Education and Health Support
Schools opened in September and were subsequently closed in December 2022. A significant number of children (78%) passed their end of term exams. We are grateful to the Lord for such achievements.
School fees were paid up for the children and some uniforms bought for some few children who had need. Hyperinflation rampant in our nation necessitated the hiking of school fees thereby allowing top ups to all primary, secondary and tertiary schools.
One of the pioneers of the education support by EHC Canada, Serina completed her degree in Architectural Sciences with best marks. We are proud of this achievement and sincerely appreciate EHC for this support.
In addition, another girl child Rumbidzai passed her ‘A’’ Level Exams with flying colors. She wrote three subjects and scored 14 points. She shall be pursuing a Business Studies course with one of the state Universities of Zimbabwe.
Junior High School Masvingo
One of our children Tawananyasha is doing wonders at one of the local schools in Masvingo. He scooped eight awards, seven subjects and one School Head award on three consecutive terms. Besides the subject badges, he was given chocolates twice and coffee mugs the last time. He was also named the model boy child of Junior High School. We thank the Lord for such good behavior modelled by one of our children and just for His glory.
Serina (Foster Child) graduation.
Life Skills Development
Life skills development continued to be pivotal at Emmanuel Homestead. This saw scores of children embarking in routine activities like cleaning rooms, vegetable and flower garden maintenance, feeding of pigs, layers and road runners, rearing of goats and sheep.
Sustainable Projects
This section looked at piggery, layers, road runners, goats, crop farming, vegetable and flower gardens.
Piggery
The pigs are flourishing and in good health. Feeds and medication were bought during the course of the quarter.
Layers
The layers continued to do quite well with an average of 9 crates per day. To maximize on profit margins, we resorted to providing a concentrate feed to the birds. Three birds succumbed to ill health during the quarter. The project has reached sustainability in that it can self-support itself in terms of paying the worker’s salary, securing the feeds and medication. The profit was used to repair fowl run and nipples which required servicing.
Road Runners
The roadrunners continue to increase in number following the summer season. We however had to slaughter quite a number (20) during the festive season hence our number dropped down to 60 birds. Currently there are 3 birds that are about to hatch.
Goats
The goat project is waxing great following the increase in number to 14. All the goats were in good health, and we do expect them to grow in number continuously.
Crop Farming
This season we allocated 0.3 hectares towards maize production. The rest of the arable land had been committed to horticulture project. To date, the maize crop is about to flower and is in good health.
Vegetable Production
Our tomato plants succumbed to moisture stress following decline in water table and as such could not continue to produce the fruits. Even though we utilized drip irrigation, the water quantities were too little to sustain the system. We however had to remove the plant and replaced it with few plants which could be managed by the system. To date we have a total of 1000 plants which are about to flower. They are in good health. From the proceeds of the previous crop, we managed to feed the children, bought seed, chemicals for the second crop. In order to diversify production, we introduced some other cash crops like cabbages and green pepper. We had to limit their numbers too because of inadequate water. We were anticipation the rains to come and supplement but however it was not so.
To supplement of vegetables at Emmanuel Homestead, we continued with our backyard vegetable production. To date we have grown covo, lettuce, tomatoes, spinach and cabbages. All the vegetables are in good health and well catered for.
Flower Garden
The flower garden continued to flourish following good maintenance despite inadequate water supplies.
Children and Youth Ministry
This quarter we had two major activities for the children. We had a Christmas party and age-related gifts for children at Emmanuel Homestead courtesy of Change a Life Foundation.
Some of the children who received the age-related hampers from Change a Life Foundation.
The Matron addressing the children and parents who attended the Christmas party.
A Christmas party was conducted at Emmanuel Homestead courtesy of Dawn David Foundation targeting children with special needs. A total of 52 children received food hampers and subsequently, a meal shared between the children and their guardians or parents.
Evangelism
All the events done at Emmanuel Homestead have an evangelism thrust hence distribution of food hampers to both children with special needs and Christmas gifts had gospel pamphlets as part of the package.
This is to necessitate and support the preaching of the word of God maximizing on every opportunity presented.
Leadership Development
A leadership seminar was conducted during the course of the quarter. Regional leaders gathered for a three-day workshop at one of the lodges by the lakeside, St Geralds belonging to the Catholics, Masvingo Diocese.
As part of staff development regular meetings were conducted with Emmanuel Homestead staff. This helped in monitoring and evaluating projects and routine activities. In this quarter we have seen this coming together instilling a spirit of unison and togetherness amongst the team.
One of our staff members, the Superintendent completed a course in Development Studies at one of the local state University, Great Zimbabwe. This was part of the staff development initiative in a bid to improve the services provided to the children and community at large.
Partnership
RED CROSS Zimbabwe, Masvingo Director handing over some sanitary ware to our godly parents traditionally known as caregivers. Emmanuel Homestead received a total of 65 sanitary ware for the girls and 45 pants. Thank you, RED CROSS, for such an invaluable gift which put a smile on the girls faces.
Our partnership with Dawn David Foundation has seen their Social Worker extending her services to Emmanuel Homestead. Such partnerships have surely paid some dividends as we continue to receive remarkable support for the betterment of the loaves of the children at the orphanage and in communities.
Dawn David Foundation bought a Commuter Omnibus for Emmanuel Homestead so that transportation of the children would be easy. Thank you for such a support DDF.
Surely movement of children particularly those who go to school in town has been eased up.
Foster Parenting
One of our children, first to be supported by EHC Canada graduated last year December after undertaking a degree in Architectural Sciences at one of the famous universities in Zimbabwe, National University of Science and Technology (NUST). We are grateful unto the Lord and thank EHC Canada for this support. Believe me, had you not intervened, this lady was going to have a messed-up life. This is what she had to say in appreciation of your support,” Thank you so much EHC Canada for the support you gave me throughout my course. As a girl child, my parents because of poverty and belonging to the apostolic sect had given up on my education which demanded a lot of money beyond their reach. I nearly went into early marriage because of this challenge but thank God you came to my rescue and fully supported my career pursuit. Am a proud lady now and wish to support some other girl children in my society particularly from Emmanuel Homestead”.
Church Construction
Muchakata assembly is near completion with roofing being worked on.
Coordination
Coordination continued with sister children homes continued, Rose of Sharon, Tanyaradzwa, Horizon Zimbabwe children's homes and Esteemed Children Trust.
Challenges
In this quarter of project implementation, the following were the challenge faced:
Hyperinflation remains the common challenge resulting in exorbitant prices for commodities.
School fees hikes were a major challenge at all levels, primary, secondary and tertiary.
The increasing need of children in terms of education support continues to rise
Future Plans
In the subsequent quarter we envisage the following:
Conduct godly parents refresher course training
Expansion of horticulture project
School fees payment for the children and youths.
Maintenance of layers, road runners, goats, pigs and sheep
Purchase of feeds and medication for the animals
Conduct a Youth and children outing in Mashate
Leadership seminar in Bushmead
Crop farming to begin own feed production
Women and girl's economic empowerment training
Administrative obligations
Acknowledgements
We are grateful unto the Lord for the continued partnership with Every Home for Christ Canada, Change A Life Foundation and International Cooperating Ministries.
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