Growing up in Mutare, Zimbabwe, I came to understand poverty not as a distant concept but as an everyday struggle experienced by people I knew and served. As a youth leader in the United Methodist Church’s King David Circuit, I was raised in a community that emphasized faith in action. Through this foundation, I was shaped by our church’s consistent outreach work, particularly to Gwese Circuit, a rural United Methodist congregation in Mutare Rural District.
In Gwese, the reality of poverty is pervasive. Food insecurity, limited access to education, early marriages, and chronic under-development are common. During our church mission visits, we delivered food parcels, school materials, and spiritual support. We listened to mothers struggling to feed their children and met students forced to drop out due to school fees. These visits were more than acts of charity they became for me a profound call to justice, rooted in faith.
According to the 2022 Zimbabwe National Statistics Agency (ZIMSTAT), Manicaland Province has one of Zimbabwe’s highest poverty rates, exceeding 70%. “The 2023–24 El Niño drought devastated harvests, leading to a 66% reduction in maize production and placing over one million people in Manicaland in need of food assistance,” the Manica Post 2024, Zimbabwe Newspaper.
In rural areas like Gwese, families depend on subsistence agriculture and have no safety nets when crops fail. Hunger, malnutrition, and educational disruption follow. The situation is particularly dire for children and youth. According to Youth Village Zimbabwe, a youth information portal, Manicaland recorded over 13,000 teenage pregnancies and 161 cases of child marriage, many driven by economic desperation in 2024.
“With the cost of living rising and the food poverty line increasing, access to school and healthcare has become unaffordable for many,” NewsDay Zimbabwe, 2024.
As a church, we are called to respond. The United Methodist Social Principles affirm that “As a church, we recognize the importance of creating just, equitable, and sustainable economies that benefit all members of society, especially marginalized and vulnerable peoples.” The United Methodist 2025 -2028 Social Principles, The Economic Community, Economic Challenges, A., Globalization
These principles remind us that poverty is not simply a development issue—it is a matter of justice and discipleship.
The United Methodist Church has taken steps to address these challenges. Locally, circuits such as King David UMC have offered scholarships, food aid, and mentoring programs to youth in rural areas like Gwese. Regionally, Africa University, a UMC institution in Mutare, continues to train leaders in agriculture, education, and health, creating capacity for long-term change.
Globally, United Methodist Agencies like the General Board of Church & Society and UMCOR have supported relief and development work in Zimbabwe. Yet, the scale of the crisis requires deeper, sustained action.
The recent reduction of USAID funding to Zimbabwe has worsened poverty in rural communities like Gwese, where international aid has historically filled critical service gaps. In areas already reeling from drought and economic instability, this funding cut has deepened hunger and placed even more pressure on overstretched local churches and community groups.
From my perspective, in order for the Church to help address poverty, it must expand its role in three ways:
- First, it must invest in sustainable rural development, including drought-resilient agriculture, small-scale irrigation, and food cooperatives.
- Second, it should strengthen education and scholarship programs, prioritizing rural girls at risk of early marriage.
- Third, the Church must engage in policy advocacy, ensuring that rural voices like those in Gwese are represented in development planning and national budget consultations.
The story of Gwese is not only about hardship, it is about resilience. It is about faith communities stepping in where institutions have failed. As someone formed in this context and now serving at the General Board of Church & Society, I believe our Church has both the theological mandate and the institutional capacity to respond. Poverty in Gwese is a call to act not out of charity alone, but out of justice rooted in the Gospel. In the work of peace and justice, faith and advocacy are not separate they are one.
About The Writer
Tafadzwa Chikawa, is a recent graduate of Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe (June 2025) earning a Bachelor of Science (Honors) in Social Work.
Growing up in Mutare, he learned early on the value of community. At Hartzell High School, Tafadzwa served as Vice President of the Leo Club, leading donation drives for orphanages and senior homes. Through his involvement with King David United Methodist Church in the Zimbabwe East Annual Conference, he held various leadership roles in the United Methodist Youth Fellowship, including Secretary and Vice President.
Serving in the Ethnic Young Adult Internship Program at the General Board of Church Tafadzwa is planning to grow as a communicator, advocate, and servant leader, creating meaningful change in both the church and society.
This content was originally published by the General Board of Church and Society; republished with permission on ResourceUMC.org on July 7, 2025.