ECT is a non-profit organization registered in Zimbabwe under the Companies & Association Trustee Act (Chapter 24:04). Its main area of operation is child protection, specifically focusing on orphan and vulnerable children (OVC).Major organizational activities for the last quarter vary from child sponsorship, advocacy engagements, COVID-19 awareness and food hamper donation distributions for poverty alleviation.
For this reporting period, Esteemed Children Trust has successfully been involved in meetings, conferences and workshops, for advocacy through stakeholder engagement within the sector of child protection. However, these were engaged virtually due to rise in COVID-19 cases and lockdown restrictions announced by the President during the last quarter of the year. Most notable meetings were the post-budget meeting convened virtually by the child rights coalition and the parliamentary caucus on children.
Due to COVID-19, there has not been much of children’s activities during this last quarter other than partaking in the food hamper distribution activities. This has been much attributed to anotherinfectiousCOVID-19 fourth wave caused mostly by the omicron variant. To that end, interfaces with children and or general gatherings were absolutely prohibited by the government in a bid to control the spread of such highly infectious variants.
As a measure to respond to a growing poverty and hunger, the organization extended food hamper groceries sought from different donors, who coalesced together to make an impactful contribution towards poverty alleviation. For this last quarter, the organization has had an early Christmas donation on the 19th of December, gracing the children with Christmas goodies. The donations were received from our partners such as ROPKA Support Network Zimbabwe and other individuals who donated to the children.
Child sponsorship continued to take shape during the last quarter. The organization is so glad that other sponsors joined to sponsor individual children with whatever needs they may require, be it school fees, monthly food among other things. Some sponsors are even going a step further to mentor the families. Our prayer is to lure more sponsors towards child sponsorship.
As already stated, ECT is currently not doing any sustainable projects under their operations. However, as we have indicated previously that given an opportunity the organization would undertake the adventure, especially poultry and piggery projects and or any other projects that will be on offer.
There are quite a number of challenges bedeviling the organization varying from limited fiscal legroom, pertinent personnel and skill shortages and admin and operational challenges (including transport for food distribution).These challenges are still haunting the organization. Most importantly, the situation has been made worse due to incessant waves of the highly infectious COVID-19 virus coming one after another posing far reaching endemic and serious operational challenges.
The only possible solution for the organization is to embark on offensive strategies of continued resource mobilization, either through soliciting for willing donations and or sustainable projects venture.
Given the current situation, the only way the organization may bail out itself is by venturing into sustainable projects. If given an opportunity the organization would be happy to venture into poultry such as broilers, layers, roadrunners and or piggery projects.
ECT is very much grateful for the progress recorded this far pertaining to programming of this invaluable charity work over this 2021 period ending December. It is our belief as ECT, given the current drive with which the organization is moving, that we are bounding for the achievement of the ultimate vision of the organization. As we are going into another lap treading this road this coming year 2022, we are anticipating greater prospects of transformation into another trajectory.