Posts in category: Project Updates

Our Nhimbe library is open on Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturday and we have been having a sizeable number of people coming and utilizing the many books in our library. We are continuously looking for a lasting policy to safeguard our books as well as making it flexible for people to have access to our books and read for themselves. As of now, people come to the library, read books within our premises and return the book the same day.

We are looking into alternative ways to improve the reading population in our community.  Several years ago we lent books just like US libraries do but we met with a quantity of theft and a lack of understanding.  Many books have come to the library via annual trips bearing suitcases.  We have now been sponsored by a non-profit who will cover the postage to allow us to send books in the mail, although the costs are quite high.

Our library is short of some set of books now being used in schools and would like to obtain them to make life more comfortable for our kids who are going to school.  Typically 5 or more children share one school book.  This would require a donation of several hundreds of dollars to furnish the library with these books.

Our Boys Program Leader reports that “We now have 62 boys that participate in the Boy Scout Machapro program. Last school holiday they inaugurated the boys scout camp that saw boys coming together and learn life skills and wisdom from the elderly who graced the occasion. The interaction gave the platform for the boy child to air their concerns and many questions as they grow up.  Wonderful contributions came from the elderly who gave words of advice on the many cultural dynamics and expectations for a boy in his path to become the man that he should be.”

Upper Grades – We now have a qualified Law practitioner and two female Bachelor of Arts graduates coming out of the village children who have gone through our sponsorship programs.  We currently have two University graduates returning for further advanced level education.

Secondary Exam Fees – We also managed to pay examination fees for a total of 24 Form 4 students in both projects.  In Zimbabwe the student’s family is required to pay a fee so they can take the exam required for graduation from grade 7 but most critically from Form 4 Secondary School.

Primary and Secondary – School begins in January and ends in December in Zimbabwe. This year we have sponsored close to 80 students within our Jangano project in Dewedzo, Rusape, and a total of near 390 Nhimbe for Progress kids in Mhondoro. We struggled to keep our older Jangano students enrolled as the school districts raised their fees to be outside of our budget – many had to leave our program.

Preschoolers – Additionally we had a total of 83 children enrolled in the Nhimbe Preschool, which includes 44 boys and 39 girls. The preschooler’s attendance has been very satisfactory overall and above the usual even though there was some cold winter weather in June through August.

The playground was completed earlier this year through a partnering of the community residents and generous donations of J.F. Kapnek Charitable Trust. We will be uploading photos soon!

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!