Kutsinhira - Ziriwo

HOLIDAYS HELLO!

by Project Updates

Can You Make Time to Check-in Here?

Warm winter greetings where ever you are! We know that you are busy, and the world appears to be moving too fast to take it all in. Please, if you can, just take a minute to see what’s inside, and if now isn’t the moment, mark this as important, and come back later? Thanks much! 

This blog is really all about you. Your telling of our story is a deep breath, and without it, we can’t really penetrate the illusion that appears to be in the driver’s seat. Sorry if this sounds too far out, but to hold a vision and breathe life into it, we have to suspend our disbelief, which, when it’s hammering us with physical limitations, one can slide into being less than optimistic. Your time, your attention, your contributions all make the difference.

We continue to feel enormous gratitude for your ongoing support in so many ways…your encouraging words, your prayers, and of course, your donations are all positively uplifting! This annual opportunity is when we get to share what makes us tick, and we appreciate however you get involved! HERE is our focus for 2024:

We are super excited to watch the programs and services blossom in Mhondoro. We know that after traveling this road with our partners in rural Zimbabwe for 25 years, we have experienced what they face day to day, and tough times may be in front of us. But, even with everything going on in the world, we all continue to remain strong and resilient in spirit. Check out www.ancient-ways.org for more details. And, always feel free to call or email. We thank you very much – Tatenda Chaizvo!

P.S. Do you have a small amount of time to volunteer? Are you interested in working with photos and have a little tech skill? Please reach out if so! We have a special job looking for you.

HeartWorks ElderCare Quilt

HEARTWORKS ELDERCARE

by Project Updates

The Ambuyas Quilt Project

Late fall greetings from Lacomb! Freezing temps have just locked it in that we are indeed heading into winter. It’s time to warm up by the fire and hunker down!  

We so appreciate all the ways you have been supportive of our vision and accomplishments this year. We continue to work with the community on the ground in a variety of ways, and this year had a new blossom on the vine, further catering to the elderly.

You may remember how Nhimbe was born with a broad and deep sweep – the very first long list of concerns being made when Cosmas and I met in 1999 in Eugene, the day that Dumi passed on, with Dumi being my first Zimbabwean teacher and stirring my passion for the music. This synchronicity then passed the baton. From there, many seeds have sprouted creating what we now know as Nhimbe for Progress.

Fast-forward 20-plus years, with your help in 2020, just before Cosmas passed on, we managed to provide abundant hygienic water access for our Community Center programs, allowing us to grow a better garden among other things, and empowering us to give the elderly their traditional greens staple on a continual basis. This was the beginning of providing the elderly with specific direct assistance, and in my mind the start of HeartWorks ElderCare.

This year, a local quilt artist, Elle Garrison, offered to donate many incredible quilt tops to reach the elderly in our rural Mhondoro area. Why would this sound attractive with all the other needs pushing on our door?

  • Did you know that Zimbabwe gets chilly in the winter, averaging 50 degrees, and rarely below 42. Many years ago, my June trip to the villages found me in the cold without relief…just couldn’t get warmed up for an entire month plus. Rural living in a hut is much like camping, but imagine limited campfire access for the duration.
  • Did you know that many people all over Zimbabwe, sleep on the ground? Sometimes their hut has cement but also with poorer folks, they can also be sleeping directly on the earth.
  • The elderly particularly feel the cold to the bone, and even though they may have grown up this way, that doesn’t soften the reality.
QUILT TOPS
QUILT TOPS
QUILT TOPS
QUILT TOPS
QUILT TOPS
QUILT TOPS

Many pieces of the puzzle on this side of the planet were solved and obstacles overcome to be able to successfully put together six comforters for the elderly. We worked together for several months. One grandmother (ambuya) in each village was honored with this incredible gift, recognizing her important place in the community. These women were chosen by the headmen as the neediest, for instance, either because they have no one, i.e., no children that help them out, or they have health issues prohibiting them getting appropriate help.

