Archbishops’ Zimbabwe Appeal

The Archbishops’ Zimbabwe Appeal has raised £480,000 to support the work of the Anglican Church in Zimbabwe.

The appeal was launched by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York in February last year, and is being administered by USPG. The aim is to support communities facing a humanitarian crisis in a country plagued by political turbulence and a financial collapse.

Projects being supported by the appeal include a schools’ feeding programme, an agricultural training programme and a prisoners’ feeding programme.

A joint statement issued by Archbishop Rowan Williams and Archbishop John Sentamu read: ‘While the government is failing, churches [in Zimbabwe] are struggling to feed the hungry and heal the sick.’

USPG General Secretary Bishop Michael Doe said: “USPG has long worked with the Dioceses of Zimbabwe, and we are delighted that the Archbishops have chosen us to administer their appeal for them.

‘The Church in Zimbabwe is exercising a faithful and often courageous witness, and this appeal will enable them to reach out in practical ways to even more people.”

USPG photographer Leah Gordon visited schools where the promise of daily meals of enriched maize porridge and vegetable soup meant school attendance had shot up by 45 per cent.

(To start watching the video on the right, click on the start button below the video screen to the left. To stop watching it, click on the button again.)

She reported: ‘The transformation has been amazing. Children come into school because they are guaranteed a meal, and they have the energy to stay awake – literally – and focus on their studies. I was also told that girls are now less likely to be lured into sex work simply in order to have money to eat. This was a really inspiring piece of work.’

Southwark Cathedral recently held a photo exhibition to mark one year since the launch of the appeal.

A letter of thanks from the Archbishop of Canterbury and York

Archbishops' Appeal for Zimbabwe flyer to download...

High res Appeal download...

A poster to download...

High res poster to download...