Community Development & Outreach
Food
Nutrition
A story of survival, strength, and the power of a shared meal…
For Themba, hunger isn’t a passing discomfort. It’s not the kind of hunger that fades after a snack or waits patiently for dinnertime. It’s the kind that gnaws at you—quietly, relentlessly—and once kept him awake at night.
After moving away from Woodville, a community served by Mustard Seed Communities Zimbabwe, Themba suddenly found himself without access to regular meals. Days would pass with nothing to eat.
“I was so hungry, I couldn’t even sleep,” he remembers.
At times, Themba managed to find small jobs doing whatever he could. But as a minor trying to stay in school, survival was a constant uphill battle.
So he made a plan.
Every Thursday and Friday, Themba walks back to Woodville to participate in MSC Zimbabwe’s nutrition program. Twice a week may not sound like much, but to him, it’s everything. A hot, nourishing meal. A warm greeting. A safe space where he is known, welcomed, and fed.
“The food is delicious, and the people are kind,” he says.
It’s a place where I can forget my troubles and just be myself, even if it’s less than an hour.
At Mustard Seed Communities Zimbabwe, these mealtimes blossom into more than bowls of rice and sadza. They’re about dignity. Consistency. Relief.
They’re about showing children like Themba that their lives matter, their presence is cherished, and they are not alone.
“Themba’s story matters,” says a volunteer from MSC Zimbabwe. “Despite his circumstances, he continues to fight for his future—showing up, walking the distance, and holding onto hope.”
And he’s not alone. Nearly 1,200 children join him at MSC’s nutrition program sites every day, each one carrying their own story of struggle and perseverance.
Thanks to the support of our international community, our nutrition programs provide life-changing hope for children and families in some of Zimbabwe’s most vulnerable communities.