Our Nhimbe project director, Febby Shava, called each of the women to come to the Community Center, and they had no idea why they were summoned. One of them has a heart condition and couldn’t make the walk that day, and another was an hour late arriving as she was resting along the way due to asthma. They were so very surprised, amazed, and simply touched by the special gift. This story will be told for many years to many. Please check out the slide show at the bottom where information about each is shared, e.g. their name, age, village.

DElighted

2023 has marked a very sweet and memorable time in Nhimbe’s history. Friends and family contributions to accomplish these comforters were donated earlier in the year with specificity so as to not take anything away from our preschoolers, the MMC maturing girls, or our W.A.T.E.R! programs. These ordinary ambuyas felt especially honored and share their gratitude in these videos.

Here they are saying thank you with the traditional clap (Makombere).

Here they are singing thank you good work!

Here they are with dance and song! She is very delighted.

Here they are packing up to go home. This shows the traditional carrying technique most often used for babies, but here she will carry her comforter home on her back.

Here is the one ambuya who couldn’t attend and returned on a different day (in her Sunday best).

Start to Finish
FROM START TO FINISH

We can all imagine the difficulties of aging. We found the entire process very dear. Here for your consideration are our only obstacles to solve for the future quilts:

  • Postage to ship a comforter was around $45 each, by shipping all six together.
    The merino wool batting was $33, to give the best warmth.
  • Quilting is being donated for only $25 – we concluded that although the first batch was tied comforters, for the longevity with the wool batting we decided that quilting would last better.
  • This totals $103 … are you able to fit some or all of this amount in your budget?

All of the other time and materials are being freely given. Could you contribute towards bringing comfort to the ambuyas in 2024? Six pieced-tops are literally already made for next year and ready to be framed and quilted! When our US team begins early, it ensures that the quilts will arrive before June’s winter. We ideally are shipping 1st of May.

Lucia Muramba Mutombo (74 yr, Muriritirwa village) & Florence Rueben (75 yr, Magaya village)
Lucia Muramba Mutombo (74 yr, Muriritirwa village) & Florence Rueben (75 yr, Magaya village)
Anna Mukuze (83 yr, Muchiriri village)
Anna Mukuze (83 yr, Muchiriri village)
Nomusa Makwavarara (64 yr, Zinyengere village)
Nomusa Makwavarara (64 yr, Zinyengere village)
Mary Mapininga (80 yr, Zaranyika village)
Mary Mapininga (80 yr, Zaranyika village)
Dori Zhuaki (89 yr. Gore)
Dori Zhuaki (89 yr. Gore)

Does this idea of reaching out to the elderly in the Nhimbe villages touch you? I recall in 2018 there were three elderly residents who passed on during my visit. Each was over 100 years old! We all have, or have had, elderly in our lives to whom we would like to offer comfort. Here is a modest avenue!

Let us know what you think and whether you are able to add something to the proverbial pot to bring more healing and kindness to someone you will likely never meet. Click here, and choose HEARTWORKS ELDERCARE, so that we will direct it specifically to the care of our Nhimbe for Progress elderly, making their later years feel more acknowledged and gentler.

Thank you for considering this venture! Tatenda Chaizvo!

book-bl

When The River Wakes Up & Other Newsworthy Events!

by Project Updates

Fall Greetings – Hoping you are having a wonderful harvest in both your goals for this year, as well as in your garden, orchard, freezer, or what-have-you. Here, it is THE time to feel squirrel impulses and get ready for winter…food, firewood, and pulling out the first of the scarves. 

We have an exciting addition to our Marketplace! Alyson Quinn has written a delightful book: When the River Wakes Up, and has donated copies to Ancient Ways. If you have a heart for Zimbabwean culture and history, it’s a must read. Are you part of a book club, or could otherwise bring this book from our Marketplace into your life or local community? The soft cover is a great way to share a good read from a female author, offering some depth in perspective, while at the same time, supporting our work there. We are covering the shipping!

Malídoma Patríce Somé, PhD, well-known traditional elder and author, recommends this book on Alyson’s website. As does our own Joyce O’Halloran, retired math professor, llama-raiser extraordinaire, and serious long-time Zimfest volunteer: “When the River Wakes Up opens with a child’s-eye view of the wonders of nature along with confusion stemming from racism in 1970’s Zimbabwe. With a beautifully flowing narrative, Alyson Quinn paints vivid pictures of family dynamics, African animals, and Zimbabwe’s transition to independence. We are guided through the maturation of a young girl who is coming to terms with the clash between Western beliefs and African mysticism.” 

