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Zimbabwe, South Eastern Africa

Why we are here:

Due to a high incidence of HIV/AIDS and economic barriers to care, per capita, Zimbabwe, has the greatest number of HIV/AIDS orphans of any country in the world (UNICEF).

Zimbabwe has the lowest life expectancy of women in the world - between 30-35 years (UNAIDS)

Among the 15 countries with the highest HIV/AIDS prevalence rates, Zimbabwe receives the least amount of aid (World Bank).

Zimbabwe is suffering a silent holocaust. You can help reverse it.

Over the past 5+ years, with financial support of donors like you, and dedication of local and global volunteers, EW has increased health, education and economic self-reliance for the most vulnerable children and their local communities.

EW Zimbabwe Programs & Initiatives:

1. Julia's Home of Happy Colors - Orphan Care Center

2. Beyond Fair Trade - Economic Development Program

3. Community Trusts for Orphans and Vulnerable Children

 

Julia's Home of Happy Colors

Comprehensive, home-based care

In January 2002, EW partnered with child advocate and social entrepreneur, Julia Kunzekwenyika to establish a home-based Orphan Care program where children orphaned by AIDS would we nurtured in the traditions of their birth parents.

Today, in addition to providing 15 children with nutritious meals, health care, and education, Julia's Home is the foundation for EW's holistic community outreach programs in marginalized rural areas. Doubling as EW Zimbabwe headquarters, Julia's Home is a center for T&J Designs and other income generation activities including sewing, seed planting green houses. To expand these activities in a permanent location EW seeks local and global development partnerships.

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Beyond Fair Trade - Economic Development Program

Building Economic Self-reliance for women and caregivers

Every EW country program is developed in concert with economic opportunities for economic sustainability. EW Zimbabwe was founded in partnership with community conscious company T&J designs, which had already enabled Julia to sponsor up to 40 orphans' school fees and provided livelihoods for widows in her rural village.

T&J Designs is serving as the model for EW's Beyond Fair Tradeinitiative to promote products made by women's cooperatives that support health, educational and environmental programs where they are made.

Beyond Fair Trade shall include additional products identified by non-profits who, like EW will be responsible for monitoring & evaluation of associated products and their social impact. Working together with socially conscious businesses (distribution) and media groups (branding & marketing), BFT will empower thousands of vulnerable families to live in sustainable dignity.

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Community Trusts for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC's)

Investing in local capacity to meet needs of rural orphans

In addition to supporting school scholarships of 250 children, EW empowers existing social networks of grandparents, neighbors and educational institutions to meet the needs of Zimbabwe's growing rural orphan population.

Building on its Micro-grants for Social Entrepreneurs pilot project, launched in Suriname, South America (in Spring 2006), EW began the Zimbabwe version, "Community Trusts for Orphans and Vulnerable Children". In February 2007, EW asked able-bodied citizens in these areas what they could do to meet the needs of their communities' most vulnerable children.

With grants starting at 200usd, women's groups, teachers, church leaders, and grandmothers work together to build and manage locally based income generation projects optimizing unique local skills and natural resources. Currently there are 3 such community trusts (ranging from community gardens, soap making, uniform sewing to cow trading) raising funds and food for vulnerable orphans in the rural Chivu district.

Community Based Approach: In addition to preserving community relationships, vital to psycho-social development, this method, of supporting children where they ARE, is up to 6 times more cost effective when compared to orphanages or institutionalized care in meeting the same basic needs.

CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT EW ZIMBABWE PROGRAMS

Read EW Advisor David C. Jamali (Zimbabwe, Australia) report on local conditions: The visit to my land of birth May 2007

Artist, Keith Biele brings skills & therapy to Zimbabwe where EW has supported community based orphan care for over 5 years. Read Keith's report & see video

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