The Nhimbe for Progress Community Center gardens continue to produce, even though the inclement weather destroyed crops, and the fire ruined many of their efforts in 2021. We are grateful to see that the elderly residents keep reaping the rewards, as does our Nhimbe preschool.
Since the regular gardener was off work, Efilda, our inventory control person, and Kenny, our MMC (Mhandara Monthly Care) marimba teacher, are harvesting the covo, a green much like spinach and kale. Greens are a staple throughout Zimbabwe.
These tender bunches of covo are now ready for distribution. Everyone is very happy to receive, and be able to offer this help…it’s a win-win. Traditionally, great care is taken to pay attention to the needs of the elderly. Some of the rural residents’ children live in cities, so our community outreach is a deep blessing, by watching out for them. The “elderly” residents were originally defined as 70 years and older, according to our surveys. For the CHANGE! (Covid-19 Health Advocacy Network Growing Education!) distribution, they have changed it to be closer to 60. Although exact age is uncertain, as older records are unreliable, everyone accepts guessing as a valid substitute.
Thank you all for your continued support – your generosity is the foundation of our success, without which, Nhimbe for Progress would not exist, except in the world of visions and dreams.
If you missed our annual letter, please check it out here! We have ceased sending snail mail, but if you would like a hard copy to share, please let us know! We have a new feature on the website that lets you setup a recurring donation of any amount!, which helps us with our annual planning and budgeting. Tatenda Chaizvo!
Graduation day for the Nhimbe for Progress Preschool and our resident’s soap/mask distribution were brought together on December 17th. Both went on quiet well. Muda, our new co-director, shares the following story:
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“We were graced by the local councilor and health workers. You will notice from the photos some did not even have masks and they had to cover their mouths with their shirt or hat when receiving the masks. We want you to get the true picture on the ground. Covid-19 education is a continual effort.
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A total of 253 bars of soap and 253 masks were distributed. Febbie has been getting calls from those that were absent and she will be setting a day soon to distribute more. The councilor was very grateful to Nhimbe for the kind gesture and he will be donating some masks also to the preschool when schools open January 4 2021.
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There was great team work on the day from Nhimbe staff. Febbie had everything set up nicely and the attendance by parents was great. For example, Kenny, the Marimba teacher, was busy the day ferrying soap for distribution. Compensation payments were also given on that day, and the staff are very happy and express their profound gratitude.“
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The Nhimbe preschool graduated 25 pupils to go to first grade in the surrounding six village community schools, starting up January 4th, 2021. With only five months of schooling under their belts, their demonstrated knowledge speaks to the way that education works well, having all ages of children in one schoolhouse.
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Let me share the graduation photos and videos, followed by the Covid-19 intervention pics.
Men to the left, women on the right, in a traditional fashion, here to attend the graduation of 25 little ones.Check out that incredible cistern and windmill…thanks to your continued support!
The graduates are waiting patiently as the ceremony begins.
Finally…their turn to do presentations and receive certificates!
Presenting: Color Identification – in English!
Presenting: Counting to Ten – in English!
Strength in Numbers?
Presenting: Body Part Song in Shona!
Muda, the new Co-Director, presents the certificate to the child and mother, as Febby, the other Co-Director and also head of the preschool, looks on. Fortunate, a preschool teacher with us for several years, is in the background on the left.
Our graduation certificates have a real shiny gold seal!
This is a big event for the villages dressing in their go-to-meeting clothes. Most every child had at least one parent in attendance, and sometimes, like here, most of the family. This little lad looks ready!
Besides the certificate, each child receives pencils, and a school writing book, plus a special gift of either a small towel, Vaseline, tooth brush, tooth paste or bag of maphuti (popped corn).
Graduating Class of 2020!
Covid-19 Intervention Continues as a 2021 Focus
The Nhimbe Team was prepared with 400 hand-sewn masks and 400 bars of soap to be distributed to all villagers who showed up. Mid-May we similarly gave these resources, and many people didn’t understand the purpose.
This line goes as far as the eye can see. Doing their best to stand at a socially distant space, many people still did not have masks, and used scarves or shirts for face covering.
Some soapy water is a prerequisite for entry into the Community Center. Hey – check out that water tank and windmill ;*))
I just love how this picture is just overloaded with soap! You know, if you are short of cash for food or school fees for children, you might not buy or use soap in the way we are accustomed. That is why this is quite a gift!
Here is the system. After lining up and washing up, they come by each of the two tables to receive one mask and one long bar of soap (about 14″ long). We expect this to last for 2 months, when we will again distribute.
Here is someone who did not have a mask but needed to use a scarf. He is now setup!
This ambuya (grandmother) is very grateful. Her children and grandchildren have also been sponsored for school tuition over the years. Another happy camper!
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Many thanks to you for your continued support of our work in Zimbabwe. If you haven’t seen our year end report click HERE. If you haven’t seen our exquisite masks for sale, click HERE! The end of 2020 is raising a flag of hope and endurance, even after the year’s difficulties. Blessings your way…and much gratitude!