Besides making this book available, we are bringing the village crafts to the First Christian Church (FCC) Craft Fair in Corvallis, as well as more African rocks. Much of our inventory left the warehouse for Zimfest and didn’t return but we still have some incredible hand-made items to share. The FCC Craft Fair borders the Fall Festival and runs over the same weekend of September 23rd-24th, with the FCC organizational proceeds going to support non-profits doing great work in the community. The Ancient Ways booth will be there only for 9-23.

Additionally on that Saturday, we look forward to bringing you the beautiful and uplifting music from Zimbabwe on marimba. Tamuka will be performing from 10 to 11 am and again from 11:45 to 12:15 at FCC, while the main stage for the Fall Festival is quiet. Our beginning group Mavambo, which started in June, will be playing in the last set – this is their first performance with Ancient Ways and we are all super excited!

Local music opportunities – Please come and say hello!

  • September 23rd, 10-11 and 11:45-12:15 pm FCC Craft Fair, 6th and Madison in Corvallis
  • September 30th, 10 – 12pm, Scio Saturday Market’s last call, at the fairgrounds
  • October 7th, noon to 2 pm, Silverton Sidewalk Shindig – new location in this annual event where all of Silverton is engaged in diverse music genres all day and night, in a variety of venues TBA
  • New beginning classes are starting Mondays at 5:30-7 pm at FCC, with existing beginning marimba on Tuesdays, same time. Call with questions!
  • An opening for an experienced player with Tamuka is a possibility. Reach out if you are interested.

Thank you for your continued support and interest in our work in Zimbabwe. Over 1,500 villagers and historically thousands of children (this year alone well over 500 to include MMC and preschool) have been given opportunities that have otherwise not existed before. We are pleased to be part of helping to uplift the rural residents, and giving these particular kids more resources and new horizons!

In much appreciation and baskets of gratitude!

Picture of girls

2023 Mhandara Monthly Care Continues Successfully!

by Project UpdatesYouth Well Being

Our Mhandara Monthly Care (MMC) program continues with great success, as a direct result from your support! We already have 267 girls on the wait list for 2023. So far, we have only connected with our nearby Nhimbe girls and three other schools (Rukuma primary and Gavaza primary and secondary). With your help we can further reach the girls at Makaure and Nyamashesha at a minimum. Let me share our process a bit, so you can see for yourself how your donation makes a huge difference! (Here is more detailed information.)

The Nhimbe for Progress MMC girls were the first to be established, as an outcome of our early efforts with the Youth Well Being camps. That is where we first learned in 2010 that some parents couldn’t afford underwear for their girl children so we started “Underwear for Over There”, and then at the next camp we found many girls were missing school and extra-curricular activities because of inadequate monthly care supplies. They were also lacking the nurturing of the traditional tete or auntie, due to the deaths of many women of that generation, as well as land redistribution encouraging families to move from their rural homes. All of this was the birth of what we know as MMC. Every girl deserves these basics! Do you agree?

Here a Nhimbe group is receiving some monthly soap as part of January services. Soap is an added expense for a family already struggling to put food on the table, make uniforms and pay school fees. The second girl in on the left is a joker…has her foot on her friend’s, who is giving her a knowing glance.

Picture of girls
Picture of girls

We have both new girls just beginning to blossom, and those that have been there for years. These four girls above are brand new to the program.

We have about 20 girls who received their first start-up kits in 2018 who are just now receiving a second start-up kit. The longevity nature of these re-useable supplies is unexpected. We felt that 3 years was about the normal life, but surprisingly they have lasted longer.

The Nhimbe girls continue to study marimba on Friday afternoons. Some girls play, dance, hosho, sing and drum, while others are studying sewing, or going to our great Nhimbe library, for example.

