Help 100 Underprivileged Kids in Zimbabwe

Thank you very much for your continued support of our Education Project. The vision of this project is to use education to unlock doors of opportunity for disadvantaged rural kids to get them out of poverty. When you empower kids to acquire an education, you transform their lives and build a better future for them, their communities and their countries. This is in line with the following quote by Nelson Mandela regarding the power of education:  “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."

In keeping with this vision the Tekeshe Foundation provides school uniforms, school fees and school supplies to disadvantaged rural kids. This project also aims to provide the best start in life to preschool children in these rural areas.  According to research, children who complete preschool programs are more advanced in literacy, creativity, initiative, and social skills and they are more likely to succeed in school and to end up as productive members of society at our preschool. At our preschool, we provide early childhood development and learning through play.

Update on School Fees and School Supplies

I am pleased to announce that, this semester through your donations; the Tekeshe Foundation is able to provide school fees in the amount of $1,510 to 49 students: 27 students from Rimbi High; 14 students from Rimbi Primary; 6 students from Mbeure Primary; 1 student from Mt Selinda High; 1 student from Mutare Polytechnic College. We also gave school supplies to over 60 students. Here is what two of the students who are beneficiaries of our Education program had to say:

In His Own Words By Cynthia

“I am currently enrolled in form 4 here at Rimbi High. I am delighted to be in school with the help of the Tekeshe Foundation. The Tekeshe Foundation has afforded me one of the basic children’s rights which is access to education. As a rural girl child, I am very grateful for the opportunity to have access to education. Thank you very much! Please keep on supporting me. “

 In His Own Words By Peter

“I am currently enrolled in form 4. I am one of several students who are recipients of school fees from Tekeshe Foundation.  My guardians couldn’t afford to pay my school fees. Being an orphan meant that for me, education was a dream. Thank you Tekeshe Foundation for making this dream a reality for me.  I hope that you can continue to support me. ”

 Preschool Update

The preschool is doing very well. This year, our school has seen an increase in enrollment from thirty to eighty five kids. As a result we had to increase the number of our staff members. We now have four teachers and two ladies who prepare porridge for the kids and are also responsible for cleaning the school premises. As I mentioned in previous progress reports, our school needs to be in compliance with the Zimbabwe Ministry of Education requirements. Once the preschool is compliant, it can be registered with the Ministry of Education. We were informed that obtaining registration for our school was predicated upon us having the construction of the new building with bigger classrooms that are well ventilated already underway by the time the inspection is conducted. The current building where our school is housed is too small according to the Ministry of Education specifications. As a result, the inspection was postponed until Mid-September 2022 to provide us ample time to start the construction.

 Update on Registration of the Preschool with the Zimbabwe Ministry of Education

We are overjoyed to announce that our preschool passed inspection. The objective of the inspection is to ensure that preschool facilities meet the Zimbabwe Ministry of Education guidelines. The inspectors were impressed with our school and with the new building currently underway. In their report, they placed special emphasis on the fact that the school is very child friendly and that it is equipped with the proper resources to provide high quality education. Regarding the new building, the inspectors were amazed by how much it exceeded the standards mandated by the Zimbabwe Ministry of Education. As a result, they upgraded the school from a preschool to an infant school. What this means is that our school will be registered as an infant school and it will be granted the license to provide education ranging from pre-school level (Early childhood development A (ECDA) & Early childhood development B (ECDB)) to grades 1 and 2 levels. Once we secure enough funds, we will build more classrooms and after that we will be in a position to register our school up to grade 7 level.   

As you can see from the attached pictures, we have made a lot of progress with the new building. The roofing, electrical wiring, and plastering are done. We still have to install window frames, windows, doors, procure the furniture and complete the floor and toilets.

We have accomplished a lot together! We couldn’t have done it without your help. Thanks again for all your support!

Best wishes,

Thelma

 We would like to express our profound gratitude to you for your continued support of our Education Project. The vision of this project is to use education to unlock doors of opportunity for disadvantaged rural kids to get them out of poverty. When you empower kids to acquire an education, you transform their lives and build a better future for them, their communities and their countries. This is in line with the following quote by Nelson Mandela regarding the power of education: "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."

Many poor families in the rural areas now understand the power of education. They know that the fate of their children depends on it; that is why they are desperately doing all they can to get money to send their children to school. Yet sadly, due to extreme poverty, education is inaccessible to many kids in these rural areas. That is why providing education to rural kids is at the heart of the Tekeshe foundation. This semester we are providing school fees in the amount of $800 to 47 students (21 students - Rimbi High, 15 students - Rimbi Primary, 10 students - Mbeure Primary, 1 student - Great Zimbabwe University). Here is what some of the students who are beneficiaries of our Education program had to say:

In His Own Words By Anuza

“I am currently enrolled in form 2. Thank you very much Tekeshe Foundation for helping me with school fees. It is necessary for me to get an education so that when I am done with school and I am employed I can assist my family.”

 In His Own Words By Peter

“I am currently enrolled in form 3. I am grateful to Tekeshe Foundation for financing my education. Education is a weapon. With education one can fight poverty and any inequality. Education changes lives. It is my wish that one day I will be able to give back to my community by helping rural kids to get an education. Thank you very much.”