NEW FOR 2020, THE MMC GIRLS ARE LEARNING MASK MAKING! THEY ARE WORKING OUT OF THE PRESCHOOL CLASSROOM.
Here is some video to be able to peek into the world of our MMC program (Mhandara Monthly Care), which focuses on the maturing girl.
This gathering was a normal Friday afternoon meeting, but was highlighted with the addition of MMC Start-up Kits for the new girls. They spent the afternoon together enjoying music, sewing, marimba, and always gentle instruction.
MMC Congratulations Singing “Makorokoto“
We have over 80 girls in total just within Nhimbe, and 45 or so received their first kits (bucket, soap, underwear, a new purse sewing kit, and reusable washable supplies). If enough donations come in, we will be able to reach out to the neighboring communities, as we have done in the past (just without the 3-day camping).
MMC Sewing Masks
These girls are following the same mask pattern we sent by Whatsapp in April for the women to make for village distribution (very similar to the pleated onesour volunteers have made available here on our website as a fundraiser). The girls are making themselves and their family members masks. You hear some marimba music outside at the beginning because they are taking lessons as well.
Marimba Lessons “Chemutangure”
The marimbas are sounding wonderful! The girls didn’t get to play for months during the hiatus and are now back to it. Many thanks to Kutsinhira ZCDP grant that made this marimba set available to Humwe, our sister organization here in the villages. And, of course, thanks to you, our donors, for sponsoring the teacher, Kenny, who comes to offer lessons!
Offering a speech to your peers and the community is part of growing up in Zimbabwe. This girl speaks to the empowerment of learning.
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“A good day to you all! My name is Tariro Rukodzi. I want to tell you about Education. Education! Education! Education is the key to success. Education is the most powerful weapon that you can use to change the world. Without education, life is tough, like chewing roasted maize without any teeth. With me, I have education…we stand without compromising. With education, life is like cutting margarine with a hot knife. Education is the vaccine for violence. Thank you!“
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WE can’t thank you enough for your tremendous and continuing support! This year has been difficult for all of us, and it is no different for them in the rural area, except maybe less media to tell them what is going on and less water and soap to use for cleaning, but all balanced by a very strong resilient nature.
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Your contributions now help us know how we are able to support them in this work during this next year. Please check out our annual letter from the director, the letter from our Board President and go to the shop to see how you might reach out.
The new 3-D mask has been extremely well received, with a sense of more air available (less confining), better facial fit around the edges with a nice nose piece, beautiful craftsmanship, as well as a lovely array of designs woven into high-quality cloth. Newly donated and purchased fabrics have found their way to the volunteers to wash, and then sew, sew, sew. They are available very soon in many fresh African patterns and colors! Same unbelievable deal … these masks, all yours on a donation basis, help us to raise awareness, funds to continue work in Mhondoro, and help you stay safe too! Thank you!
We remain working in Zimbabwe…detailed updates are forthcoming, but for now, the quick report:
Our Nhimbe for Progress Team is fully in place, engaged, and brain-cracking to pull together the nuts, bolts, and washers from 20 years of experience in just over one month. You may remember that Patricia left Nhimbe to follow her soul’s calling at the beginning of October. Now, our renovated, renewed and revamped Nhimbe ship has left the harbor with an incredible new team, and we are underway!
School has reopened in Zimbabwe, and our MMC program officially started on 11/6 with almost half the girls in attendance, after a 7-month hiatus. Again, we will be teaching about their bodies, providing supplies, but this time also learning about Covid-19.
On 11/9 the Nhimbe for Progress preschool reopened its doors with similar numbers of about half the norm in attendance, also learning about masks and social distancing. We are encouraging a healthy discussion with the Ministry’s health inspector, because World Health Organization protocol does not require those under 5 years-old to wear masks, but our staff was trying to implement stringent requirements, as they are for MMC. Guidelines are unclear in the country, and our staff is doing everything they can for safety, including using two new infrared thermometers as part of our protocols, as well as giving all children masks. We hope to get this sorted in the next few days.
After completing well deepenings for 43 families so far this year, the outcry is for more help! We just approved a budget for another 29 or so wells, to be deepened before the end of the year. Today we bought over $1,000 of cement, 14,000 bricks, and hired those with the shovels to help all of the families, since the depth is far beyond anything seen before. The rain is slowly coming, so that is letting them get digging. Water levels have plummeted particularly in the last 2 years, so water availability has become the most pressing issue of the day.
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Thank you for your dedicated support! We continue to operate the preschool per our normal high standards, as well as MMC with the addition of teaching mask-making for their current craft project. We also are pushing hard and fast to get the wells deepened now, before the impending summer rains fall. The 7 elderly without water have become the priority. This is the immediate focus with the other 22 or so to follow.
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We remain grateful and optimistic as you reach out, and continue to remember us!We all very much appreciate whatever you have been able to do, either financially to assist, or with your time. There are 3 essential areas needing volunteers –please email Jaiaen:
We have a real need for technical website and higher-end computer assistance, either on a one-time project basis or for the longer term. There are some exciting opportunities here. Do get in touch!
