Stories, LCV News and Updates
AFADU 2019 Annual Report released
Accountability to our donors, sponsors and members is something we take seriously. We’re a bunch of volunteers and an organisation to makes sure 95% of funds are delivering services and support on the ground. Just because we’re small doesn’t mean we can’t be well governed, transparent and accountable. As a charity registered with Australian Charities and Not for Profit Commission (ACNC) we want to give you that confidence.
The 2018/19 Annual Report on the difference you’ve made though AFADU is available by here: AFADU Annual Report 2019 (1)_compressed
Stories, LCV News and Updates
Friends of The Village by AFADU News June 2019
Hi to all AFADU Sponsors and Friends,
Although many of you keep up to date with our regular news through our The Village by AFADU Facebook Group, we’d like to provide our sponsors and supporters with this detailed update on “what is happening at The Village”.
This edition’s headlines:
Stories, LCV News and Updates
Child Sponsorship Manager’s Report 2018
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.
A word from the Chair
A word from the Chair – Ian Routledge [2018]
Amidst great change in Zimbabwe we have managed to continue to grow our support of our children and surrounding community at Lirhanzo Children’s Village (LCV) – now more affectionally known as The Village.
[ Grab your copy of AFADU’s 2018 annual report here ]
Thanks to the continued generosity of all of our supporters and donors, in Australia and overseas, the AFADU Board has again been able to meet the major goals this year working closely with Ezelle Schimper and Margret Chinhambu at The Village.
We continued to reach our goals in sponsorship with 57 children sponsored and our committed sponsors that continue to support what we do and achieve.
Our wonderful sponsorship Director Pam Harrison has managed our sponsorship program and is able to bring additional sponsors on when they hear the story of AFADU and The Village.
This is the backbone of what we do at The Village.
We undertook an irrigation project this year and this was led by Mark Edmonds who has extensive experience in growing fruit and vegetables in Victoria together with his experience working with the World Bank.
Together with Mark we raised AU$25,000 to install a drip and irrigation project together with seedlings in an area close to The Village.
The aim of this project was to make The Village self-sustaining with fresh fruit and vegetables to improve the health of our children and to allow the community to sell excess produce.
We have seen some of our children this year complete university and these were children that started at The Village by receiving the education that our sponsors have provided.
This was our dream at AFADU that we enable our children to enjoy the education and support to allow them to grow into future leaders in their communities in Zimbabwe.
We have been working closely with The Projects, a leading advertising agency, and we have started the steps to re-name AFADU as The Village which represents where we work.
We have a Kris Kringle appeal launching on Wednesday 5th December 2018 which we run every year. This year it’s in tandem with the ciruculation of our 2018 Annaul Report. With your help we need to raise AU$5,000 for our children..
WHAT BETTER WAY TO GIVE AT CHRISTMAS!
We support two doctors at the Chikombeze hospital through the generosity of Michael Harmer at Harmers Workplace Lawyers.
As we write this report there are fundamental changes happening in Zimbabwe.
Our community like others suffers from the shortage of fuel and supplies but Ezelle and Margret and their team always find a way to get things done.
We continue to develop solar options as an alternative.
We remain the major source of funds for The Village through a partnership over the years based on trust and agreed goals and objectives.
As we see some of our children entering university and more sustainable projects being completed it gives us great hope for the future.
LCV field trips
Field Trip 2017: Lirhanzo Children’s Village Zimbabwe
Finally, I have found spare time to update you all on our recent 2017 Field Trip to LCV, Zimbabwe.
Wow Wow Wow!!! Read More
LCV News and Updates
Numskull and Creative Good team up for AFADU
World renown artist Elliott “Numskull” Routledge has joined forces with Creative Good to raise money for Aid for Africa Down Under (AFADU) through the sale of specially designed t-shirts and bags. Read More
LCV News and Updates
The Pajero
Hence the need for a reliable vehicle and in December 2013 our AFADU Pajero 4X4 was purchased to ensure Board member, Wendy “had wheels” while she was staying at Edenvale Ranch and working at the Lirhanzo Children’s Village, a 25 min drive away, towards Chikombedzi. Read More
Stories
Godfrey’s story. A silver lining…
After completing high school I went on to study at the university of Zimbabwe’s medical school.
After completing my internship and a 2 year stint in the military I decided to go back to Chikombedzi to give back to the community that had raised me.
I worked as a medical officer and subsequently medical superintendent.
This was truly a satisfying period in my career.
Read More
LCV field trips
Field Trip: Lirhanzo Children’s Village Zimbabwe, 2015
Flew down to a wet and drizzly Sydney. Steve and Leanne picked Bill and I and our gear up, (including the rest of the Hamilton Island Uniforms) and we lugged cases and uniforms to the Meriton Serviced Apartments in Zetland.
Sorted the uniforms into each other’s cases and had dinner and a well earned wine close by.
May 4th
Craig picked us up next morning and we caught up as he drove us to the International terminal. Read More
