Malnutrition and starvation in Hwange west has driven people to digging up baobab tree roots for eating. Image by Joel S. | Flickr

by Nokuthaba Dlamini

The ongoing global pandemic in the form of COVID-19 has exacerbated an already raging food crisis. Food aid from the government and the non-profit sector is enabling some sort of livelihood but, is it enough?

Victoria Falls town centre: Residents are failing to pay their rates to the council owing to job losses in the tourism sector due to the global pandemic. Image by Bgabel | Wikivoyage

by Bokani Mudimba

Victoria Falls’ economy is centred around tourism, COVID-19 has left a tail of economic destruction across the town, local government wants to conduct business as usual, residents say they will not have any of it.

Artisanal mining has become a source of income for panners at a time when there are high levels of unemployment in Zimbabwe. Image by Julien Harneis | Flickr

by Lizwe Sebatha

The COVID-19 pandemic has worsened existing challenges related to unemployment and poverty in Matabeleland South. With hundreds of people flocking to mine gold without a license, exposure to coronavirus is a major concern.

Water has remained scarce in most rural Matabeleland South areas forcing people to travel long distances in search of the precious liquid. Image by Elliot Siamonga | The Patriot

by Lizwe Sebatha

In parts of rural Matabeleland South, washing hands to prevent the spread of COVID-19 seems unrealistic. Water to drink for both people and livestock is scarce, for these villages, water is used by political leaders as a campaigning tool and nothing comes from it.

In Matabeleland South hordes of children drop out of school for gold mining. Image by New Ziana

by Amanda Ncube

Matabeleland South recorded the highest percentage of child labour about six years ago. This year, COVID-19 has placed children out of school and caused economic shocks—leading children back to labour in hazardous environments.