Report for Aug 2009 from Just Children Foundation

It is good, once again, to give you all an insight of what God has been doing in, and through us, as we continue to assist needy children in Zimbabwe. We continue to be beneficiaries of His endless mercies and faithfulness as we run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus Christ the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12: 1–2).

I however regret to inform you all that one of our security officers, Mr. Justice Muyekeri, lost his wife who went to be with the Lord in August. Our prayers are with the family she left behind.

We have also recruited two house parents at Come Unto Me Centre to cover the gap that was left vacant following the death of Sakina Mbaula in July and earlier resignations.

1. SITUATION IN THE COUNTRY

I am happy to say while Zimbabwe is yet to find a firm footing, especially in the economic arena, our conviction is that this is a birthing process through which God is restoring life and vibrancy to a nation that has been rocked by turmoil over the past few years. The recent injection of funds by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) into Zimbabwe’s otherwise depleted coffers has induced a healthy dosage of hope, and behind it all, we see the hand of God Who has never left us nor forsaken us.

2. HIGHLIGHTS OF CHILDREN’S ISSUES

The month ended with a total of 119 children in residential care, 51 of them at Faith & Hope Centre and 68 at Come Unto Me Centre.

Reunifications & Follow Up Visits
- There was a positive response from Patience Nhemachena’s aunt who took Patience under her care. We now want to ensure that she gets a place at a local school in Nyamhunga, Kariba.
- We did follow–up visits for Eva and Isaac Svikiro, during which we spoke to the siblings’ brother, although he did not indicate an intention of taking them as yet. He was happy at seeing them.
- We also did visits to the homes of Makiwa Chibika and Nhamo Ndlovu We also visited Nyamakate in attempts to trace Makiwa Chibika’s father. Although we failed to locate him, we extracted information to the effect that he went to Zambia, although the information still needs to be authenticated.
- We also managed to trace Nhamo Ndlovu’s relatives after securing a birth certificate for him through a painstaking process. The re–unification however could not be done immediately, but we believe the groundwork we laid we come in handy in the near future. We established that Nhamo has relatives in Bulawayo, Mtchabezi and Maranda areas.
- We have had contact from Enety’s aunt who says she wants to take care of Enety and we are now working towards that goal.
- We were also contacted by Last’s brother as well as Takunda and Audrey Sibanda’s brother. To us such contacts are encouraging because we are provided with a board to draw our plans from.
- Two other children, Preference Jemu and Talent Musukutu, who are at Faith and Hope in waiting for the move to take them home to their families.
Skills Training
- Some of our staff members, including one house parent, attended a seminar hosted by Southern African Dialogue with the theme ‘Back in my stilleto’. The seminar was meant to cater for women who work with children and it focused on their health and the handling of issues at work and at home.
- Nine (9) more children attended a training workshop in mushroom production at Kufunda Village and Come Unto Me Centre, bringing the total of children who have received training in mushroom production to twenty (20). If all the required resources are made available, we believe that they are going to scale up mushroom production at the two centres both for domestic and commercial purposes.
Health
- Nyasha Pasi fell from a bunk bed and injured her neck and was taken to the hospital where she received treatment.
- Preference Jimu has not been feeling well for the greater part of the month and is still under treatment and has since been registered for check ups at a local clinic.

3. EDUCATION DEPARTMENT UPDATE

The second school term ended on August 6 and while a number of children did well in their exams, a significant number did not fare well and the department organised holiday lessons for them both at Faith & Hope and Come Unto Me Centre.
All the children at Faith & Hope Centre went on an educational tour at the Harare Agricultural show in August when one of them, Blessing Chamunorwa, won a prize in a dancing competition.

4. AGRICULTURE REPORT

We have transplanted some new seedlings of broccoli, sweet cabbage, drum head cabbage, rape and spinach in the garden under the drip irrigation system.
We have also prepared nine (9) seed beds while children are currently consuming vegetables cultivated in the portion of the garden under manual (hose pipe) irrigation.
During the month, we also sold parsley valued at US$9.00 and we will soon be collecting money for the flowers sold in August 2009.
However, we have experienced the problem of aphids and cutworms which have damaged some of the vegetable crop. We have since fumigated the affected crop and we expect a change in fortunes.
Under the animal husbandry project, the turkeys have started laying eggs. Below is an overview of the animals we had in August.

DUCKS	RABBITS	TURKEYS	CHICKENS	GOATS
4	15	11	1	9

Below is an overview of our vegetable harvest in August 2009.

TOMATOES	DRUMHEAD CABBAGE	PARSLEY	SWEET CABBAGE	SPINACH
76KG	12KG	2,5KG	26KG	25KG

5. TABS ON PARTNERSHIP

Contact with those outside our family keeps us on our feet and we share vital material, mental and spiritual wealth. Life Long College Scripture Union has shown interest in working with the Just Children Foundation Family. They have paid us a cutesy call at Shelter of Joy and have promised a visit to Faith and Hope.
Child Protection Society continues to support us with funds to compliment our re-unification project.

6. DONATIONS

I would like to thank you all our friends, partners and supporters for your continued support materially, spiritually and morally:
1. Mr. Li Xingfeng
2. Minesh & Barty
3. Mrs. Tina Antwi
4. Lloyd Stephano
5. Tichaona Ravasingadi
6. Ruvimbo Chikwaka
7. Mike Offman
8. Mrs. Mawoyo
9. Innercity Lunch Hour Fellowship
10. Mrs. Leslie de Bruijn
11. Mrs. Mukurazita
12. Glen Lorne Fellowship
13. Chisipite Senior Interact Club
14. Mrs. Chella
15. His Presence Ministries
16. UK Trustees
17. Mrs. Chapepa
18. Mrs. Mavhonga
19. Mr. & Mrs. Rama
20. Patience Gombe

Just Children Foundation of Zimbabwe

JUST CHILDREN FOUNDATION EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S UPDATE FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST 2009

Reports

Just Children Foundation
of Zimbabwe