Living from hand to mouth

"My name is Mafasse Timane. I used to live in the lowlands but they moved us here to higher grounds in 2000 after the floods. My main problem now is hunger. I receive free maize, oil and beans only when it is my community’s turn to take part in the food for work programme (supported by the World Food Programme).

"I don't take part in the work because I am too old. When it is not our month, I don't receive anything. I rely on handouts and I scout around for what I can get.

"I didn't eat yesterday because I only had maize meal left and no salt or greens to eat it.

I will eat today, because I have collected some cassava leaves to eat the maize with, but I still have no salt. I rely on my grandson, who lives in the lowlands, to give me food, but he has not visited for a long time.

"My sons (three) live in South Africa and my daughters (three) have died in South Africa. I don't know what of. I just had a message to say they died. They left for South Africa many years ago. They never returned. My sons never visit and never send messages.

"When I lived in the lowlands, there was more food to eat.

My plot has dried up here. It hasn't rained. Nothing has grown. If I was stronger I would farm in the lowlands like the others, and sleep here, but I am too old to walk back and forth. It is far. I can't settle there because of the floods.

"The floods were bad. I remember during the floods, I was frightened. I couldn't escape with my neighbours. They left their homes before the water rose too high. But I couldn't make it, so they helped me onto the roof of my house. I felt all alone when they left.

I stayed on the roof all night. I was able to drink the rainwater, but I had nothing to eat. A helicopter came the next day to rescue me. They put down a rope. I was very scared. They told me not to look down at the water, but look up.

"What about the future? My worry is food. My health is good, only my body is tired as I am old. I can't expect to be as healthy as I was."