U.S Embassy Disburses $50,000 Zimbabwe Community GrantsUnited States Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Bruce Wharton, on Thursday disbursed the second tranche of grants under his Special Self-Help Program saying the scheme is apolitical and targeted at community-based development projects. Speaking at the signing ceremony of the small grants, Ambassador Wharton said the funds are meant to advance projects that tangibly improve the lives of community and encourage future development. He said the program, which is distinct from the larger-scale carried out by the United States government in Zimbabwe, focuses on projects that affect people immediately and improve the quality of life. Among the six organizations that collectively got the small grants totaling $50,000 are Makokoba Development Trust of Bulawayo, Light to the Disabled People of Zimbabwe, Jibajiba Secondary School of Matabeleland North and Orphaned Children Care and Support Trust (ORCASST) of Bikita, Masvingo province. ORCASST programs manager, Edmore Nduna, thanked the US Ambassador saying the assistance would go a long way in improving the lives of thousands of orphaned children in Bikita. He said the money would be used for peanut butter production, among other activities. Siduno Bhebhe, secretary of the Makokoba Development Trust, said they would use the money for broiler production in his poverty stricken constituency. A few weeks ago Ambassador Wharton distributed thousands of dollars under the same program. The Ambassador’s Special Self-Help Program was started in Zimbabwe in 1980 and more than $10 million has so far been distributed in the last 10 years.