Our goal is to empower the girls to play, rather than encourage timidity like in the co-ed classes…seems like they are doing great – don’t see any shyness! Anyone who has taken marimba knows that class lessons may mean playing the same song over and over again, although, each segment has something special to learn and share. By the end there is a new hosho player (the rattles), for example. In all cases, the preschoolers who attend, because they are tagging along with staff moms or siblings, are just delightful, learning through immersion! Here is a video link of a recent class.

The rest of the satellite schools we call the Hombe Program, meaning everyone else non-Nhimbe. We talked with the headmastser:

Here in this video the Rukuma headmaster shares his gratitude.

I am Mr Shangwa, the headmaster of Rukuma primary school. Though today I did come in casual because I had another thing, another project, to do with the parents. That is why I am casually dressed. I really appreciate the program extended to this school, being a very much disadvantaged school. Appreciate though the gifts that I am getting, we are receiving, from Nhimbe for Progress being managed by Mr. Magaya. Mr. Magaya is really helping the school and assisting the disadvantaged people in the area. I also appreciate the hand being given by the donors from outside Zimbabwe. Whatever they are giving us is being fully utilized, and given directly to the disadvantaged child, children. Please would you keep it up because the assistance is really being appreciated by the poor. Thank you very much.

Picture of building
This is at Rukuma. They hand sickle the grass to keep things reasonably mowed.

In this video, the headmaster also shows us the condition of their preschool buildings, which have been in this sad state for around 5 years. With only poor parents being served, the repairs do not get done. We are so grateful for you being benefactors of our Nhimbe preschool saving them from the Rukuma fate! We’ve seen our share of inclement weather and other disruptive issues. Rukuma is a primary school going from preschool up to grade 8.

Muda taxis Febby and Fortunate, our main leaders and also preschool teachers, to each satellite school to make our program approach practical, since it’s quite a distance to walk easily. They then share on the grass with the new girls who are now ready for MMC. The female teachers, who you can see sitting at the picnic table, support the girls on a routine basis. Notice the school building’s broken windows, which is commonplace in rural Zimbabwe.

Teaching Class Picture

We also have been able to provide MMC to the Gavaza school again this year. The headmistress takes care of a primary and secondary school and shares her appreciation here in this video.

My name is Victoria Muchenje. I am the head of the Gavaza primary school, in Chegutu District, Mashonaland Province, in Zimbabwe. I would like to appreciate the gesture being taken by Nhimbe for Progress and our partners in America, especially in uplifting the lives of the girl child in disadvantaged communities including our school, which if they could continue doing that, and even more. To our partners, please do not tire! Keep on giving us a hand. We do appreciate it. May God bless you. Thank you very much.

She points out to our team that the government no longer provides any support for the school and so the parents are required to fundraise for everything. She also explains that the girls are missing valuable class time due to a lack of needed monthly care supplies. The school staff, the parents, and the children are all so very grateful for MMC. Please donate here – any amount will help the health and wellbeing of our maturing girls!

First, the secondary and primary girls are given the outline of the program before registering in this video.

In this video the girls are then registered, taking care that they have not received supplies previously.

Singing is one of the many ways they introduce the new girls into the program. Check this singing out!

The focus of the day becomes the distribution of the MMC bundle, which gets put together in a great package including the re-useable washable supplies, a soaking bucket, giant sealable baggie (these were nearly impossible to get when we first started a few years ago), and a sewing kit for learning how to make a purse. The older girls are called upon to help.

Picture of girls

In the following picture I love the two girls in the center sharing a lovely relaxed countenance during this event…they look like best buddies!

Picture of girls

Febbie continues to explain about their start-up kit and what they should find in it, both content and quantity in this next video.

We are super proud of our Nhimbe leaders, Febbie, Fortunate and Muda, as well as our manufacturing arm of the team, for making MMC a reality, and making it possible for us to reach out to the Hombe schools with the help of the local teachers. It takes many pieces of the puzzle for this to succeed. It feels like the parents, teachers and girls are all passionate about this work and helping it to flourish!

Thank you ever so much for your continued support and encouragement. Please consider a contribution of any amount here….whatever you can do makes a difference!

