US-based Zimbabwean Cyclone Idai fundraiser beats target

United States-based Freeman Chari who launched a $100 000 campaign to raise funds for Cyclone Idai on 16 March has surpassed his target.

By last night, he had raised $100 848 from 2 111 contributors through the crowd-sourcing platform Gofundme.

Chari said the funds raised would be used for relief efforts including food, shelter and water.

He said he would work with Sean Mullens, a pastor at One Church in Harare, and Jacque Rowe Anderson who heads the Miracle Missions in Zimbabwe.

Cyclone Idai hit Zimbabwe on 15 March with Chimanimani and Chipinge on the border with Mozambique being the worst affected.

According to the Ministry of Information the Cyclone killed 344 people in Zimbabwe. These included 158 whose bodies were recovered in Mozambique.

The ministry said some 257 people were still missing.

Chari’s campaign seems to show that people are more sympathetic to social causes rather than political ones as the main opposition Movement for Democratic Change failed to reach even a quarter of its target when it used the same platform to raise funds to meet its legal costs for the Constitutional Court challenge of last year’s presidential election results.

The MDC’s fundraising campaign, aiming to raise £100 000, was launched by Yvonne Mahlunge on 26 August, two days after the ConCourt ruling, but seven months down the line it has raised only £22 290.

Chari surpassed his target in 22 days.

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