Livestock for 300 Orphan Families in Zimbabwe

Our goat project based in the Matobo Hills has is changing lives for those families that are selected to be a part of this program.  Goats are well suited for this semi arid mountainous area in Southern Zimbabwe and they thrive on the local vegetation.

The AFCA team paid a visit to Mrs. Ndlovu to follow up on a report that one of the young goats recently born was not thriving and unwell.  As our visit occurred  during the school holidays we were fortunate enough to also see and chat with her grandchildren were at home. 

Mrs Ndlovu received her female goats from the program in 2025 and they all successful delivered kids so her herd has now grown to six. We discovered that the sick kid had a intestinal worm infestation and after weighing it, we administered a deworming medication which would clear up the problem and get it well again. Problem sorted.

One of Mrs Ndlovu's grandsons had been very concerned about his favourite baby goat as it was not eating and had no energy to play. He was really happy that we managed to " fix him up " as he told us happily.  The AFCA program provides for essential home visits by our team during which health checks are carried out on the animals.

The team here at the American Foundation for Children with AIDS thanks you for supporting this project and the work we do for the children in Africa.  If you would like to learn even more about what we do or how you can meet some of the children you have helped, please contact Tanya Weaver at tweaver@AFCAids.org. 

Today, our team based at Morning Star Camp in Matopos Zimbabwe had the opportunity to call on Mrs. Ndlovu at her homestead in Bunyonyweni Village. 

Mrs Ndlovu, who is a beneficiary of both the AFCA Goat and AFCA LooLove Projects, has had an extremely difficult last few years. The death of her husband in 2018 plus the tragic passing of her eldest daughter and son in law 2 years ago has left her alone and the only provider for her 4 grandchildren. She is an extremely hard working grandma (Gogo as they are called here in Zimbabwe) and has managed to fend for her little family by growing and selling vegetables as well as sewing clothing for sale and doing mending for people to earn a "dollar here and there".  She sews using a hand operated machine given to her by her mother who purchased it as new in 1961!!!!......it's 64 years old..... amazing.

After receiving training in animal husbandry from AFCA president, Dave Yaovich, in the summer of 2024, Mrs. Ndlovu received 3 pregnant female goats from the AFCA goat initiative. She has grown her herd to 6 animals now and they all look healthy and strong. She has managed to get enough milk from the goats to feed her 18 month old granddaughter. Her grandson who is 8  years old, looks after the animals when returning from school and makes sure they are safely locked up at night.

Gogo explained that the goat manure has really helped her vegetables to grow and that an unexpected advantage to having goats is that they keep the grass and bushes surrounding the homestead cropped short so that it is easier to spot snakes and other pests making it a safer area in which the children can play.

The family also registered for a latrine with the local village leadership and after consideration and vetting by AFCA they were one of 5 beneficiaries in Bunyonyweni Village to have a toilet built for them. Mrs Ndlovu was ecstatic when she recounted how she felt the day the building team arrived to start the building process. "It was my dream coming true," she gushed excitedly "and after only 5 days there it was in my yard as if it had always been there......I could not believe it."  She says it is so much safer now for the children with the new latrine only a few metres from their sleeping hut and that it is spacious enough inside for them to use it as a wash and bathing room as well so, "it takes care of two main daily problems that we used to have."

SIYABONGA KALHULU AFCA (thank you so much AFCA) were her parting words to us.

The team here at the American Foundation for Children with AIDS thanks you for supporting this project and the work we do for the children in Africa.  If you would like to learn even more about what we do or how you can meet some of the children you have helped, please contact Tanya Weaver at tweaver@AFCAids.org.