AFADU Newsletter: Field trippers are go!

Dear Friends, Sponsors, and Supporters of AFADU,

An intrepid group of seven head off this weekend to Zimbabwe to visit our wonderful in-country team at Lirhanzo Children’s Village (LCV). This year the amazing Pammie Harrison is joined by ‘the long suffering husband Bill, who has waved tear stained hankies’ each time she has left on her last five visits’  (her words not Mine).

This year they are accompanied by five committed and dedicated women who will experience the joy and amazement of seeing the difference a small group of individuals can make…. their stories and focus while in-country are detailed below.

The fact of such a large group travelling is a great opportunity for sponsors to send their greetings, gifts and generosity directly to the children they support. By clicking here your words, support and dollars will be transferred through our on the ground team to the child or area you want to support.

Pam is overseeing purchasing any gifts or supports sponsors want to provide – but this will be bought in country as AFADU is keen to support the local Zimbabwean economy. The field trippers may not be able to take you in their suitcase…. but your message of support, or instructions on purchasing materials and gifts, will get directly to the child you sponsor.

Think of the difference your small amount of support will make in the life of the your sponsored child!

On behalf of AFADU  – we thank you for all you do….

Craig Gear, on behalf of AFADU

A big thank-you to all of you who made our Christmas special this year!

We raised over $3,000 for AFADU project in Zimbabwe and the children of LCV were so thankful….

An education for Egneta’s story –  or the story of the prodigal daughter

Egneta’s parents and twin sister had all succumbed to HIV/Aids. She had been brought up from an early age at the Lirhanzo Children’s Village. She is a bright young girl but as she grew she decided to move away. LCV supported her request to leave. She left school and it looked like her bright future was gone!  BUT…. our girl is stronger than that!!!!

12 months later, Egneta contacted LCV and begged to be taken back on our AFADU sponsorship program so that she could complete her studies and then go on to university. She wanted to become a teacher. Margret said:- “We all make mistakes but the most important is to realise we have done wrong and turn away from it”.

The AFADU Board was excited. Funding in the past had been organized for boys to go on to University and we were so proud of Solomon when he completed his degree and became a qualified vet, but, Egneta was the first girl who had the potential and was now motivated enough to become our first female graduate.

A sponsor to take her back on the program was quickly found – thanks to the generosity of Paul Polly from PDP Foods. Egneta went back to school and for the next 12 months worked as hard as she could to get the marks necessary to gain a place for a Bachelor of Education at the University in Masvingo.  She worked hard and got the grades!

As the education this young women, at that point fitted the criteria for a ZONTA project so perfectly, Pam approached the Zonta Board with a proposal to direct some of their previous $2500 they had donated to AFADU to the higher education of this bright young woman.

She is now 19 has completed her first semester at University and is majoring in history.  From our perspective, she’s making history!!!!  GO EGNETA!!!!

To support someone like Egneta, even in a small way, click here and tell us how you’d like to support…

New LCV building (funded by Australia) is dedicated….

During the recent visit to Zimbabwe by Board members Fergal and Margret Fleming the new Sick Bay/Office/ Volunteer accommodation room and wet and dry store-room was officially opened. This building has done much to combat the overcrowding issues that previously existed at the orphanage and fulfills the long-term dream that volunteers can now stay close to the school.

It would would never have been completed without the $34,000 funding package given by the Australian Government Direct Aid Program, nor without the support of long term donor Delphine Archer and the Archer Foundation who completed the fixtures and fittings.

Thank you Delphine and Ray Archer, thank you Australia!

PS It is planned that the children will be painting murals around this building, under the expert guidance of “our Artist in Residence” Amanda, who is leaving with other  Field Trippers soon.

Meet (and support) our 2015 Field Trippers….

Seven people travel to Zimbabwe next week.  They provide vital governance to AFADU child and youth education programs. They also give sponsors a direct line to the children and you people  they sponsor…

Allyson and Laura – a mother/daughter team who has been sponsoring a child for many years will be mostly working at the school with the children. This Primary school that is based on the ACE system but also covers the Zimbabwean curriculum, last count had 150 students. It is filled to the brim, hence the need for a new school, now on the top of the Ezelle’s Wish List!  Their help from Australia for the 3 weeks we are there is immeasurable.

Anne – also a long-term AFADU sponsor, is among many other things a drumming teacher and Margret Mutero our LCV manager for one, can’t wait to see a white woman who can drum for hours on end! Anne will be having fun with the children and will be sharing rhythms.

Amanda –  an artist from Melbourne, and friend of Anne’s, who is a regular at Womad festivals around the world. Updating the old school murals and painting new ones on the newly opened building at LCV, holding puppet workshops and shows with the kids and teaching jewelry making and sharing ideas with the older children and local community women are planned projects.

Leanne – a trained sewing teacher has planned a project in conjunction with the High School to teach Year 3 girls how to make sustainable feminine hygiene supplies that can be used month after month after month. Discreetly carried in school bags these little bags and their “gold contents ” are such a simple idea but ensure that education is not missed out two days every month because of the lack of money to buy items that girls in the west take for granted.

(The formidable) Bill – the long suffering, but ever dedicated husband to our much loved and adored Pammie. Bill will be armed with paint brushes and paint and I will be updating all the photographs, writing up project reports, getting news from the children and renewing long-term friendships that not only cross oceans and cultures but keep us united in helping to right a small part of the world.

And ( the amazing) Pammie Harrison – providing guidance and leadership on her sixth trip to Zimbabwe. She is the stalwart of LCV and AFADU and will guide the future direction of support. She will support Ezelle, Margret and the team so they can get on and make a difference on the ground.

