Report from BHW Zimbabwe Partnership Facilitator Following Visit 7-11 March

Key person: Gideon and Jennifer Chisamba

A group of 11 of us visited several projects at Fountain of Hope. After attending the Foundation for Farming Conference in Harare, we flew to Bulowayo where we were hosted by Gideon and Jennifer and visited several projects as outlined below.

Chivi Area Village Projects (ZIM02c and d)

Farming

We visited a local farmer who was taking part in the goat development programme. He was given three female goats in August 2022, and after breeding them over the last two years, he will pass on two female goats in August 2024 to the next family in the programme. This appears to be a successful project.

Boreholes and Community Gardens

We visited Mandiva and Makamure Primary Schools and viewed the bores and solar pumps that provide much needed water to these schools. Silas oversees this area and the team have now established a school-based garden at Mandiva School. A garden area has also been cleared and is starting to be fenced at Makamure Primary School.

Due to the current drought and lack of food in these areas, the feeding programme at Makamure School provides many children with the only meal they eat each day. We caught up with Emily, the main cook who provides the pupils with a midday meal.

Medical Clinic

We visited the clinic under construction in the Chivi area. This clinic will provide much needed maternity services and general healthcare. The clinic is being constructed by the local community and should be completed sometime this year depending on the availability of funds. Once the buildings have been approved by the government, they will have a government sponsored nurse based in this clinic.  

Majiji Community Development (ZIM02e) 

The team visited Majiji where we were sobered to see the results of the current drought. As we saw across all the villages around the Bulowayo area, the crops have failed and have not produced any harvest. It was heart breaking to see Colin and his wife, along with others in the community, who had had a great harvest last year, standing beside their failed pfumvudza plots. Their hard work has returned no harvest. They are all concerned about what they will eat over the next twelve months.

Mtshazo Community Development (ZIM02g)

A small group of us visited the Mtshazo village. This is a newer village transformation project. We spent time with the pre-school teacher, her committee members and the children. They do not have a building to use, but a nearby church allows them to utilize a tin roof on poles to provide some shelter. They mainly use an area under a large tree which is near their cooking area where they provide the children with a midday meal. This is not ideal as it is difficult to show children pictures/cards when the weather is windy or wet. There is a church building only a few metres away, but sadly they are not able to use this.

We visited some farmers nearby who were part of the new goat development programme, where they have been given three goats for two years to breed, then return three goats after two years. The women had successfully made some strong covered pens to house the goats. Several farmers have been trained in Foundations for Farming in this village area.

Peniel Orphanage (ZIM02)

After attending a Sunday morning service at Gideon and Jennifer’s church in a village on the outskirts of Bulowayo, we enjoyed lunch at Peniel Orphanage and were treated to dance items by the children and young people. There were several teenage boys who were part of the Skills Training programme learning carpentry who joined us for lunch.

It was encouraging seeing these vibrant young people who were clearly thriving as part of this community.

It was good to see the vegetable garden at Peniel with promising crops.

Personal Stories

Tamara 

Tamara continues to live in the Fountain of Hope house in Chivi along with two girls from Peniel Home. She is involved in caring for the twins, and hosting visitors and workers involved in the projects. She also helps Silas run Christian programmes in the local high schools. (See her story in the August 2023 report)

Prayer and Praise Points

1) Gideon and Jennifer said they were encouraged and excited about the work of Fountain of Hope.

2) There is an urgent need for rain now, as well as good rain from Oct/Nov for the next growing season.  Also, provision of food for the communities over the next year will be critical.