Archbishops' Appeal for Zimbabwe, Photography Exhibition at Southwark Cathedral

The exhibition marks one year since the launch of the Archbishops' Appeal for Zimbabwe, in partnership with USPG: Anglicans in World Mission, which has surpassed all expectations in raising almost half a million pounds.

The exhibition celebrates the great generosity of those who have donated and the photographs illustrate the humanitarian and development programmes this has enabled.

The Archbishop said:  "We are very, very proud of our Anglican brothers and sisters from Zimbabwe, for the courage, faithfulness and the imagination that they've shown in the last couple of years."

"It would be difficult enough to deliver all this significant help and support if there were not other problems, a country suffering grave deprivation and political and economic crisis, but to deliver this also in the face of relentless brutality and harassment is a further extra mark of the courage and the stature of our Anglican friends in Zimbabwe."

The Archbishop of Canterbury was joined by Bishops Chad Gandiya, Julius Makoni and Cleophas Lunga from Zimbabwe, who each spoke about an image from their first hand experience.

Talking about a photograph showing a Mothers' Union uniform, Bishop Julius said "For anything to work you need dedication, courage and the Mothers' Union.  To me, the Mothers' Union is a symbol of success and dedication.  They plant the seed, they make things grow."

Bishop Chad said "Zimbabwe is an agricultural country and most of our people depend on what they produce from their fields and in the past we were known as the bread basket of the region - a position that unfortunately we have lost. But through the Archbishops' Appeal our people were able to have seed maize for planting which made a great change to their lives, and it's all thanks to our brothers and sisters in this country."

Bishop Cleophas said "For the first time the Church has been able to go into prisons and provide food.  The prisoners have recognised that, even when they are behind bars, the Church has followed them and helped them."