The AFADU Board thanks all those that are going to do this important work and to feed back to us in Australia.  Say HI to the all the kids for us!!!!

You too can support the 2015 Field Trippers.  They are looking for the following to help on  the ground…..:

$50 worth of beads – to help the kids in the school create presents for their friends and to sell

$50 worth of materials for the hygiene project  – to change the life of a young girl

$50 tin of paint  – we have 80 walls to paint when we get to the orphanage and they all need two coats of paint!!!!

$50 ‘Airtime’ – so one young person can have access to the internet to learn more, communicate and let us know in Australia what’s happening on the ground at LCV

A big thank-you to all of you who made our Christmas special this year!

We raised over $3,000 for AFADU project in Zimbabwe and the children of LCV were so thankful….

An education for Egneta’s story –  or the story of the prodigal daughter

Egneta’s parents and twin sister had all succumbed to HIV/Aids. She had been brought up from an early age at the Lirhanzo Children’s Village. She is a bright young girl but as she grew she decided to move away. LCV supported her request to leave. She left school and it looked like her bright future was gone!  BUT…. our girl is stronger than that!!!!

12 months later, Egneta contacted LCV and begged to be taken back on our AFADU sponsorship program so that she could complete her studies and then go on to university. She wanted to become a teacher. Margret said:- “We all make mistakes but the most important is to realise we have done wrong and turn away from it”.

The AFADU Board was excited. Funding in the past had been organized for boys to go on to University and we were so proud of Solomon when he completed his degree and became a qualified vet, but, Egneta was the first girl who had the potential and was now motivated enough to become our first female graduate.

A sponsor to take her back on the program was quickly found – thanks to the generosity of Paul Polly from PDP Foods. Egneta went back to school and for the next 12 months worked as hard as she could to get the marks necessary to gain a place for a Bachelor of Education at the University in Masvingo.  She worked hard and got the grades!

As the education this young women, at that point fitted the criteria for a ZONTA project so perfectly, Pam approached the Zonta Board with a proposal to direct some of their previous $2500 they had donated to AFADU to the higher education of this bright young woman.

She is now 19 has completed her first semester at University and is majoring in history.  From our perspective, she’s making history!!!!  GO EGNETA!!!!

To support someone like Egneta, even in a small way, click here and tell us how you’d like to support…

New LCV building (funded by Australia) is dedicated….

During the recent visit to Zimbabwe by Board members Fergal and Margret Fleming the new Sick Bay/Office/ Volunteer accommodation room and wet and dry store-room was officially opened. This building has done much to combat the overcrowding issues that previously existed at the orphanage and fulfills the long-term dream that volunteers can now stay close to the school.

It would would never have been completed without the $34,000 funding package given by the Australian Government Direct Aid Program, nor without the support of long term donor Delphine Archer and the Archer Foundation who completed the fixtures and fittings.

Thank you Delphine and Ray Archer, thank you Australia!

PS It is planned that the children will be painting murals around this building, under the expert guidance of “our Artist in Residence” Amanda, who is leaving with other  Field Trippers soon.

News from the field….

Below is a short report from Margaret Mutero, the LCV/AFADU Child Care Manager (sent early April 2015)

…

LCV STAFF

The guardian mothers are still Agnes, Mutimuni, Patricial and Mrs Nyoka. Mr Tadios mbedzi is still by the grinding mill, Shonhai left end of January and is now working at ironwood herding cattle. He was replaced by our Blesssing Mavulungani.  Revai is still by the goats and Mai Ropafadzo the mother in–law of Blessing is working in the garden.  Charles is still working with the engines.

ANIMALS

Blessing and Revai Mare are herding cattle and goats. The one cow had a female calf in mid March but unfortunately the calf fell into an open well at Pfumari and died.  It was really a great loss. I should say all the cattle are doing very well and looking very healthy.  We pray that the promising drought of this year will not affect them.  The grass is still available but soon it is going to all dry up.

EDUCATION AND FURTHER EDUCATION 

Fanuel is doing well at university.  His first results came out early January after he wrote exams in December 2014 and he did very well.  We were all very happy as this showed that he worked very hard.  Egneta started this year with her History degree and is very excited about it.  Owen Muvavarirwa will be going on attachments in May but we are still trying to help him to get attachment place somewhere though it’s very difficult specially with our economy now.

Patience did very well in her academics.  Sasani did not do very well this time and I hope she will work harder.  Patience is now doing A’level.  She passed her O’levels last year and she wants to compete with Egneta so I think the academic competitions have just begun.

LCV FARM + GARDEN

We has very nice and variety of vegetables in our garden this time. We have lots of butternuts, baby marrows, tomatoes and this winter we had only four beds of vegetables due to water problems.  Since after the heavy rains we have not been able to find our one place for pumping water which is buried somewhere in the river.  The boys will try and dig this holiday to try covo.  We are hoping to harvest butternuts end of this month.  The tomatoes should be ready around end of May.  We did not harvest anything this year because of poor rain.  It was very hot that even watering the mealies was difficult.

ACTIVITIES

Our major activity so far was the construction of the guesthouse.  This was a major big job but we all worked very hard to make it happen.  We are very proud of ourselves.  Much extra food was used during this time as we had to cater for different people who worked at the construction of the guest house except for the builder.

FOOD BUDGET FOR LCV

Enough food was provided to lirhanzo and the proof can be seen on the health of our children.  We had to cater for different people who worked at the construction of the guest house but there has always been enough food for our children. Thanks again to our friends in Australia who are making our dreams come true.  Hungry people will not make their dreams come true.  Our children are the healthier children in our entire community.