Picture of Febby smiling

Welcoming 2023 with Much Appreciation!

by Project Updates

There is much gratitude we share in this post…thank you ever so much for your ongoing support! We can’t do it without you. Those who have sent the funds that you want to earmark for one or more of our programs have come through. You have made our planning for 2023 a workable reality. There are still some areas that are underfunded, so if you haven’t made time to contribute, please (click here) do so today, or here to make a recurring donation of any amount! The Marketplace continues as a happening venue as well . . . check it out here!

All of the efforts, on both sides of the world, to keep Nhimbe a live, thriving, organism with vital programs and services, are fortunately resilient. We continue to adapt to the ever-changing landscape in Zimbabwe, as well as the economic hardships that the people of our nation face. We, in Ancient Ways, are a testament to longevity and have tremendous capacity for building a strong and creative infrastructure with people, where there is none in the way of expected services.

The lack of electricity, toxic water sources, impossible internet connections, and broken roads are just part of a way of life, and in the midst of that, Nhimbe continues to flourish with its own identity rooted in success. As Cosmas used to say “We are winning!” in the ever-uphill battle to create progress.

The tumultuous and nearly deafening normalcy of challenges would frustrate the average American citizen to beyond their limits.  Even for someone like me who loves to camp without amenities, and has traveled there many times, it’s hard to imagine that the terrain doesn’t really change much, but only in small incremental ways.  Because some things improve, we can, but shouldn’t, get our hopes up about other things. Our most recent difficulties in communication have topped the list.

VOLUNTEER BONUSES

What a joy it was to give the volunteer staff some special acknowledgement for the job well done!  I have never seen Febby Shava, our co-director, and head of the preschool and MMC, smile with such full-on unencumbered radiance.  She is often needing to run everything, so taking a minute to relax and receive, was really a great thing.  As I shared in the December blog and letter (click here in case you missed it), she was elated to think that anyone even noticed.  Here she receives the plaque, scarf and a special monetary bonus for running the preschool for the last 20 years.

PICTURE OF FEBBY

The team was brought to her home to be able to deliver her goat, like all the volunteers received, where we see her in front of her traditional hut.

PICTURE OF HUT AND GOAT

She shared the story of working for quite some time for Nhimbe to save enough to build this four-cornered building, where she now houses her kitchen and new sleeping quarters. The metal on the left side of the photo is an old-style corn crib for her maize with a new twist of using galvanized corrugated sheets.

PICTURE OF 4-CORNERED BUILDING

The flat slab with bricks in front of the maize field was a spare bedroom taken down by some of the last inclement weather. She has yet to rebuild it. That maize is certainly looking great and will produce quite a harvest, as long as the rains continue. I’m amazed that this woman has time to think about being a farmer, in addition to everything else she does! Industrious is her middle name!

PICTURE OF THE MAIZE FIELD

Our building and security manager Isaac Mawodzeka, who has been with Nhimbe since its onset, is showing off his goat…seems to me his has some incredible markings and will be a great one for developing the herds around Nhimbe, since all the women volunteers received the potential nannies. The other men also received the male goats.

PICTURE OF ISAAC AND GOAT

We were able to build 13 wells last year, totally due to your support. We know that the $330 is a lot and not extra change found in the couch cushions…it’s a big gift from you…and the families are very grateful. The well starts with an empty hole, that is then lined with bricks like this. What an engineering feat!

PICTURE OF WELL HOLE

The lid is created separately (foreground of the photo) and will then be moved to the top of the well. The recipient Mrs. Socho is from Gore village and is 83 years young!

PICTURE OF WELL LID AND HOLE

Here is Isaac and the worksite. The cart loaded from a nearby brick-maker is usually drawn by oxen but sometimes a donkey. That bucket you see is what the family provides for bringing up their water; every family chooses how to handle the retrieval. Isaac supervises the building and watches over the process so we have less repairs, and more overall success. Sometimes cyclones dump so much rain there is nothing that can withstand it, but in general, we have learned much over the years about solid well building!

