ECT is a non-profit organization registered in Zimbabwe under the Companies & Association Trustee Act (Chapter 24:04). It's 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.
Summary of achievement:
Stakeholder Engagement
For this quarter, ETC never had any stakeholder engagement. However, the organization is looking forward to the third quarter Child Rights Coalition conference which is forthcoming.
Children Activities
As a result of school re-opening after an incessant period of COVID-19, we have not had an elaborate time for children's activities apart from food hamper donations visits, which will be held normally after school, where there will be no time for long engagements. We hope to do more engagements during the holiday where the kids will be at home.
Such engagements are important, especially after quite a time of non-engagement due to COVID-19.
Poverty and hunger alleviation
We have been engaging with ROPKA since 2021 and by so far, progress of partnership is commendable. ROPKA supports on poverty eradication, they extend food hampers (basic food) to kids on both areas in Epworth and Caledonia. They distribute food every six weeks, and for this quarter we have received two times. There are few challenges in this regard, including lacking a delivery vehicle, which sometimes delays the distribution process whenever we have a donation. However, we are so grateful that despite the challenge, we can manage food distribution.
Child Sponsorship
Child sponsorship continued to take shape during this quarter. The organization is so glad that other sponsors are keep on joining to sponsor individual children with whatever needs they require like school fees and monthly food among other things.
For this quarter, we have an engagement meeting regarding child sponsorship with ROPKA. However, the discussion is subject to budgetary approval. We are looking forward to that, as we await response from their budgetary approval.
Sustainable Projects
We are pleased to do the piggery project, of which preparations had begun. However, we have learnt during the meeting that the project should be situated close to the kids so that they take charge in the management of it thereof. Previously, we had opted to do the project in Chivhu, which is located 60km away from Harare, of which it will be difficult to make the children involved. Regard be had to that; we halted the proceeding of the project in Chivhu and that we look for an area close to the capital which will make the children easier to be involved at any stage and time of its progression. We are still in the process of scouting for that land until to date, and we shall communicate as soon as we are guaranteed of such a land.
Highlights of Challenges
We can highlight two prominent challenges still haunting the organization:
Sustainability challenges
Transport challenges, especially for food distribution and visits.
Possible Solutions
The only possible way to bail the organization is to venture into a sustainable project such as the piggery project, which will soon be venturing to, and or kind donations in monetary terms.
Recommendations
We recommend the organization to venture into sustainability projects and prioritize that in order to evade imminent challenges it is facing at the moment and or apply for donation funding through proposals.
Conclusions
ECT is very much grateful for the progress recorded this far pertaining to programming of this invaluable charity work over this period ending October 2022. 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.