COP 26 starts in a few days. World leaders with so many possibilities need to make a binding agreement and act now to stop global heating. They can learn a thing or two from our friends in Chibombo. The lessons are that the Chibombo Women :
- realise that the climate emergency is here and are ACTING NOW
- have vision
- achieve so much by working together.
- treasure what they have - each other, their own labour, faith, hope, a small piece of land, seeds they collect......
- give hope to others
- get support and as result more of our dreams are realised!!!!
How did they do this?
UK supporters have helped them to buy land, a solar pump, hoses for irrigation, shades to put over crops when the sun is beating down, fencing posts, seeds and beehives.
The women have worked tirelessy, clearing the land, putting up fences, planting, and looking after the crops.
They have created a new nursery and planted over 4500 thousand tree saplings
The saplings planted so far include Leachania, Neem, Pawpaws, Lime, Eucalyptus, Pine, Melina and White Guavas!
Watering the crops makes it possible to grow food in the dry season.
The purchase of hoses and drip tapes means they have two types of irrigation - drip and hose
''We have managed to make a green garden with maize, tomatoes, onion, carrots, cabbage, rape, spinach and assorted herbs.'
They have avoided plastic by sewing seeds on trays and produced their own organic pesticde from goat manure
And they now have bees in three out of their 4 new hives!
All this in a year when Chibombo has been hit with droughts, floods, the women have lost loved ones from covid and malaria, the economy in Zambia has been in a serious state of collapse. In addition these women lack a means of earning a living and also struggle to put food on the table for themselves and their families. They have achieved all this with no more than £3000 of our support!
Organising ourselves in the UK
Friends of Chibombo! For now this is a supporters Whats App group - we will warmly welcome any help you can offer to raise funds and/or find new supporters. If you would like to become a friend and join the Whats App group, please text Judith - 07792 690 278. It will be a good way of finding out when there is a new blog on this website.
Advisory Group for CPCA is responsible for financial governance. They look at bids, make decisions and provide accountability to donors as well as think through how to support CPCA. We are currently supporting them to get constituted. Once that is in place we would like to raise enough money for overheads for 2-3 years to ensure they can get established. For that we will need regular donations.
Fundraising We have raised a further £450 since the beginning of September including £75 a month in standing orders. Thanks to our very generous and wonderful supporters
£2.50 will buy a shade to prevent crops burning in the hot sun
£30 will buy a beehive
Christmas presents to heal the world
You can still buy our lovely cards - see https://chibomboclimate.wixsite.com/website-1/post/eyecatching-cards-for-sale
If you would like to give a donation to this project as a present we will have a special Christmas offer soon, watch this space or let us know you are interested, Judith 07792 690 278. You will be able to donate anything from £1 and will recieve your gift on one of our cards
If you are able and would like to make a one off or regular donation or organise a fundraiser, we will be hugely grateful please make BACs donations to: ​ Account name: Whalley Range Climate Action Group (WGCAG) Sort code: 010202 Account number: 21744513 Reference: Chibombo ​
All monies donated will be passed on directly to Chibombo Peoples Climate Action, apart from any costs associated with donations. There are no direct costs associated with BACs donations to you or to the accountholder. Please note that neither Whalley Range Climate Action Group or Chibombo Peoples Climate Action are formally registered as charities. For enquiries related to donations, please contact Judith - 07792 690 278
Please tell others about us too!
Finally CPCA partner Whalley Range Climate Action Group urges everyone to tell world leaders to do everything they can to stop global heating now!
Why not put a message in your window and lobby your MP?