PICTURE OF WELL WORKSITE

Thank you again for your continued assistance and encouragement. I know that some people might say I’m irrepressible (like “don’t encourage her”). Even though I do agree that spontaneity, play, and blameless courage reigns, I’m also timid, a bit shy, particularly in the role the Universe has put me in, to ask people for help. You’d think I’d get used to it after all these years.

The reality is that it’s not my project, it’s not even their project, but a project of all of ours, in the very largest sense. It belongs to the spiritual world and we are just pawns in carrying out the plan…all doing our best, to uplift the people in Zimbabwe, specifically the residents of the Nhimbe for Progress villages, and bring a new hope and face to the rural area. Where nothing out of the ordinary existed before, it now proclaims a brighter future!

Thank you for all of your part of this, whether now, in the past, or in the future! Wishing you the best for 2023!

Children with Alphabet Pic

Warm Winter Greetings from Lacomb, Oregon!

by Project Updates

We are very happy to share our annual letter with you – click here!  Although later than usual, its still packed with a great update from the President of Ancient Ways, our Nhimbe team in Zimbabwe, and an exclusive report from our office here!  Many thanks to those of you who were already able to reach out with a donation. Whatever you can do, is appreciated!

Please take a minute to relax and enjoy the stories, the pictures, and videos in the letter.  Also, in less than 5 minutes, you can watch a 2022 recap and overview of our current focus, by clicking here.  Not as quick as the 3-minute elevator speech, one is supposed to have, but fairly close ;*))

On the website, our 2023 Focus has many ideas about how to get involved and what you might do to have the largest impact… please check it out.

There are still a few days left before the end of the year, to make your fully tax-deductible donation.  Please find your way to the website to see what inspires you!  And, always feel free to reach out by phone, email or text.  All receipts will be sent out soon after the end of the year, although most have already been sent for the year…let us know so we can see when we sent it, if it doesn’t surface.

Thank you very much for your time and attention!  And, thanks to all of you who found some great Zimbabwean gifts on the Marketplace supporting the artists!

As always, Tatenda Chaizvo! 

Jaiaen 

Nyasha and family Pic

November Update from Zimbabwe!

by Project Updates

Early winter greetings from here in Lacomb and summer greetings from Zimbabwe! Some rain has started for them, but is slow coming at this point. Our well building lid painter is busy painting as many lids as possible before the land begins getting soaked. We are hopeful that they have a good summer rainy season, and that he is able to paint many lids before the onset. We are repainting many wells after the serious repairs, which have been completed over the last couple of years.

Our well lid painter, Nyasha Muzambi, is also a key Nhimbe artisan and craftsperson with us since the beginning. His family has grown some and they now have 5 girls and one boy, which is a large family there, just like here. His wife, Gabriella, was our Nhimbe preschool teacher and librarian, but with the birth of the twins, which came along third, she needed to be at home. It was a big loss to our preschool, as she is super smart and always quite a contributor. Much of Nyasha’s artistry, as well as other crafts people’s, is on sale now here, with shipping all included!

Nyasha and family Pic

Picture Prior to the the Most Recent Newborn

We are sharing these crafts with you on the new marketplace, in time for your holidays. These precious items are calling to be in your homes. If you ever needed a genuine high-quality item from Zimbabwe, crafted by people who are feeding their families, paying for their children to attend school, covering medical bills, etc. now is the time! Please check out our variety of special gifts, including baskets, tapestries, purses, kitchen wares, and a few children’s items! As always, there are secure payment options, using credit card or Paypal. 

We also have a little update about our new library hut. We began a project to expand our library quite some time ago, with both a larger hut, and with more books. Here is the story of building our new hut, which now has painting and new shelf options left to complete.

1. library hut building
2. library hut building
3. library hut building
4. library hut building
5. library hut building
6. library hut building
8. library hut building
7. library hut building
9. library hut building
10. library hut building
11. library hut building
12. library hut building

The old library was the smallest hut ever built at Nhimbe and it has certainly outgrown that function. Serving not just the preschool and Mhandara Monthly Care, the local community also comes to read. People of all ages are benefiting, since the primary place to find a real library is the universities!

Because all tests are in English after grade 3, we are very interested in giving the residents as much exposure to English as possible, although our library also contains Shona language and the basic school text books. Many of the rural parents are not bilingual, which is very disempowering in a bilingual country.

