Sunday 25 August 2013

Global Giving UK: A Picture Diary of My Week with Zimkids


I have been contemplating about this blog post for a few days now. 
The struggle lay mainly with how exactly I would articulate this weeks experience in words.
I tried to think of how I would be able to say everything without missing a single detail.
I tried to think of how I would describe each and every beautiful soul I met. 
How was I to correctly articulate all the love I received?
In the end I realized I could never do Zimkids justice with my words...it's not possible. 
So where my words have failed me my camera has had to step in...
ENJOY!!!!!

The Kids. Out on the Playground. Bright and Early, full of energy! 
HELLO Zimkids!!!! This is the entrance to the center. They completed building it last year and this is just a snapshot of what lies inside. It shines bright in the midst of all the other dull scenery. When you see the color you know you have arrived. The walls are filled with murals telling the story of how Zimkids came to being from one end to the other. The hope to paint the inside walls of the center too as soon as they get some paint. 
Zimkids. Some art work at the center. 
Playtime before the start of the Kids Club. Most of the kids turn up super early so they can have fun on the mary-go-round, swings and slide.

Meet Tinashe. Everybody LOVES Tinashe. He is the Director of Zimkids and to be honest I have never met such an energetic person in my life!!! When he walks into a room he is immediately surrounded by a cloud of shining faces. The thing that astounded me the most was how when you drive through Pumula and the kids see his car you hear a loud chorus of "Tinashe Tinashe Tinashe!!" as they jump up and down and wave.

Hello there! Tinashe peeping in during a home visit. 
Tinashe and Pauline carrying some of the food stuffs we delivered during a home visit.
Knock Knock!!! In this picture is Tinashe, Pauline and Philip delivering some groceries during a home visit.  
Meet Gogo. One of the things I noticed during our home visits was that most of the children are being taken care of by their old Ambuyas (grandmothers) and Sekurus (grandfathers). Majority of them are too old and frail to work and as a result they face each day as it comes, often with  nothing at hand. 
Another home visit. 
I loved this gogo. She was so vibrant and insisted on giving me life advice (in Ndebele). We had such a laugh and in the end I just had to have a photo with her.  
Ntombi (holding the mazoe) and her siblings during a home visit. They all live with her grandmother.


Angel (a volunteer) helping one of the kids out during their lessons. They call her 'Miss'.

Miss Angel busy with the youngsters. 
Washington (Washi), an elder, sitting in the library with a friend. They have a small library with some children's books, novels and encyclopedias. They hope to enlarge it to include some more text text books that the kids can borrow for school. Washi is looking to get more training into becoming a certified librarian.

Some of the kids getting water from the tank. The center is located in a very rocky area and one of the main challenges they have been facing that has also hindered the progress for their gardening project (for now) is the water situation. They have drilled three boreholes, however, two have limited water supply and the city council does not allow them to use municipal water for gardening. 
Although water is currently an issue at the center they do have a greenhouse that's up and running. In this picture you can see some of the girls watering the keel and some of the pipes for a recently installed drip irrigation system. They hope that soon there will be more water so they can an grow even more stuff that can be used to feed some of the kids and their families. Last batch they had successfully grown loads of tomatoes.

Some of the girls working in the greenhouse. Everyone chips in to every element of the center. They know it is their home away from home, their built and it and they know responsibility for everything is on them too.
Malume doing some finishing touches to the drip irrigation system in the greenhouse.
Philip, the Programmes Director, explaining something to the kids. They all listen very attentively, always. I think it's the closeness and friendship that they have with all the leaders that makes the relationship easier. 
Nqa (an elder) taking an art class. 
Philip and the kids taking a look at the finished product. A bookshelf that the guys welded. This is part of the vocational programme where the kids are taught skills that they can use and apply in life. 

My crew looking cool, calm and collected.

A marimba lesson. These guys literally teach each other. 

Some of the girls on the dance floor.

Two of the elders get down (literally) on the dance floor. These guys have some serious moves. 

We had a food contest. I lost. :/ 
The girls practicing for a drama on the performing arts stage.

Soccer Time!!
Vuyo smiles for the camera.
Takudzwa with a swagger, my right hand man. This guy really knows how to rap and dance. Watch out Drake!!!! 

This is Bridget smiling for the camera. She was my second translator on the playground even though she insisted she couldn't speak shona and made it a point to laugh at me every time I miss-pronounced something.
Prudence making faces.

Philip (Programmes Director) and Foster (an elder)  have a chat in the sun.

Me and Pauline (an Elder). This young lady is just so helpful and hardworking. Not once did I see her sitting down and not doing anything. 

ME!! During my final presentation using my hands to get a point through. I don't know why I do that :/ 

This little Princess in Pink stood up to sing a song for everyone during the Talent Show :) I was inspired by how confident and comfortable all the little ones where as they stood up to sing, dance and recite poems. 

Ncosie (an Elder) smiles for the camera during the talent show. If you look closely you can see his 'Pope John Paul' hat. 

Toy cars during Play time. This is part of the Kids Club Program. 

This is Blessing during play time. She is one of the tiny ones and has the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. 

The boys serious at a game of draft (a much simpler adaptation of chess)



Ncosie ( an elder who is currently being mentored by Tinashe) giving a computer lesson. The kids LOVE computers!!! 
This is part of the final presentation I gave right at the end. Its kind of poor quality because all my gadgets failed me last minute and we had to use a phone. Language was one of my key challenges because everyone speaks Ndebele so in this presentation you'll find me switching between Shona and English. I'm not sure why I thought people would understand me better that way but in the end Philip stepped in and translated the entire presentation to Ndebele! ;)

Home time.... :(

What I loved the most about Zimkids was the spirit of what I would like to call Family. The center is literally Built by Orphans, Run by Orphans, For Orphans. There is so much potential for the future of Zimkids and the need is great too. If you would like to support their work financially please visit their Global Giving page at this link http://www.globalgiving.co.uk/projects/building-girls-futures/ .

I am going to miss Zimkids. I had an awesome week and I wish them all the best. I will definitely be back again to visit one day soon. Many thanks to Tinashe and his team for hosting me.

XOXO

Chido Dziva Chikwari

This visit was made possible by Global Giving UK, an online marketplace that supports grassroots projects and charities all over the world, as part of their Volunteer Overseas Evaluation Programme.

Next Week I will be visiting ZOE- Zimbabwe Orphans Through Extended Hands so keep an eye out for my next blog post!!

2 comments:

  1. Well done Chido. Lovely Pictures.
    Zimkids is doing well.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is really awesome hey. its a great thing that you are doing :):):):)

    ReplyDelete