ROSE OF SHARON ORGANIZATION GLIMPSE
Rose of Sharon Welfare Organization is a fully registered welfare organization (Registration Number PVO 3/2004), and is fully compliant with regulatory authorities. Rose of Sharon Welfare Organization was established in order to provide shelter, nutrition, healthcare, education and skills training to children who are orphaned, abandoned or neglected. Children are referred to Rose of Sharon Welfare organization by the Department of Social Services (DSS) and come from very disturbed backgrounds ranging from abandonment, neglect, orphaned, former children living in streets and children form dysfunctional families.
Rose of Sharon Welfare Organization is not affiliated with any political party and Board members are not political activists. As an organization, Rose of Sharon welfare Organization subscribes to the Word of God. Rose of Sharon Welfare Organization does not discriminate against anyone or any institution on the basis of gender, political affiliation, church affiliation or any other basis. The community is at the center of Rose of Sharon developments efforts.
The organization’s vision is “To be a household name synonymous with the provision of quality basic necessities and life skills training for the orphans and vulnerable children in Zimbabwe.” Likewise, its mission is “To make orphans and vulnerable children highly employable, self-reliant and competent in their knowledge application.”
Rose of Sharon is all about providing shelter, nutrition, healthcare, education and skills to children. We operate three orphanages and a High School for orphans in Harare and Ruwa respectively. We also run a Livelihood Skills Centre where we grow horticulture products on a small scale, in order to generate income and also impart skills to orphans. We have 30 babies who are between 6 months-5 years, 20 pre-teens of primary going age and another 30 youths of secondary school going age. We also attract 120 orphans from the community through our High School initiative.
Bethel Home
Bethel babies are located at 6833 Shamba Hills, Zimre Park. Their ages range from a day old up to five years old. These toddlers attend a home-based Nursery School where they are in the care of an Early Education Officer and child minders.
Mount Zion
Mt. Zion pre-teens is located at 13 Dallas Road in Marlborough. It caters for pre-teens with ages ranging from 6 years up to 12 years. These pre-teens attend a local Government Primary School.
Shiloh
Shiloh is located at Number 2275 Rodgers Mangena in Ruwa. It caters for teens who attend school at our High School for Orphans. Education is foundational and central to the orphans’ development and self-actualization; therefore it will go a long way in alleviating the vicious cycle of poverty and enhancing self-reliance. The teens are making inroads into our local community by clinching senior posts within the Ruwa Town Junior Council thereby impacting other youths in a positive manner.
Rose of Sharon High School
The High School provides Orphaned & Vulnerable Children the opportunity to develop literacy and numerous skills at Secondary and High School level (Form 1–6) in a uniquely therapeutic environment. The learning is facilitated at Zimre Park Campus and is located approximately 21 Kilometers East of Harare City (in route to Mutare).
In 2014 the Zimbabwe Business Awards conferred an award to our High School for Orphans as the “High School of the Year.”
Boarding House
The Boarding house, located at 6928 Zimre Park, is a brand-new project opened in 2018. It houses 30 youths of school going age ranging from 13 to 18 years. The house is opposite our high school so that we can serve on transportation.
The Livelihood Skills Centre
In our attempt to augment our meagre resources, we embarked upon small business initiatives like poultry breeding, peanut butter making & horticulture. We believe that it is important to develop the children into self-sustainable and responsible members of society and to provide them with skills required to take care for themselves in future. A key part of this is exposing the children to income generating activities that bring not only financial value to the homes but also skills training for the children. As Zimbabwe has an unemployment rate of 95% it is important that the children develop skills that will enable them to provide for themselves and their families in the future through informal employment such as market gardening type of businesses.
OBSTACLES
A. Budget for orphan care is non-existent due to economic crush. It has become extremely difficult for us to carry out our daily activities of providing care to orphans.
B. Massive corruption, poor governance and political isolation led to donor flight. For those of us in care work, the entire responsibility of caring for orphans is now resting on our shoulders.
C. Some orphans and vulnerable children have proven to be very bright and have got great potential to proceed to university but financial constraints are hampering their progress.
D. It is my deepest wish to commence the building of orphanages, schools and an administrative block which includes staff quarters on a farm set up before I retire. Financial hardship is constraining me from progressing with these long-term objectives.
REACHING TO GLOBAL PARTNERS
We are on a mission to care for orphans that are entrusted to us, and with the support of incredible people like you, we can feed, educate, provide shelter and health care to orphans.
1. Feed – It all starts with food. Our orphanages have little resources to feed the children. Every dollar feeds a child a meal.
2. Love – Our driving passion is for every child to know God’s love. We advocate for “safe loving homes” to call family. This special need for safe homes is our primary focus.
3. Empowerment – We seek to provide livelihood skills training to orphans required to care for themselves into the future.
4. Care – Emergency surgeries for special needs for orphans can mean the difference between life and death. We seek to provide the best medical care for orphans and vulnerable children.