Help 100 Underprivileged Kids in Zimbabwe

Dear Friends,

Thank you for making it possible for the Tekeshe Foundation to provide the Youth Cares program to rural youth in Chipinge. This program is at the heart of our organization and is our strategy for empowering young people to grow up to be successful, well-balanced and self-sufficient citizens. It is based upon the principle that young people need more than just academics, they also need to be taught life's lessons which are not taught at a desk in the classroom. The program emphasizes the importance of young people's personal development and their contributions to their communities.

Our Youth program offers a Scout program. We provide uniforms for the scouts and provides the funds for them to go on camping trips and to host camping events. We are pleased to announce that on June 19th to the June 21 st , 2015 a scout learning camp event was held in Rimbi village. Seventy five scouts attended the event. Some of the scouts came from a nearby village called Chibuwe. The Manicaland Province Scout Association Commissioner and Transport commissioner also attended the event. The focus of the activities planned for this event were in keeping with the standards of a worldwide movement created to empower youth to reach their full potential. The event was such a success that the Commissioner proposed holding another scout event at Rimbi. Scouts from nearby towns and villages will be invited.

In addition to providing a scout program, our Youth program also provides opportunities for the youth to get involved in community service in the village. The program is having a positive impact on the youth in Rimbi village. We have received positive feedback about the program from the community at at large. Here is what one of the parents had to say:

In her Own Words By One Of The Mothers
"My son has been partcipiating in the scout program for two years. Two weeks ago at the scout event held at Rimbi township my son was one of the scouts who recived a scout uniform from the Tekeshe Foundation. It was one of the happiest days of his life! He hardly slept because of excitement. Thank you very much for making my son so happy.
This program is really changing the lives of young people in our township. Instead of them running around the township getting in trouble they are making good use of their time. I see a big change in my son. I see him applying what he is learning. He is kind and always ready to help. He also cares about his school work and he is very hard working. I would like to thank the friends of the Tekeshe foundation for supporting this program. "

We are in the processing of extending our Youth program to provide basic computer skills to the youth who participate in the program. We submitted a proposal to the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) foundation to request 5 laptops. The youth will use the OLPC laptops to conduct a research project to look into bringing solar energy to the village.

Our Goals for 2015 - 2016

• Start construction on a new building that will house our pre-school and our youth centre.
• Provide tables and chairs, currently the kids sit on the floor.
• Add an outdoor play area with swings

As you can see from the attached pictures and what one of the mothers had to say, through your donations you are playing a major role in shaping the lives of these young people who are the leaders of tomorrow.

Thanks again for your support!

Best wishes,

Thelma

Dear Friends,

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to you for your continued support of our project. This project is our strategy for empowering underpriviledged rural youth in Zimbabwe to reach their full potential through education, skill development, and leadership training.  We've accomplished a lot along the way—thanks to your help!. Here are some highlights.

1. To date one hundred and fifty children have graduated from our Pre-school Program

Your donations make it possible for the Tekeshe Foundation to provide a free playtime program which promotes early childhood development and learning through play. The ultimate goal of the program is to prepare the children to successfully enter grade one and to become successful and lifelong learners.  A typical day at the pre-school includes singing and playing with all kinds of toys including educational toys, structured playtime, story time and games, .

The kids' favorite time is when they get to play with the toys. The majority of these kids had never seen a toy until they started coming to our pre-school. These toys were donated by friends of the Foundation in the US. Every year we partner with churches in New England to send a 40 foot container of  medicines, food and clothing, school supplies and toys to Zimbabwe. 

