Thanks to the many generous donors who have contributed funds towards our food programme over the last 12 months, we have been able to distribute 4 578 food packs, totalling approximately 183 tonnes of food.
We have used several suppliers over this time, one of which has been Zapalala. Zapalala was started by Lloyd and Stacey Turner in 2010, out of a need to provide everyday amenities to rural Zimbabweans for the same price as food is sold in towns and other urban areas. They found that basic food was much more expensive in rural areas due to their isolation and the long distances that have to be travelled. As Lloyd says, “We wanted the small amount of money people had to go a little further just to eat, which should be a right for all, not a luxury”.
There are now 19 stores nationwide, with plans to grow by another 20 stores over the next three to five years. A distribution centre also houses a mill that grinds around 3 000 tonnes of maize a month. Local suppliers are always promoted so that local manufacturers can contribute to various factors of the economy to “create a better Zimbabwe”.
In the future, Lloyd and Stacey aspire for Zapalala to be the first non-profit retailer, with the sole purpose of employing and feeding Zimbabweans. “There is too much of a gap between people with too much money, and people with nothing at all. The only way that I feel I can contribute towards this is to feed and employ more people sustainably”, states Lloyd. To reach sustainability in Zimbabwe, the country needs a much larger scale of self-sufficiency, as well as a higher employment percentage, something Lloyd hopes to be able to contribute towards.
We would like to thank Zapalala for their assistance over the last 12 months, and look forward to seeing the business expand in the coming years, bringing benefits to those most in need.
