2. Mission:
Our mission is adopted from our host school,
Chivhu primary School’s mission statement: to
equip every child with self-reliant and self
sufficient skills so as to acquire a culture of
excellence academically, socially, morally,
physically spiritually and creatively.
3. How?
• This project seeks to relieve the
consequences of extreme poverty in the tiny
Chivhu community in Zimbabwe.
• Establishing a sewing class and teaching small
business skills and thus provide an avenue of
subsistence.
5. Among other major challenges, Chivhu is
currently affected by:
• HIV/AIDS pandemic
• persistent droughts, this year, 2016 being a
severe drought year
6. • Brain drain, which saw many professionals
moving to other areas, eg South Africa and
bigger cities like Harare.
• Most of these people did not come back, and
left behind are usually women and children
who cannot fend for themselves.
• To top it all, these neglected children are
shunned due to superstitious beliefs that they
bring bad luck, and also no one seems believe
in their potential to rise from their situations.
7. *Thus while living in Chivhu I have encountered
some of the worst poverty cases imaginable.
8. Goals of this project:
1) To empower as many children as we can by
giving them a chance to develop skills beyond
the classroom, and one that will benefit them in
the now and in the future.
9. 2)Fight stigmatization against orphans,
abandoned and vulnerable children in the
society through a demonstration of their
strengths, and potential to contribute
meaningfully regardless of their age gender,
tribe or social status.
10. 3) Invest in a better future for the community.
An educated generation = economic
development, and lots of giving back, even if
they don’t give back, they will participate in the
economy.
11. Previous work:
• Our foundation is based on the partnership
with Chivhu Primary School that saw a
successful implementation of a sewing club
for disadvantaged children in summer 2015.
• Community asking if more kids could be
involved,
• Headmistress agreeing and setting in motion
preparations for making this dream a reality,
(Timetable, class, additional teacher).
12. Personally, the joy of watching these children
transform and the success of the previous
project that saw 16 children remain in school,
four of whom had to be reintegrated into the
system after being away for quite a while has
inspired me to keep pushing so that we can
make this opportunity impact more children in
the community.
13.
14. Target + plan:
• Grades 4-7, roughly 500 children.
• 1 hour afternoon class each week (mostly in
the afternoon).
• Acquire a teacher to help existing one.
15. Challenge:
• Already have classroom arrangements and
teacher, 7 sewing machines currently being
used from last year.
• To cater for 500 need, 10 sewing machines,
tables and chairs, sewing accessories, notions
and fabric.
16. • Most of all, this project is catalytic in
increasing our presence as adults concerned
about the community,
• reassuring the children that we are here and
that their dreams matter, and we will support
them.
17. The ultimate aim is to see children grow up and
treat society with kindness and not bitterness,
and to see them burst with their own ideas of
how to make other children’s lives better.
