Rose of Sharon is an organization that aims to provide shelter, nutrition, education and skills training to orphaned and abandoned children. We have 120 children under our custody.
As Rose of Sharon our endeavor is to make the abandoned children achieve their dreams through education and live hood skills.
Our main goal is to empower our children in every sphere of life. However, in a bid to achieve this our operations have been greatly affected because of the high cost of living. Hyperinflation has also become the order of the day, and this has affected our day to day living.
Horticulture The last quarter of the year was a busy period for us. Our aim was to create food security; hence we are engaging in horticulture projects. The projects have also been an excellent way for our children to learn the essential farming skills that they need to ensure their future food security and self-reliance.
Our vegetable gardens are done all year round and this helps to provide our children with a nutritious diet as well as to cut some costs. All our homes currently have vegetable gardens, and they have rape, covo, tsunga, pumpkin leaves and onions.
The rains have been an advantage in as far as our gardens are concerned, we have managed to cut some irrigation costs. The children take turns to work in the gardens and they have benefited greatly through the projects by learning self-responsibility.
Gardening Maize
Our maize project began in November last year and we are looking forward to a harvest that can sustain us for a while.
Our maize project is done every year and it has become our culture to invest in maize projects so as to store food which can be utilized for some time.
Tilling of land, removal of weeds, as well as the plantation of maize started last year in November and the harvest begins in March this year.
Both the staff and children were taking part in the maize project.
School
Rose of Sharon is an organization that understands that education can leverage significant improvements in the future of the orphaned children. The last quarter has been the busiest period in as far as education is concerned. Our Zimsec examinations were in progress and some of our children sat for the exams. We are excited that our children passed with flying colors and our highest has 19 points, two of them have 14 points and 1 with 13 points. These children are now preparing to go to university.
Church
The last quarter of the year is the time that we come together as one family and do our prayers and fasting. Our prayers for the end of year went well and were being led by our chaplain. Both the staff and children participated in the prayers in order to seek God and to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in the New Year. Midweek prayers continued to be done during lunch hour and evening whilst our main service took place on Sundays. The children showed their love for Christ by planning various activities to make the Sunday service exciting.
Though we have come to another new year the economy continues to go from bad to worse and we are facing a hyperinflation which has greatly affected our operations. The soaring inflation has not spared us, and we are operating under a very minimum capacity. However, we continue to keep our hope and trust in the Lord.