash rogramme,” said Memory.
“This programme has changed my life. From the US$65 that we earn as a family per month (US$13 for each of the five family members), I buy basic commodities. This food programme has improved my household nutrition. My children are looking healthy now,” added Memory.
Memory was speaking to members of the media who were on a week-long tour of Manicaland aimed at highlighting Zimbabwe’s resilience-building efforts and to raise awareness about the ongoing initiatives and their impact on the communities, families and individuals.
Memory’s hip development celebration may appear myopic but hip health is an essential compent in general wellness..
Studies have shown that diet rich in calcium and vitamin D can help prevent osteoporosis and other bone-related conditions that can lead to hip fractures and other problems.
Foods that are high in calcium include dairy products, leafy greens, and fortified foods such as cereals. Eating a balanced diet that is rich in nutrients can help prevent inflammation and other conditions that can contribute to hip problems.
Foods that are high in antioxidants, such as berries and dark leafy greens, can help reduce inflammation and promote healthy joint function.
Lean proteins, such as fish and chicken, can provide the nutrients the body needs to build and repair tissues. Avoiding processed foods and added sugars can also help reduce inflammation and improve overall health, studies have shown.
“Before the WFP programme I couldn’t afford to feed my children and I was forced to send them away to live with my sisters and uncles. I turned to sex work to survive. Life was tough. This programme has helped me to bring my family back together again. My children are now back in school,” she said.
Like many women, Memory was pushed into sex work due to poverty which has now been exacerbated by the El Nino-induced drought.
Zimbabwe faces significant food insecurity, with over 7 million people in both rural and urban areas impacted. Government, in partnership with the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), World Food Program (WFP), is working to strengthen resilience through sustainable agricultural initiatives.
In urban areas, horticulture and peanut butter production initiatives are helping reduce food insecurity.
“Sometimes you’re forced into sex work because you want alcohol or food. I didn’t have anywhere to stay and the only option was the bar. Most of the time I would be hired for a dollar just to get food and shelter for the night.
“Some men would refuse to pay for services rendered while othera would turn violent the moment I demanded payment. It was dangerous,” Memory said.
She raised her left arm exposing tattoo-like scars.
“You see these scars,” she said, “are results of prostitution,” she continued.
It was not by choice, she said, but the situation demanded some action.
However, this has since changed following the Urban Food Security and Resilience Building project which was implemented in collaboration with the WFP and implemented through Mercy Corps, a global team of humanitarians working together on the front lines of today’s biggest crises to create a future of possibility, where everyone can prosper.
The project was funded by the Swedish Development Corporation (SDC).
The Urban Food Security and Resilience Building project is a four-year program which looked at addressing humanitarian needs through cash-based transfers.
“The next stage looked at resilience building, supporting programs that build the capacity of the communities to be able to meet some of their basic needs. As we celebrate World Food Day, we are witnessing some of the interventions that these communities have actually managed to do. Some have been involved in agriculture activities while others have been involved in income-generating activities and saving schemes within their own communities,” according to Collen Shoko, Mercy Corps, Senior Programme Manager.
The project gave Memory a start.
“From my savings from the cash payouts, I started a vegetable stall which I’m running as a business and realising profits,” said Memory who has since stopped sex work.
Some of the beneficiaries of the Urban Food Security and Resilience Building project are involved in agro-processing including peanut butter, broiler, layers and mushroom production.
“All these initiatives are aimed at building the capacity of the communities to deal with economic shocks and other stresses that they might come across. One of the beneficiary families is now running a solar dryer where they are producing dried fruits, vegetables, adding value and then also selling those items to the market.
We are very happy that with the support, with government’s intervention, this has been possible,” said Shoko.
Mercy Corps trained the farmers before releasing support.
“We were assisted with 100 birds each and chicken feed to start the poultry projects. We’re grateful for the support which has helped to improve our livelihoods. We’ve also noted a reduction in gender based violence cases because most of the cases were poverty-driven,” said Lynnette Chireshe.
Peanut butter producer, also from Sakubva, bragged about her brand and the growth of her business, which was born out of support from the urban resilience project.
“I was living in abject poverty, surviving on menial jobs, tilling land for others and firewood poaching. This affected my health because I would carry heavy loads for long distances. Since I started these projects all this has changed. I’ve four children, my husband is unemployed and relies on my business. They, however, assist in the peanut making production business,” said Elina Munemo, a member of Tariro Peanut butter production group.
Apart from working as vice secretary for the group, Munemo has also started her own brand.
“Mercy Corps helped us with the production equipment and groundnuts to boost our production. After about a year we shared profits and each member received about US$700. I’m the first person to grow out of the group to start my own peanut butter business. We have, however, maintained the group,” she said.
Following the success of her peanut butter business, Munemo graduated from receiving the monthly cash assistance.
“Training programmes facilitated by Mercy Corps and the Ministry of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises, equipped us. They trained us in record keeping and business management. I’ve since purchased a residential stand from the proceeds of my business where I’m starting a poultry business,” she added.
“I thank government through Women’s Affairs, WFP and Mercy Corps for the urban resilience project and the Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) for assisting us. I’m no longer food insecure as before. I’m now a boss,,” said Munemo.