Also, someone who can offer general office expertise using the computer and Microsoft would also help return some sanity to the nature of reality, since many extra functions have multiplied, much like rabbits, particularly over the last several months, with the loss of Cosmas, as well as the introduction of Covid-19.
Locally in the mid-valley, we really would love for someone to oversee the masks, which are being sewn by a couple of lovely ladies, as they find their way into your home (the masks, not the seamstresses) ;*))
First I want to thank all of you who have either contributed directly to airfare or the financial energy to support this trip! It started with us looking for volunteers, and then a couple of you responding, knowing that the airfare is a burden for a volunteer to be able to offer both the time and the money. Now we have three committed members of the team in addition to myself, ticketed and ready to go! Wow!
Here I wanted to share what we’ll be on the ground doing within that first week. We are bringing two instructors from Zambia to share their successful drip irrigation protocol. They will bring drip line, fittings, and the basics to make this system work. They have been implementing this approach in Bulawayo where the water is even more difficult to obtain. These pictures are from their work there.
Its all about the gravity feed! We buy the poles and buckets to make the table top reservoir that will feed each hose.They provide the drip irrigation and teach more about raised beds.Covo (traditional greens like chard or spinach) and tomatoes are being grown here.Check out that tomato production!Onions are also a favorite.The mulching of the middle rows is a standard permaculture practice that they will teach.This is an incredible harvest for any area!From big plants to little ones, this technique works!The lower leaves of this older Covo are being harvested.
Manually buckets of water are poured into the large 5 gallon bucket. Through the gravity feed the water is taken to the end of the row giving just enough water for plant health.
We are excited to implement this at the preschool garden. We will be starting with a small system of 30 meters. Tune in for an update in a couple of weeks!
This kind of prosperous gardening could turn the preschool into a self-sufficient operation in a matter of time. Purchasing the drip line is the primary expense in the operation. Thank you for the special help with these projects.
W.A.T.E.R! = Wells And Toilets Everyone’s Right! After some difficulties in acquiring cement, we are now in a position to source the cement for wells! Ancient Ways has saved enough since 2013 to build 22 wells right away before the rainy season comes in November. Around 7% of the residents have a pure water well. We have about 515 left to build, 280 in Nhimbe and 235 in Jangano.
If you have a “special project” jar, in which you have saved up your skipped-video-or-latte money, or, are moved in your heart to make a big difference in an extended family’s life, consider DONATING NOW at https://ancient-ways.org/programs/facilities-improvement/water-for-wells/.
Don’t hesitate…Join us in our W.A.T.E.R! program. One well costs $250 to build , or $23/month if using a reoccurring credit card (CALL THE OFFICE at 541-259-HOPE or 877-TATENDA). Any amount helps…Plus, your family surname is painted on the well. Thank you for increasing a family’s garden productivity, overall health and wellbeing, as well as ensuring their future. Always feel free to call or write with questions! Tatenda Chaizvo!
This 2011 video clip shows the joy of the girl guides who received 3 pair of panties in response to our “Underwear for Over There” Campaign. Many more girls received underwear but were not present at this Girl Guides Life Skills Learning Retreat in late August. In 2012, we our expanding the campaign to be “Underwear and Monthly Care for Over There” to help meet the personal health needs of our young women.
Our Donhodzo Health Center provides services to anyone who comes to its doors without charge. We offer conventional approaches, traditional herbs, alternative methods and counseling. One of the alternatives is that our Senior Nurse has been trained in NMT (see nmt.md) and has had great success. An adjunct to this is a new program that he will be setting up, so that practitioners from the US may remotely treat village residents with NMT. Ancient Ways will obtain tests, blood for instance, CT-4, etc., as part of the before and after comparison for clinical purposes as the need exists.
Our Senior Nurse reports: “All girls have been afforded underwear in a colorful presentation ceremony by our Director which coincided with the August Girl Guides Camp. This goes a long way in addressing the many sanitary issues of the girl child in our disadvantaged communities. ” Check out the video soon to be online. In hind sight, its clear that purchasing underwear was a first step towards assisting the young girls with their monthly care challenges, which has recently been brought to our attention. “Their parents have expressed their profound joy for the timely and most appropriate gift of a lifetime.”
Our Senior Nurse reports that, “The Donhodzo staff would like to give thanks for the continued provision of the most vital medicines that have made a huge impact and quality difference in the wellbeing of our community and beyond. Together with our health promotional approach, we are witnessing a major decline in health concerns within our communities. The importance of water, sanitation and hygiene is beginning to make a difference in the lives of many, as few are seeking major health services and primarily coming for first aid.
The main challenge has been bilharzias, which has affected a lot of school-going kids up to secondary level. The problem has been compounded by the fact that our Donhodzo center has been the only place with Praziquental tablets that can cure the disease thus putting a strain on our supply.”