What can we do to support the children as they are growing? Besides our Nhimbe preschool giving them the best start imaginable being a model in Zimbabwe, continuing to expand the library and reading options seems obvious. Please consider our library program as you are able, in your annual donation . . . see more background about our library’s evolution here! 

We hope this season is finding you and yours well. Some of you may have received a postcard from us in the mail last week, reminding you to think about jumping on the website to get an early start on your annual donation, helping us with Nhimbe for Progress for next year, or using easy recurring options, which any amount carries a big impact.

Everyone there and here appreciates the continued interest in our work. The local villagers have nothing like the type of assistance that Nhimbe brings. And, we here in Ancient Ways, barely scratch the surface of the personal and community needs, but hold the vision of uplifting these residents and providing opportunity where none exists. We then watch the ripple of these efforts move to many others in Zimbabwe, simply through their natural generous network of families and friends. They take care of each other, and we offer just some basics that everyone deserves, only because of your help. We all thank you very much! Tatenda Chaizvo!

Many Blessings to you and your families!

Picture of Three Children

Nhimbe Preschool’s 20th Anniversary!

by Project Updates

The Nhimbe for Progress Preschool has been in operation for 20 years! Wow…what an achievement! Febby Shava has been in charge this entire time and, like a good wine, is only getting better with time. I would think it would get harder as one ages (I’m recalling she is in her early-mid 50’s), but maybe one gets wiser also, learns how to delegate, and knows the ins-and-outs.

Check out one of their favorite times!

Picture of Three Children

Febbie still walks 7 km to school to arrive before 8 a.m., and then back home again later in the day. She has accomplished a great deal in her 20 years and continues to hold the standards high for the early childhood development curriculum at our school, preparing these young ones for life and for the Zimbabwean educational system.

Another key person that has been there since the beginning in 2000 is our Inventory Control person, Efilda Katena. She is meticulous about keeping track of the property that belongs to Nhimbe, much of which belongs to the preschool. In the beginning we made mahewu for the children, which is a porridge-based drink that brews overnight. She would be there in the evening, and the morning to distribute flour for bread making, and then through the day to assure everything went well. She also attends MMC meetings and all functions related to the project. She is Cosmas’s elder sister, the oldest of the Magaya children, and takes her job very seriously. She survived Covid in 2020 and is looking really good in this picture, being somewhere in her 70’s.

Teacher's Picture

Boys and girls learn and grow within the safe nurturing space of our Community Center grounds. The preschool buildings are several, providing meals, a library, and multiple classroom spaces, as well as a playground. This year there are around 75 students walking from the nearby villages, coming from far more than just the 6 central villages.

Picture of a Child

 Our preschool is an enormous support to the entire area! Some refer to it as the heartbeat of Nhimbe for Progress, and definitely a model program for Zimbabwean preschools.

Check out this boy and his song about two birds, Peter and Paul.

And, the group song during class.

We actually do all of this on a shoestring budget. It’s the community heart involved that makes it so successful. If the economy in Zimbabwe were more stable, I would love to commit more resources, but typically it’s, “hold on to the tiger because that tail is always unpredictable”. Every time I think things are leveling out, another emergency arises out of the chaos. What makes for our stability is the earnestness of everyone involved…they live in the eye of the storm and my perception is that they handle the various crises far better than I.

Many thanks to you for your support of the preschool. Although costs have increased in Zimbabwe, just like everywhere in the world, morale is amazingly high. Preschool food, petrol prices to get supplies to the villages, and all associated expenses have continued to rise. It has been a challenge this year, and I know you also are facing the same phenomena.

Happy Child Picture

We appreciate your ongoing commitments to assist us with reaching out and touching these children’s lives on the other side of the planet!  They, their parents, and the entire community are so very grateful for our support as they continue to live through some of the most difficult times in Zimbabwean history.

Tatenda Chaizvo!

Picture of Woman at New Well

Thank You Soooo Much!

by Project Updates

Your rapid and generous response has made it possible to give a go-ahead for building the four elderly widows’ wells!