The program is making a difference in the lives of these children. Here is what one of the parents had to say:

In her Own Words From One Of The Parents

"Before attending the pre-school my daughter was very shy and she didnt mix well with other children. I saw a big change in her after she started attending the pre-school. My daughter is now in grade 4 and she is doing very well. I thank the donors for making it possible for my daughter to participate in the pre-school program offered by the Tekeshe Foundation"

2. To date over one hundred students have received uniforms, school fees and school supplies from the Foundation

Through our Education Program we provide access to education to underpriviledged rural youth to help unlock doors of opportunity for them and give them a better head start for the future. Five of the students that we helped have now completed their teacher training courses and are now working as school teachers. Here is what one of the students had to say: 

In her Own Words By One Of The Students

"I could not have done this without your help. Growing up life was very difficult as my father has more than one wife. My mother and I struggled a lot. My father was not able to provide for my educational needs. My desire was to get an education because I knew this would give me a better future. I was so happy when the Tekeshe foundation started helping me with uniforms, school fees and school supplies. Without your help together with the Tekeshe Foundation I dont know what I would have done. Thank you very much. May God bless you"

3. To date over 250 youth have participated in our Youth Program 

The focus of our Youth Program is to empower young people to grow up to be successful, well-balanced and self-sufficient citizens. It emphasizes the importance of young people's personal development and their contributions to their communities. Through your donations we were able to provide uniforms to 20 scouts and we sponsored 10 scouts to attend 2 scouting events. The scouts participate in community awareness initiatives.

The Youth program is having a positive impact in the lives of these young people. Here is what one of the scouts had to say:

In his Own Words By One Of The Scouts

"Participating in the scout program is like attending class. We learn a lot. Here are some of the scout laws we learned:

• A scout is kind
• A scout is honest
• A scout is brave 
• A scout is thrifty

I really enjoy the program. I hope that I will also be able to attend the scout events held in Mutare. I want to thank the donors for helping us. "

Our Goals for 2015 - 2016

• Start construction on a new building that will house our pre-school and our youth centre.
• Provide tables and chairs, currently the kids sit on the floor.
• Add an outdoor play area with swings

 As you can see we have accomplished a lot. These accomplishments would not have been possible without your support. Through your donations you are playing a major role in tranforming the lives of rural students!.

May you have a very happy and prosperous 2015!

Best wishes,

Thelma

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your continued support of our "Youth Cares" Program.  Our youth program is based upon the principle  that young people need more than just academics, they also need to be taught life's lessons which are not taught at a desk in the classroom. The objective of our Youth Program is to empower young people to grow up to be successful, well-balanced and self-sufficient citizens. It emphasizes the importance of young people's personal development and their contributions to their communities. Our approach is as follows:

 • Engage youth as resources, not simply recipients of services
 • Recognize that preventing problems does not by itself promote development
 • Ensures that youth are included as a part of planning and decision-making processes

In keeping with this approach we provide opportunities for the youth to get involved in community service in the village. On July 28,2014 the youth in our youth program, under the supervision of Mr Matende(Assistant Youth Program Coordinator),  participated in a workcamp to build a house for a disabled woman who lives in the village. Missionaries from New England and some of the local people worked in collaboration to arrange the workcamp. You can see in these pictures, some of the kids from our youth program wearing their scout uniforms. Your donations make it possible for the Tekeshe Foundation to buy scout uniforms for these kids.

In their own words:

We are taught to "Always lend a hand". This workcamp gave us a chance to help a poor woman in our community who is lame. We want to thank our donors for sponsoring us to attend scouting events and for buying us scout uniforms. We really enjoy the trips because we get to travel to town and meet with other scouts from the other areas.  We thank you very much for continuing to help us. 

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As you can see, the Youth program is having a positive impact in the lives of these young people. It provides them a place to build lasting friendships and develops the skills they need to rise up as leaders in their communities. Without your love and support this would not be possible. May your hearts be filled with joy as you take a look at these pictures and see the major role you are playing in shaping the lives of these young people who are the leaders of tomorrow.

We are in the processing of extending our Youth program to provide basic computer skills to the youth who participate in the program. We have submitted a proposal to the One Laptop Per Child (OLPC) foundation to request 5 laptops. The youth will use the OLPC laptops to conduct a research project to look into bringing solar energy to the village.

Thank you so much for bringing hope in the lives of young people in these rural areas!

