The
bishops
of
Southern
Africa,
including
those
of
Swaziland,
South
Africa
and
Botswana,
had
called
for
the
observance
of
Solidarity
Sunday
for
Zimbabwe
on
Feb.
15
to
encourage
donations.
According
to
an
announcement
by
Fr.
Chris
Townsend,
Information
Officer
for
the
Southern
African
Catholic
Bishops’
Conference
(SABC),
individual
donors
have
given
over
96
tons
of
soybeans
and
fortified
children’s
food.
Donors
have
also
contributed
to
the
cost
of
packaging
and
transport,
with
about
$90,000
in
cash
donations
having
been
raised.
One
individual
donor
gave
over
$83,000
worth
of
food.
A
refrigerated
container
of
medicine
will
also
be
part
of
the
258-ton
shipment.
Money
raised
in
South
Africa
has
been
used
to
buy
basic
medical
supplies
for
the
Catholic
Healthcare
networks
in
Zimbabwe.
Fr.
Townsend
credited
companies
such
as
Future
Life
and
Imana
for
“generously”
allowing
food
to
be
purchased
at
cost.
The
Makro
warehouse
club
chain
has
also
given
a
discount
on
food
purchased
for
Zimbabwe.
“So
many
individuals
and
communities,
many
of
them
poor
themselves,
have
responded
with
incredible
generosity,”
said
Fr.
Vincent
Brennan,
Secretary
General
of
the
SACBC.
“I’m
amazed
that
so
many
people
responded
so
generously.
For
many
families,
the
current
economic
crisis
is
hitting
hard,
but
so
many
gave
so
generously,
from
those
who
gave
large
donations
…to
those
who
came
to
the
churches
involved
and
dropped
off
one
tin
of
food
and
some
clothes.”
The
aid
shipment
will
leave
for
Zimbabwe
in
the
next
week.
The
aid
will
be
distributed
under
the
supervision
of
the
Catholic
charity
Caritas
International,
with
the
guidance
of
a
multi-agency
food
security
need
survey.
Caritas
International
is
also
running
an
International
Emergency
Appeal
for
Zimbabwe.
Source:
Southern
African
Catholics
donate
258
tons
of
aid
relief
for
Zimbabwe