Thank you so much for your recent contributions toward our efforts to uplift our neighbors in Zimbabwe! There is much activity on the ground there, so I’m not sure where to start. First, let me give a brief update about the water and food situation with more to follow after this weekend.
We’ll have pictures about the maize delivery that began the beginning of March, hopefully by next week. This will include an update sharing the exciting irrigation plans, about which we continue to remain very optimistic. If you haven’t read about the drought or our last blog please click here. Your help with this undertaking is impactful! If you are in a position to help us in this work, just know that we continue to source the special drip hose plus offer a workshop to all the families who are interested. More to follow in a few days!
Besides a drought update here are a few pictures of the goats we bought for the staff volunteers in January. This was our way of saying thank you to them for all of their commitment and dedicated hours in creating this “happening place” called Nhimbe for Progress. We very much appreciate all they are doing for the community at large, so gave each staff member a goat. The best part of a goat gift is that they are all nannies, and will bring future kids for years to come. Having too many goats is a good thing. Goat meat is often needed for formal gatherings, like weddings, funerals and the like, so everyone is very appreciative. Many thanks to you!
As you can see, the volunteers all are feeling appreciated! We work to see that they feel recognized in various ways, because the stipend they are given is not as high as we would like. These kinds of bonuses do make a difference.
So far in 2024, thanks to your incredible assistance, we have been able to put 360 start-up kits in the hands of new girls in the area. We are continuing to reach out to the Rukuma primary and secondary school as they are well-organized, being in a partnership with Girl Child Network in Zimbabwe. Because of this, the teachers there are able to provide all of the services that we need to fulfill our program requirements. We provide the start-up kits for these remote locations, and they are able to provide the meetings and follow-up. I love collaboration!
As the school closed for the term, we snagged 120 Nhimbe girls and let them slide right into their fall holiday with us for a few days. We hadn’t had a camp since 2019 and it felt sooooo good! Thank you for your tremendous support reaching across the globe to these maturing girls. They, like many girls around the planet, struggle to have appropriate monthly care supplies and essential guidance from mentors during puberty. We are so grateful for your help making it possible to provide the girls with our MMC Teen Care Camp opportunity!
Bearing modern backpacks and their MMC bucket, these girls are ready to chill for the weekend. Actually, they remain very active but it’s fun-filled with non-routine activities, plus they get to make so many friends. Here is a video to open a nice window to being there.
Three meals a day with beans, rice, chicken, sadza, cabbage, tomatoes, tea with milk, etc. on our grocery list . . . these girls are eating well . . . for some, these are likely the best meals they have had in a while!
This song the girls are sharing is reminiscent of the Girl Guides International roots, which supported our beginnings. They practice marching and salutes as part of the program. Here they are heading out to the forest.
The hiking is always a favorite part of the camp. Think about it…how often is it safe anywhere in the world for a girl to go off into the forest? But with the group it is totally fine and very empowering. They really enjoy climbing trees.
This is most of the tribe . . . seems like a huge commitment on the part of the volunteers who keep things moving so well!
This ambuya (grandmother) is getting some assistance at her home. I’m fairly certain she is blind as she looks very familiar to me. Without relatives, the elderly rely on community support to get help with the basics. Kindness is often shown to those in need. There but for the Grace of God, go I.
Another service opportunity is when they sew dolls or puppets for the preschool children. At camp they get to work on learning how to sew. This is not only practical for homemaking, but very specifically they can learn how to make the reusable washable supplies we provide. When they move on in their lives from the MMC program they can be equipped with skills.
Now we get to the part of this story with lots more music . . . hoping you have hung in there to the end and can listen in to their incredibly innate vocal gifts.
Let’s start with the dance-chant.
The Magaya’s home yard is not just swept but they also give him a special song of thanks denoted by the particular way they are clapping.
Here is a very endearing thank you speech to the donors by this young girl. They practice public speaking to be able to remain confident and clear.
This thank you video is in Shona. Listen to see if there are any English words coming through. The word ‘donor’ is not a Shona word. This means that in the traditional language the word doesn’t exist. This is true for any words that were not part of the original language. For example, they use the English word for car or truck, popping it into their sentences. There was basically no English language in the country a mere 140 or so years ago when they were first colonized.
You marimba enthusiasts will enjoy this one, as well as this familiar traditional song. These are our MMC girls and the lessons you have provided!
This feels like a very unstructured “partaaay” song.
Here the girls are heading home after a great couple of days and nights together. This has been a wonderful homecoming to camp again after no such opportunity since 2019. Thank you so much for your continued assistance!
If you have any questions about the programs we are providing, please don’t hesitate to ask! We love talking with you, so always feel free to reach out!
We are profoundly grateful for those who can budget something to step into this particular way of reaching our Zimbabwean neighbors. Check out the options here and choose your preferred programs.
If you can consider a regular monthly contribution, either directly through your bank, or a recurring donation here on the website, it can make a huge difference to the lives of these people. Thank you for whatever you can do!