Best wishes,
Thelma

Hello Friends,

We would like to express our sincere gratitude to you for your continued support of this project. While Education is at the heart of The Tekeshe Foundation, we also focus on the social development of young people. In keeping with this focus, our Youth Cares program provides opportunities to actively engage the youth with activities that develop life skills necessary to promote a strong sense of leadership and community awareness.

Our Youth program also offers a Scouting Program. The Tekeshe Foundation provides the scouts with uniforms and the funds to go on camping trips and to host camping events. The highlight of the program is when we sponsor the scouts to travel to Bulawayo to attend the annual Scouting Jamboree. This event means a lot to the scouts, the majority of them have never been to the city, all they know is life in the rural areas. They get to ride on the train on route to the event. They also get to meet with youth from the other parts of the country. This event has served as an eye opener to show the youth that there is a world beyond their village. The scouting program is more than just fun and games, it also serves as a support program for the majority of the kids who are orphans. 

We are pleased to announce that in February 2014, we managed to sponsor 10 scouts to attend the Boden Powell Commemoration Day. The event took place in Mutare town. As you can see in the attached pictures the kids had a great time. The Provincial Commissioner was the key note speaker. He challenged the scouts to be disciplined and live exemplary lives in their communities, to serve their communities as role models and to acquire skills that lead to self reliance.

This program is having a great impact on the youth in these rural areas. The youth are more confident, they exhibit increased self-esteem and show leadership qualitities.

Through your donations you are playing a major role in shaping the lives of these young people who are the leaders of tomorrow. May your hearts be filled with joy as you look at the faces of these young people you are bringing hope to.

Thanks again for all your support.

Best wishes,

Thelma

Dear Friends,

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to you for your continued support of our Education program. Your donations make it possible for the Tekeshe Foundation to continue to provide access to education to underpriviledged rural youth in Chipinge district in Zimbabwe. The goal of this project is to break the cycle of poverty among underpriviledged rural youth by opening doors of opportunity for them through education.

The project is a big success. The beneficiaries of this project range from kindergatern children to university level students. To date over 100 students have received school fees, school uniforms and school supplies.  Two students have completed their teacher-training course and one of them is now working as a primary school teacher. Another student obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Science and she is working for a company in Chipinge.

Bringing Joy To Kids At Christmas Time

In addition to providing school fees, school uniforms and school supplies we also bring joy to these kids at Christmas time. We give them toys, candy and cookies. As you can see from the kids' faces in the pictures Christmas 2013 was happy time indeed for them.  They had a wonderful time!. Most of these kids have never had a toy, they dont even get any presents during Chritmas time. This year we gave toys, candy and cookies to over 120 children.

The Project is Having an Impact On Girls As Well
Sadly many girls in these rural areas are still being denied access to education. Due to the financial difficulties that poor families are faced with they are making a choice based on economics as to which child to send to school. The preference is to send boys to school and marrying off the girls as this brings money into the family. People in the rural areas perceive girls as a source of wealth for their families, and would rather marry off the girls to raise funds for educating the boys.  According to research, educating girls is the most effective way of breaking the cycle of poverty in these rurals 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 past December during my annual visit to Zimbabwe, one of the beneficiaries of this project stopped by to give us the great news that she had completed her teacher training course. Here is what she had to say:

In her Own Words by Maidei   : Special Thanks to The Donors
I would like to thank the Tekeshe Foundation and the donors for helping me get an education. I am pleased to announce that I have now completed my Teacher Training Course at Mutare Teacher's College.  I could not have done this without your help. Growing up life was very difficult as my father has more than one wife. My mother and I struggled a lot. My father was not able to provide for my educational needs. My desire was to get an education because I knew this would give me a better future. I was so happy when the Tekeshe foundation started helping me with uniforms, school fees and school supplies. Without your help together with the Tekeshe Foundation I dont know what I would have done. Thank you very much. May God bless you.

--Maidei

As you are can see you are playing a major role in giving a bright future to the youth in Chipinge.

Best wishes for 2014.

Thanks again for your support!

Sincerely,

Thelma