Preschool Health Update from Nhimbe

Our Senior Nurse reports “We had an exceptional term in which our preschool kids were generally healthy with no reported disease outbreak, but only a few bouts of flu and cough from the harsh winter cold winds. The supply of food has been timely, constant and balanced. We also would like to commend the community residents for they have been quick to respond to all firewood issues. We have been closely monitoring our preschool kids and we are pleased that we are recording few cases of diarrhea and skin diseases, which in the past have been major issues.

Maize Micro-loans and Preschool Food

Now is the time to plant one’s maize field as the rains are coming in Zimbabwe!  We have spent approximately $840 to purchase certified seed for 27 families so that they can plant their field knowing that the quality will ensure a successful crop of 1-2 tons (depending upon whether they borrowed for 10 or 20kg of seed), assuming the weather is reasonable.  This will be considered a loan without interest. They will repay the loan by giving the financial equivalent of maize to the preschool in 2012.  We feed the preschoolers daily and the maize will supplement the other foods we grow and buy.  This is a win-win situation!

Update on the Preschool Water Pump

Our Senior Nurse says, “The installation of a water pump at the Community Center has not only simplified our access to water but has also assured us the safest drinking water for our many children and the community at large. The pump has the capacity to draw out enough water to fill 3000 liters of water within an hour.” Many thanks to the collaboration of the Ministry of Health, Child Welfare and UNICEF for transforming our well!

UNICEF is Providing Nhimbe Well Pump

UNICEF has chosen the Nhimbe for Progress preschool as one of its first sites to install a well pump in the rural Mhondoro area. The reason given was our great track record and stability! This well pump will increase the gallons per minute phenomenally compared to manually bringing a bucket out at a time. This is still a manual operation but empowers those gardening, cooking and cleaning to achieve must easier results. We are very grateful for this recognition from UNICEF as well as for the practical nature of this gift!

Preschool in Zimbabwe gets some renovations!

We got word that the preschool kitchen hut had collapsed.  This is an open air hut that provides a small room for washing dishes and another small room for cooking over a fire.  Research was underway to find a better way to repair the hut.  Utilizing our local builder’s expertise and metal poles to reinforce the roof we completed the repair for around $250.  The new kitchen hut now is strong and keeps the rain out!

Additionally the J.F.Kapnek Charitable Trust found our village preschool in need of playground repairs.  They are partnering with our residents (primarily parents of preschoolers), the older Girl Guides and Machapro boys, and our staff to upgrade the playground equipment. We supplied paint and nails which cost around $250.  Kapnek and residents are providing most everything else to make the following: Climbing Frame, Brick sand-pit, Log sand-pit, Tire sand-pit, Floating Bridge, Balancing Beams, Brick balancing beam, Single Swing, Double Swing and Monkey bar.  This is all currently under construction and will complement the swings, merry-go-round and slide we built many years ago.