Like many communities in the Zambezi escarpment, Binga district experiences considerable vulnerabilities as a result of climate change.
Droughts, extreme heat and water shortages have become the order of the day and are increasing in occurrence and severity.
The drying up of the Zambezi River, the fourth largest river in Africa and the massive siltation of many of its tributaries poses serious challenges to a myriad of families in Binga.
For 56-year-old Luckson Munkuli, life hasn’t been the same after he lost his eyesight following a nine-year battle with an eye infection.
A prominent farmer during his heydays, Munkuli from Saba (ward 13) in Binga, feels he could have saved his family from starvation had it not that he was blind.
He believes he has been excessively affected by the unpredictable weather patterns over the last five years.
“I completely lost my eyesight in 2019,” Munkuli told Southern Eye on Sunday.
“I had an eye infection in 2011 and tried all avenues to have it cured with little success.
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“In 2018, it got worse and I had challenges with one of my eyes before I totally got blind in 2019.
“That is the last time I went into the field.”
According to Unicef, 15% of the world’s population has disabilities, which are about one billion people with an estimated 1, 4 million being in Zimbabwe.
Just like women and the elderly, people with disabilities are often disproportionately affected by the impacts of climate change.
“I left my job in Victoria Falls and came home to embark on farming in 2000,” Munkuli said.
“I was a prominent farmer and I went all over the country to exhibit my farming expertise.
“I did a lot of farming courses because I was so passionate about it.
“However, all hell broke loose in 2019 when I totally lost my sight.”
According to the World Bank, across the globe, persons with disabilities experience mortality rates up to four times higher in natural disasters than people without disabilities.
Although 15% of the world’s population has a disability, climate change adaptation efforts do not adequately take their needs into account.
“I have been left out on a number of programmes to deal with these weather extremes,” said Munkuli.
“My only support has been coming from the church, which has been mobilising support in terms of food.
“I believe despite my disability, I should be involved in a number of programmes because I am still passionate about farming.
“My wife has problems with her feet as well, something that has worsened our situation.”
Munkuli’s wife, Maria Chuma, conceded that she shoulders the burden of caring for her husband.
“Since the time my husband lost his sight I have diverted my energy from agricultural production and general work that would provide income to take care of him,” Chuma said.
“This has resulted in household food insecurity, declining nutrition and health for our family.
“Our situation has been worsened by the fact that I am having problems with my feet.”
Chuma said she can’t even engage in community development meetings as she has to look after her husband.
“He needs me all the time and my participation in community programmes has been limited,” she said.
Forty four year-old Windas Sianene Muleya, who lost his left arm and both legs during a 2022 crocodile attack in Mulibizi River, believes he has been disproportionately and adversely affected by the climate change crisis.
Muleya, who was the breadwinner for a family of five, was attacked by a crocodile after he had jumped into the river while fleeing a charging herd of buffaloes.
“It was a vicious attack and I want to thank God for helping me survive this attack,” he said.
“It’s now two years after the attack and I am still nursing the injuries.
“My situation is now bad because I am now looking up to my ailing mother to take care of me and my family.
“I was the breadwinner, but due to my disability I am limited in fending for my family.
“There is hunger in Binga, but for my family I think it has been worsened by my condition.
“I can’t work in the fields or garden like what I used to do.”
Muleya said the recurrent droughts and hot conditions in Binga were a result of climate change.
“Things have changed and people need to adapt to these new conditions, but for us we are often left out because of our disability,” he said.
“Look at this garden, it’s me who is working to resuscitate it after a year of neglect because I was dealing with my medical issues.
“If given support, I think we can still help our families improve on food security.”
Muleya’s mother Dorica Munkombwe and his wife Maluba Mudimba acknowledged that life hasn’t been rosy since their breadwinner’s demise.
“We are food insecure and we no longer grow crops as we used before my son was attacked by a crocodile,” Munkombwe said.
“It’s been tough for us as a family.”
For Fostina Mudenda, taking care of her granddaughter with disability has not been a stroll in the park.
“I can’t leave her alone at home, so I have to be there all the time,” she said.
“This means that I can’t go out to look for food.
“Her mother left her in my custody and she never came back.”
Mudenda of Minsale village in Siansundu ward under Chief Saba lamented how it has been difficult for her to look after her 14 year-old granddaughter Chiedza Mugande and her other siblings.
“We are eight people living in this home,” Mudenda said.
“We rely on food handouts since we don’t have any source of income.”
In the wake of such situations, the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRCS) with the support from the Danish Red Cross, Finnish Red Cross and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is reaching out to 20 000 people with food aid in five wards in Binga.
People with disabilities are among vulnerable groups that are being targeted by the project, which is titled the Early Action Protocol.
The project has several other interventions such as distribution of drought tolerant seeds to 2 000 farmers and training of farmers on climate smart agricultural techniques, supporting de-worming or dosing and dipping of cattle.
“The project’s goal is to mitigate drought induced food insecurity through implementation of early actions targeting 4 000 households in five wards in Binga district,” said ZRCS secretary-general Elias Hwenga.
“We are responding to the El-Nino induced drought, which has been a serious threat to agriculture-based livelihoods in Zimbabwe.”
Hwenga said the drought has induced crop loss and livestock deaths, which are the major drivers of food insecurity causing widespread malnutrition and all these impacts are hampering the achievement of the sustainable development goals.
Munkuli expressed his gratitude to the ZRCS saying the food came at the right time when the food security situation was critical in his home.
“I want to thank the Red Cross for the food, which will go a long way in addressing our problems here,” he said.
“Apart from the food, the Red Cross gave us seed, which is drought-tolerant and I am happy that my wife has been part of the climate resilient programmes being done by the Red Cross.”
Hwenga said the other component of the EAP was to promote the inclusion and participation of persons with disability in climate action based on the principles of human rights and social justice.
Village head Chibanda 2, born Gowani Ncube, from Manjolo ward said hunger was stalking his community with people with disabilities and the elderly bearing the brunt.
“We have a bad situation in our midst, but hunger is disproportionately affecting people with disability and the elderly,” he said.
“I am happy that Red Cross has incorporated these groups of people in their programmes.
“You can see today, they are receiving food aid and recently they received seed.”
For Muleya, participation in climate action would help him build resilience and improve the life of his family.
“I want Red Cross to include me in their programmes so that I adapt to climate change and ameliorate the food security problem and improve the general welfare of my family,” he said.
“I also appeal to well-wishers to donate a wheel-chair because the one I am having is worn out and not usable in this part of the country.”
Emancipate Disability Trust director and African Union Disability Council ambassador Nyasha Nhau conceded that people with disabilities were disproportionately and differentially at risk from the climate crisis.
“People with disabilities lack access to information, which is very important for them to make informed decisions, particularly applying adaptive methods,” Nhau said.
“They also lack resources to implement viable mitigation strategies.
“Food insecurity, access to healthcare, their wellbeing, exclusion in relief support, nutrition, safe drinking water and sanitation as well as lack of healthcare services affects members of our constituency.”
Nhau urged the government and its development partners to ensure that they apply an all-inclusive strategy so that no one is left behind.
