Category Archives: Stories

EDUCATION REPORT

We have 33 children living and registered at Lirhanzo Children’s Village and 10 children living with Margret Mutero in her compound in Chikombedzi who attend the Chikombedzi High School.

There are 12 more children getting support from AFADU who attend other local schools.

Three young men are completing tertiary studies at Life Sowing College in Chiredzi, learning how to be motor mechanics.

Presently we have 4 young adults attending University including one young man who is studying for his Master’s Degree in Commerce.

We are very proud of Fanuel, brought up at LCV has just completed his teaching degree and is awaiting registration before starting his teaching career.

Mostly our high school students are working hard and all our children are brought up to value education and are proud of their achievements.

They all realise how special AFADU is and how lucky they are.

HEALTH REPORT

There are a few children at LCV, including 2 new children who are HIV +.

They are all responding to treatment and regularly get counselling.

One of our older girls was diagnosed with tuberculosis, however, she is also much improved and responding well to treatment.

Tragically, one of our older children passed away in the care of extended family, with an undiagnosed illness.

The family were supported by AFADU with funeral expenses.

All other children are healthy and thriving.

LCV MISSION SCHOOL

The school building opened in 2017 is now full to capacity with 260 children in attendance.

Another block is already being built next door, brick-by-brick with small amounts of funding from Australia, South Africa, USA, UK and Germany.

The Zimbabwean government has also supported them with a $2,000 donation for cement.

LCV VEGETABLE GARDEN

Completed in April 2018 by friend of AFADU, Mark Edmonds from Melbourne and helped by the community, the irrigated garden has been a godsend.

The children now have a balanced diet and enough vegetables for the first time and income from the 1.5 Hectare plot is slowly rising as challenges are met.

Zimbabwe is presently suffering drought conditions and diesel fuel for the pump at the river is a huge added expense.

AFADU has prioritised a solar pumping system from the river as their next project and desperately need donations to make this happen.

This garden has huge potential to not only feed the children, the extended community and eventually become a profitable market garden as lessons are learned and community ownership is taken.

The watermelon harvest is just about to commence.

SEWING SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

Still going exceptionally well.

Leanne Abbott from Bowral will be re visiting in 2018 to take over 2 solar sewing machines, set them up with solar panels and train the sewing teachers to use them.

CHIKOMBEDZI HOSPITAL DOCTORS

Sadly, our long serving Medical Officer in charge, Dr White has left for a bright, ongoing future in a large town.

AFADU thanks him for his fine service.

He has been replaced by two new hospital doctors and they will join Dr Leah Schimper, married to Ezelle’s son Ludwig at the 160 bed hospital which supports 60,000 people.

AFADU is grateful for long term supporters, Harmers Work Place Lawyers in Sydney, for sponsoring top-up salaries for two of those doctors, making it a more tenable arrangement for doctors working in this remote community only serviced by poor quality dirt roads.