2010 February/March Visit to Zimbabwe

Ann and Morris on the veranda of our hotel, La Rochelle, in February, 2010.

In February, 2010, we headed for Zimbabwe once more to reconnect with people we know there, check on our projects, review monetary needs, take pictures of our students who are being sponsored, and review any changes that have happened over the past year. Morris’ niece, Norma Taber, went with us to become acquainted with the projects and the people in Zimbabwe who help us.

Increased costs – Since the country’s change to hard currency about a year ago our costs have risen dramatically.  Tuition for Primary School students now costs $135 for the year and for High School day students the cost is $210 for a term (3 terms).  We told Shadreck Mufute, headmaster at the Primary School, that we would have to cut back our sponsorship of the students to 25 (we had 400). We had enough response to our request for sponsors that we have been able to increase that number to 35. We are phasing out our H.S. sponsorships by not adding any new students and sponsoring students to “O” levels only.  We are presently down to 19 students in High School. Seven of them are taking their “O” Levels this year, so we will have 12 H.S. students in January, 2011.

Hartzell Primary School children using the library

Danai helping children check out books

Hartzell Primary School Library – The library is still in active use and Danai Noisi is into her 12th year of processing and mending books, helping students check books in and out, and keeping things orderly.  Many books are wearing out and getting shabby and new books are badly needed. We will help anyone who is interested in organizing and sending another container. Many people have told us they have books available, but they need to be collected, boxed, sorted, and sent – a lot of work, but very rewarding to see the children enjoying them so much!

Norma reading a story to Primary School children

Clare School – Clare School has become our new project. This is a very new United Methodist school in a very poor isolated area and there are so many needs. I was heartsick when I saw what had happened to the library there. The building being used for the library had to be used for housing for the staff, so the books were all piled on top of each other in a storeroom.

Storeroom where the books are now kept

I looked at housing possibilities for another library, but didn’t come up with much.  They said they would need a least $14,000 for a new library or to renovate a present building into one.

Looking for a new library

While at Clare, we were shown the new buildings that are being used for the High School students.  Because the rooms had only dusty dirt floors, we donated enough money to buy cement for the floors.  At a school-wide assembly we also presented textbooks, printers, and seeds that had been donated by folks in the US.

High School building with dirt floors

Presenting the new materials and equipment to the school