In her own words by Cynthia

“I am currently enrolled in form 2. I would like to thank the Tekeshe foundation for affording me the opportunity to get an education so that I am literate and empowered as a rural girl child. I kindly ask you to continue helping me and the other girls in the village. Once again thank you very much for helping me.”

 Preschool Project Update

The preschool is doing very well. This year we have 36 kids enrolled in our school. As I mentioned in one of my previous progress reports, our school needs to be in compliance with the Ministry of Education requirements. Once the preschool is compliant, it can be registered with the Ministry of Education. This will help us tremendously as we will no longer be responsible for paying the teacher’s salaries. In order to be compliant we did as follows:

• Added more playground equipment
• Enhanced our feeding program
• Constructed new toilets
• Bought classroom tables
• Purchased required textbooks
• Our teachers attended required pre-school training and are now certified to teach Early Childhood Education.

 Big News About Our New Preschool Building

We are pleased to announce that we finally acquired the building permits and construction of our new preschool is now underway! As you can see in the attached pictures, the foundation is done. Getting the building project going as soon as possible was very important because the current building where our school is housed is too small according to the Ministry of Education specifications. We were informed that obtaining registration for our school is predicated upon us having the construction of the new building with bigger classrooms that are well ventilated already underway by the time the inspection is conducted. As a result, the inspection was postponed until Mid-September 2022 to provide us ample time to start the construction.

As you can see, we have accomplished a lot together! We couldn’t have done it without your help. Thanks again for all your support!

Best wishes,

Thelma

I would like to express my profound gratitude to you for your continued support of our Education Project. Providing an education to disadvantaged rural kids is at the heart of the Tekeshe foundation. We strongly believe that having access to education is not a privilege, but it is a basic human right.  Educating kids is one of the keys for unlocking doors of opportunity for  them to get out of poverty. Without it, many children in these rural areas remain trapped in a life of poverty and hardship. When you empower kids to acquire an education, you transform their  lives and build a better future for them, their communities and their countries. That is why so many poor families in the rural areas are desperately doing all they can to get money to send their children to school. They know that the fate of their children depends on it. Sadly, due to extreme poverty, education is inaccessible to many kids in these rural areas.

Our organization is striving to ensure that the right of children in the rural of areas of Chipinge to learn is protected. The vision of our Education Program is to provide access to education to underprivileged boys and girls to help unlock doors of opportunity for them and to give them a better head start for the future. This program places special emphasis on empowering girls to acquire an education since they are more likely than boys to be denied the right to education in these rural areas. When girls get an education, not only do their families benefit, but communities and societies benefit as well. The following are some of the positive outcomes that are linked with educating girls:

• The likelihood of educating the next generation increases
• Decrease in infant mortality rates 
• Improved family health 
• Reduction in the spread of HIV/AIDS  
• Improved general economic development

This semester we are providing school fees in the amount of $800 to 47 students (21 students - Rimbi High, 15 students - Rimbi Primary, 10 students - Mbeure Primary, 1 student - Great Zimbabwe University) . 

 Covid-19 Mitigation Project Update

I am pleased to announce that on February 22, 2022, Tekeshe Foundation distributed masks to 1,074 students at Rimbi High school. The head nurse at Rimbi clinic is overseeing the project. We hired three tailors from the village to make the masks.  Before distributing the masks, the head nurse gave the students a talk about how to prevent the spread of Covid-19. We are planning on distributing masks to Mbeure and Rimbi Primary schools next. 

 Preschool Project Update

The preschool is doing very well. This year we have 32 kids enrolled in our school. As I mentioned in one of my previous progress reports, our school needs to be in compliance with the Ministry of Education requirements.  Once the preschool is compliant, it can be registered with the Ministry of Education. This helps us tremendously as we will no longer be responsible for paying the teachers salaries. Inorder to be compliant we added more playground equipment, we construcuted new toilets and bought classroom tables. The school is scheduled to be inspected in May. 

As you can see from these pictures, we have accomplished a lot together! Thanks again for the major role you are playing in providing access to education to rural youth. May your hearts be filled with joy as you reflect on the difference you are making in the lives of these young people.

Best wishes,
Thelma

We would like to express our profound gratitude to you for your continued support of our Education project. Education is one of the keys for unlocking doors of opportunity for rural kids and lifting them out of poverty. Yet, it is inaccessible to the majority of the kids due to extreme poverty. The situation is even worse for girls because gender disparity is still a real problem. Some poor families prefer to send boys to school and marry off the girls as this brings income into the family in the form of dowry. Providing an education to disadvantaged rural kids is at the heart of our organization. We firmly believe that when you empower a kid to acquire an education, not only are you providing an opportunity for that kid to get out of poverty, but it also helps the family and the community as a whole. 

This program aims to provide access to education to underprivileged boys and girls. In keeping with this vision, we provide school fees, school uniforms, books and school supplies to underprivileged kids. We also offer a playtime program that promotes early childhood development and learning through play to children between the ages of 3 and 5 years. The ultimate goal of the program is to prepare the children to successfully enter grade one and to become successful learners. A typical day at the preschool includes singing and playing with all kinds of toys including educational toys, structured playtime, story time and games.

