Orphan Care Program
Today, the Zimbabwe Mission Partnership cares for orphans of Ward 1 of the Murewa North District of Zimbabwe in several significant and life-changing ways.
Two high-nutrition meals a day for about 1,000 children
The ZMP built and operates the Heather Chimhoga Orphan Care Center (HCOC) and two satellite centers which, together, provide nutricious meals for about 1,000 orphans.
The ZMP buys and ships large quantities of rice and beans, with other foods purchased locally, and with a greater and greater proportion being produced in the on-site garden. In addition, 90 moringa tree seedlings were planted two years ago, and they are already vastly improving nutrition for the children. The leaves and branches are dried and crushed into a powder that provides seven times more vitamin C than oranges, four times more calcium and two times more protein than milk, four times more vitamin A than carrots, and three times more potassium than bananas.
The moringa is a good source of iron, as well. It has been proven that the immune system of malnourished children can be raised to a normal level through the use of this powder on a daily basis. Once the immune system has been raised to a normal level, it only takes one teaspoon of powder to maintain the immune system at a normal level. This fact is extremely important to HIV positive individuals.
Educational support
The ZMP does many things to help ensure the orphan children get a good education.
- School Fees. For many years, the partnership has paid the school fees for these children, most of whom have no other resources to pay them.
- School Uniforms. A sewing co-op founded by the ZMP makes uniforms for all of the orphans served by the center. In addition, workers in the co-op are learning a trade in an effort to help the community become more self sufficient.
- School Supplies. Through its shipping program, the ZMP helps provide the children with notebooks, binders and other needed school supplies. The ZMP has also shipped many, many student desks, teacher desks, tables, chairs, file cabinets so the schools can be better equipped to carry out the educational process.
- School Building Construction and Repair. Over the years, the ZMP has renovated several school buildings, built libraries, administration buildings and many teacher houses. Even a bridge was built across a crocodile infested river, so children can safely cross on their way to school.
Medical assistance
With a small, on-site dispensary at the Orphan Care Center, and with first-aid supplies shipped by the partnership, ZMP representatives were able to provide some first aid to the children for many years. When children needed more urgent and professional care, they were driven many miles to the nearest clinic or hospital. But in 2008, the ZMP hired a full-time nurse who has been able to meet many more of the children’s needs. Her presence at the center has also made a big difference in the health of HIV positive children, just by insuring that proper medications are available and that the children take their meds regularly. |
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