The Zimbabwe Project......Musana and centers.....

I am really sick and tired of all the kak that keeps on being reported on from Zimbabwe.....the same stuff is ''chain reported'' from one newspaper to another....the storys never change and there is never a good story that one carrys and not the others......it seems as if they either ''steel'' storys from each other or they just look to see what the main line media is doing and change a few words here and there and then produce it as their own.....some are so badly written that it a waste of time even trying to read them.....


Anyway on my ''travels'' across the world of Google search I came across this organization that is doing a lot of ground roots work in Zimbabwe and I really think that they need a huge big ''thumbs up'' and thank you for all the work they are doing......this is just the kind of  aid programes that Zimbabwe and the rest of Africa need ....not this stuff of handing out for free aid...that has just made Zimbabwe and Africa into a ''beggars we can do nothing for ourselves '' country and continent.... 



**********************************************************************************

The Zimbabwe Project is a collaboration of people in Western Canada who traveled to Zimbabwe to build a feeding centre for orphans in August 2007 and Sonrise Church in Surrey, BC who sent a group shortly after, who learned more about the situation there and decided to continue to help.

We can barely keep up with what is happening there because it changes so quickly, for the worse, but here is a quick run-down. About 80% of the people are living in poverty and are unemployed. It is difficult to buy the most basic necessities because shelves are empty and prices are high. Oppression runs rampant and the country’s unstable economy is getting worse by the day, with the highest inflation rate in the world and climbing (for example, a loaf of bread was $250,000 Zim in August 2007 and less than a year later it was $15 million - no joke). Many people die of aids, malaria, and other diseases because it is difficult to get to a clinic, and even if they do most don’t have the necessary medication. There are an estimated 1.4 million orphans (23% of children). The average life expectancy of adults is 34 to 37 years old, down from age 60 in 1990.

Currently, there is a cholera outbreak, the political situation is increasingly worse, and many stores no longer accept Zim currency. Without outside food help over half the country will be starving by the end of the year. They need our help.

We are working with Rev. Emmanuel Zihove and his team from Harare, Zimbabwe, to work on ongoing projects to help the people of Zimbabwe. They have purchased 2 acres of land in the rural area of Musana - approximately 45 minutes from the capital city - where their vision is to construct another feeding centre (one is already in operation and feeding over 120 kids), a boarding house & school for orphans, a medical clinic, and a church, where they can meet the needs of the villagers and many beyond. They also provide continuing orphan care and support to families who have taken in orphans, and currently feed approximately 400 children through the six feeding centres already functioning throughout the area.

We are so fortunate in Canada that we feel we should help others in need.


Building Project Photos.


Construction beginning at the Musana Feeding Centre (cost of the building project was approximately $12,000 Can which was raised by fundraising events through the Curves in MacKenzie, BC). (Aug 2007) 

Building group from August 2007 - completed half of the walls of the Musana feeding centre in 7 days

Musana feeding centre after second crew from Surrey, BC was done (Nov 2007) 

Completed feeding centre in Musana (Jan 2008) - now feeding approximately 200 children per day

Truck purchased for Asmon, leader of orphan care in Kadoma (February 2008) 

New kitchen at Musana

Cooking in Musana kitchen

Start of the Musana well

Working well at Musana

Toilets building is started at Musana - cost is approximately $16,000 Can 

Toilets building with plumbing (Nov 2008)

Benches were built for the Musana feeding centre (also used as a church). (Nov 2008)

Orphan Care Photos

 

Feeding children at the Musana Feeding Centre - approximately 200 children per day (Nov 2008)  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Children at Wedza

Children at Rugare

Emmanual giving backpacks to children at Mbare

 

 

 

Wheelchair for Brian

Families in the church community are asked to take in orphaned children to care for them. It is a difficult thing to ask because most families cannot provide food for their own, so the church provides them with essential cooking ingredients (eg - oil, rice, flour) if they take in children. Here food is being given to caregivers. (Nov 2008)

Progress Report

April 2009
One of the team member's that traveled to Zimbabwe in March is a nurse, who was able to obtain donations of prescription medication from several clinics in Canada and delivered over $30,000 in supplies to the Howard Hospital in Zimbabwe, which is run by the Salvation Army.

She led the team to do several on-site medical clinics and administer non-presceiption care to hundreds of needy children. The team started construction of the pastor/caretaker residence getting it to the roofline, plastered the toilets building, and built a cooking shelter at the Rugare Orphan Centre.

Also, a donor responded to the need for bikes from the February newsletter, which were purchased for Pastor Thomas and Supervisor Never at the Musana orphan care centre (they visit families who care for orphans up to 30 kms away). And the Sonrise Church purchased a van for the organization in Zimbabwe which will be used to transport teams while there helping. All in all it was a very productive month. For more details and photos read April's newsletter.

Future projects include a water tower in order for the toilet's building to be operational and plans to build the first dormitory on the Musana site.


Medical Care 2009: Val Goertzen is a nurse and she was able to obtain donations of pre-scription medication from several clinics in Canada so that we delivered over $30,000 of supplies to Howard Hospital in Zimbabwe, which is run by the Salvation Army.She was also able to lead our team to do several on site medical clinics and administer non-prescription care to hundreds of needy children.