Public donations to an appeal for Zimbabwe launched earlier in the year by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have reached £292,330.

The funds raised will go towards churches struggling to feed the hungry and provide healthcare in troubled Zimbabwe, ravaged by hyperinflation, starvation and a cholera epidemic.

The Archbishops said in a joint statement that public support for their appeal had been "overwhelming".

"We know that rebuilding Zimbabwe is a long-term aim, and this short intervention is still only reaching a small number of the many millions in need. Thank you for enabling us to do this," they said.

They continued: “Our brother Bishops in Zimbabwe have highlighted the need for immediate relief activities to address the cholera epidemic and starvation, but also that we support programmes that provide long term solutions to poverty.

"So at their request we will be providing seed-corn for crops in time for the planting season which normally starts end of October."

The Archbishops said the dioceses in Zimbabwe receiving the funds would focus on aiding the most vulnerable in their communities, namely people with HIV, the elderly and children.

Staff from the charity administering the Archbishops' appeal, USPG:Anglicans in World Mission, and the Archbishop of Canterbury's office, Lambeth Palace, met Zimbabwe bishops in recent weeks to hear their long-term plans for community work in the areas of health, agriculture and peace building.

“Whilst we know that food is the first priority we have also committed to buy medicines, initially for six clinics, and we expect the first of these vital medical supplies to be dispatched in the next weeks," the Archbishops added.

Supplementary feeding programmes are already underway in the Dioceses of Central Zimbabwe, Masvingo and Matabeleland, where food was distributed through church schools in Easter week.

USPG General Secretary the Rt Rev Michael Doe said: "We’ve been astounded by the response of the general public, and we thank all those that have supported the Archbishops’ appeal over Lent – we know of many more churches and dioceses who have pledged to support the appeal in the Easter season and beyond.”

The Archbishops’ appeal will be accepting donations for the rest of 2009.



On the web: www.uspg.org.uk/donate.php