1. Education Program Update

Through your donations you make it possible for the Tekeshe Foundation to provide school uniforms, school fees and school supplies to disadvantaged rural kids. I am pleased to announce that this year we are providing school fees to 22 primary school students and 21 high school students. The total amount is $1,500.00 for 3 terms. Here is what three of the students who are beneficiaries of the Education Program had to say:

       In her own words by Tonderai, a student at Rimbi High School

“I am a form two student at Rimbi High school. Both my mother and father are unemployed; they are subsistence farmers. They are having problems raising the money to pay my school fees. I would like to thank Tekeshe foundation for coming to my rescue and paying my school fees. As a girl child, education is very important. It is a tool of empowerment especially for rural girls like me. Thank you Tekeshe foundation.”

        In his own words by Lamek, a student at Rimbi High School

“I am a form two student at Rimbi High school. My mother died when I was in grade one. My father wasn’t able to raise the money to pay my school fees.  Ever since Tekeshe foundation began sponsoring me when I was in grade six, I haven't had any problems with school fees. I want to thank Tekeshe foundation for helping me."

         In his own words by Peter, a student at Rimbi High School

“I am a form two student at Rimbi High school. Both my parents died when I was in grade three. All my hopes were shattered. Thanks to Tekeshe foundation for giving me hope. I have no one to pay for my school fees except Tekeshe foundation. With education my life changed for the better. Thanks so much Tekeshe foundation. Education is a powerful weapon!”

                                           An Invidual Story

In these pictures you can see grandmother Budi with her grandchildren. They are wearing new school uniforms and holding school supplies that they received from the Tekeshe foundation. Grandmother Budi is a widow. Unfortunately, last year, she lost her daughter who was the bread winner for the family. She is now responsible for taking care of her orphaned grandchildren. Our hearts were broken by the untimely death of her daughter. The Tekeshe foundation team on the ground assured her that the foundation will help her and her grandchildren. It is very heartwarming to see grandmother Budi and her grandchildren in this picture with big smiles on their faces.  

In her own words by grandmother Budi. Her grandchildren attend Rimbi Primary

“I would like to thank the Tekeshe foundation for helping me with food, school uniforms and school supplies for my grandchildren.”

 2. Preschool Program Update

Last year we introduced a new school uniform for kids. The uniform is a big hit with both the kids and the parents. This year we were able to enroll 30 children at our preschool. We have two teachers and a lady who prepares porridge for the kids. The children really enjoy attending the preschool. Their favorite time is when they get to play with toys and ride bikes. The majority of these kids had never seen a toy until they came to the preschool. The toys and bikes were donated by New England Pentecostal Ministries and friends of the foundation in the US.

Thank you so much for all the support you have given to disadvantaged rural kids in Zimbabwe over the years. We are proud of what we have accomplished together so far to empower rural kids to reach their full potential. We have accomplished a lot along the way—we couldn’t have done it without your help!

Best wishes,

Thelma

Thank you so much for your continued support of our Education project. This project is our strategy for bridging the Educational divide that exists between urban and rural areas. The goal of this project is to improve the quality of education in rural schools. The project also aims to provide access to education to underprivileged rural kids. Empowering a kid to acquire an education not only unlocks the doors of opportunity to lift that kid out of poverty, but it also helps the family and the entire community.

1. Education Program Progress

Through your donations you make it possible for the Tekeshe Foundation to provide school uniforms, school fees and school supplies to disadvantaged rural kids. This year we are providing school fees in the amount of $1,500 (US dollars) to 51 students( 36 primary school students, 14 high school students and 1 college level student).  

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic schools in Zimbabwe closed in March 2020, one week before the end of the first term. Schools reopened again in September in time for grade 7, form 2 and form 4 students to write the Cambridge exams. A phased reopening of the classes for all the students was completed in November. As a precautionary measure, the students are required to wear masks and practice social distancing. The Tekeshe Foundation has partnered with Rimbi clinic to deliver Covid-19 preventative education to the students while providing them masks. The Tekeshe Foundation has hired 3 local tailors who make the masks and our team distributes the masks to the schools. To date we have given 1008 masks to students at Rimbi and Mbeure schools.

2. Pre-School Program Progress

Through your donations you also make it possible for the Tekeshe Foundation to provide a pre-school program which promotes early childhood development and learning through play. I am pleased to announce that in May 2020 we partnered with missionaries from New England to send a 40-foot container of much needed items to Zimbabwe. As part of our shipment we included clothing, shoes, pre-school chairs, a wagon, school supplies and children's books. The shipment arrived in Zimbabwe in September. In these pictures you can see the kids at our pre-school sitting on the chairs and riding the wagon.

As you can see we have accomplished a lot together. These accomplishments would not have been possible without your support! Thanks for the major role you are playing in providing access to quality education to rural youth.

May your hearts be filled with so much joy and laughter this holiday season as you reflect on the difference you are making in the lives of these young people.

Have a very merry Christmas and a prosperous 2021!

Best wishes,

Thelma