It is with incredible gratitude that the members of Nhimbe and all of us involved say “Tatenda Chaizvo”.  You know, over there, when one person sees that there is an improvement for their neighbor, it gives them some hope.  Like a ray of sunshine in a sometimes darkened tunnel, where one’s vision can only see the difficulties (we’ve all been there), these changes to lifestyle affect them deeply.  Everyone they know is actually impacted by this.

Both directly, in terms of their increased prosperity, personal power, and how they show up in their community, as well as indirectly, just seeing Nhimbe benefit another resident, leaves a lasting imprint on their hearts and minds.

Here is another example of the situation with the wells.  This is Matirida Socha.  She is 82 years old and her well is hand dug, never having bricks.  She lives in the Magaya village.

Picture of Woman at New Well

This picture shows Isaac, our Building and Security manager, demonstrating how she pulls up her water from this type of well, which is normally quite turbid, plus contaminated with ground water runoff.  Once these kinds of wells collapse the situation is impossible . . . its not just dirt, but mud. 

Picture of Hand Dug Well

Your donations are making this a thing of the past!

Thank you again for your humanitarian heart, bringing hope and humanity to an otherwise unbearable hardship!  May the “water angels” bless you to overflowing your cup’s brim!

Picture of the woman next to her log covered well

Urgent Request – Elderly Need Water!

by Project Updates

End-of-summer greetings to all!  We are deep in the well building process for the nine wells that were donated this year, and that is very exciting.  The rainy season is coming soon enough, and these wells must get completed before then.  We are making good progress, but, what has surfaced is a need for four more wells, which we currently have no source of funds to build.  This has just come up and is outside of our expected budget for 2022. The timing is difficult also, since we are focusing on 2023 operating requirements as we head into the end of the year.

These wells are for four elderly widows whose wells have collapsed. These ambuyas (elder women) are in their 70’s.  Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated by all.  The Shona people have a great reverence for their elderly and bringing water to these women would be a blessing for everyone…a very genuine way of honoring these women in their lives. 

Picture of the woman next to her log covered well

Let’s look at two of these women’s lives more closely. First is Loice Mhike, who is 76 years old and living in Muriritirwa village. Her children are away and can hardly fend for themselves. Originally built with bricks, her well collapsed in 2020. Loice has covered her well with all sorts of logs, so that no person or animal will fall in, and also to keep some of the farm-life debris out. Her kale-type of plants are there in the background, which is a beautiful sight.

Picture of the close up of the walls

You can see from the close-up, that the walls of the well are further giving way with exposed roots showing. We can hear her explaining to Muda what has happened in the following video.

This is Erita Dzukwa who is 74 years old. All of her children have passed on and she is looking after her grandchildren, which is no small matter. She is part of Magaya village, and lives near Isaac, our Building and Security manager. Her well is just an open one and no bricks were ever used, also collapsing around 2020 due to the heavy rains. She has incorporated every type of scrap metal possible to create a covering for the well hole. We can see a large area on the front corner for contaminated ground water to enter, as well as objects of various sorts.

Picture of woman next to her metal scrap

The resourcefulness of people in hardship is really touching. Trying by all means to have some decent protection of their water source must feel like an uphill battle.

What they really need is a clean water well built by Nhimbe for Progress! We provide cement and bricks and labor. Normally, the family chips in on the digging of the well, by getting help from a nephew, son, grandson, etc. But, in these four cases with these elderly widows, they have no kin close by to give them a hand with the digging.

For us to hire the diggers, it would take an extra $56 for each well. That brings the total from $330 to $386. Is this something you can include in your budget or share in the cost?

Any amount will help! We must raise $1,544 to meet this goal for these ambuyas to have clean water for drinking, bathing, cleaning, and gardening. Clean water holds the potential for prosperity in all ways, yes?

Thank you for whatever you and your family can do! We here in the USA are so blessed to have clean water at our fingertips. Consider making availability of clean water a reality for one or more of these widows on the other side of the planet. Although you don’t know them, we all have the same needs . . . we all deserve the basics! Thank you for your consideration . . . you can help here, now!

Tatenda Chaizvo!