Support 125 Vulnerable Children in Zimbabwe

Dear Friends,

As we settle into 2023 and look to the future, I want to take a moment to reflect on the previous year. 2022 marked Zara’s 15th anniversary of serving vulnerable children in Bulawayo, and brought a much-needed return to normalcy after two years of pandemic disruption. In addition to our regular programs (feeding, art, music, etc.), we continued to work toward our facility expansion, strengthened our agriculture program, provided computer coding instruction to all of our kids, and helped our dedicated staff on the path toward housing stability. 

Life in Zimbabwe remains difficult, especially for low-income, vulnerable youth. Prices of basic food commodities have surged, and many food items are sold in United States dollars - an impossible obstacle for most workers who are paid in the local currency. In 2022, the country had the highest rate of food inflation in the world, caused, in part, by a decline in food production due to poor rainfall and the war in Ukraine. Low-income and vulnerable children in Zimbabwe suffer medically and academically as a result of consistent economic instability. For these reasons, we are confident that Zara’s Center (with its commitment to nutrition, medical care, academic support, and tech-literacy) will continue to fill a great need for vulnerable children and families in Bulawayo.

2022 Updates: 

Child Welfare

• The Center prepared and served over 28,000 meals to our children. We provide breakfast and an afternoon meal every weekday, as well as breakfast on weekends. Meal plans are developed to be well-rounded and to maximize nutrition for growing kids.
• Staff conducted regular home visits for every child to ensure children’s wellbeing. During home visits, staff members work with caregivers to address any concerns and discuss each child’s academic, psychological, and social progress.
• The Center partnered with a local credentialed medical doctor to provide annual health exams for each child and provided ongoing health monitoring to all registered children.

Expansion and Agriculture Program

• We strengthened our agriculture program with a new drip irrigation system, fed by our solar-powered boreholes. The system has already improved our agricultural output and our gardens now provide all of the vegetables we need for our children (with surplus to share with caregivers and families). 
• Our Board completed the expansion plan designs and worked toward construction permitting. As of February 2023, we have officially received approval from the City to begin construction and are eager to get started. 

Academics

• Staff provided daily computer instruction to all ages. Children frequently used our computer lab for homework and school projects.
• The Center facilitated computer coding instruction for all of our kids through our partnership with Uncommon, a non-profit with a mission to bring technological skills to low-income young people in Africa. 
• Our alumni had the opportunity to participate in Uncommon’s coding bootcamp. Two of our alumni have graduated from the boot camp and have already secured employment with local companies 
• Zara’s Center covered 100% of public school fees for all of our young people, including college tuition and supplies for five alumni.
• We introduced a formal tutoring program during twice yearly school holidays (in addition to daily homework help during the school year). The tutoring program was developed to help our children regain skills lost during the pandemic.
• Many caregivers had been paying teachers to provide “extra lessons” after school, and while these lessons were ostensibly optional, caregivers feared their children would fall behind unless they paid for the lessons with precious family funds. The tutoring program was a huge success and attendance was excellent. Caregivers and staff agreed that the children greatly benefitted from this formal academic instruction and we intend to continue with the program during every school break. Tutoring was provided by Zara’s staff and professional teachers hired from the community.

Staff Housing Support

• In an effort to help our dedicated staff look to a secure future, Zara’s Center assisted with the deposit and fees required to secure plots of land on which to build homes. Most of our staff has been in the Zara’s Center family for over a decade and their commitment to the children is evident. Accessing secure housing is a challenge for many in Zimbabwe, due to informal lease agreements, weak regulations, and an ever-changing exchange rate. Many of our staff members had been struggling to maintain secure housing for years, despite a steady income and stable employment. 

Thank you for taking the time to learn about just a few of our accomplishments over the past year. We are endlessly grateful for the support of our donors around the world - and could not do any of this without you.

On behalf of the entire Zara’s Center community, thank you again for your generosity. 

With gratitude,

Jessica Briggs

US Program Director, Zara's Center

PG Family Foundation

Links:

• Zara's Center Website
• PG Family Foundation Website

Dear Friends,

It’s hard to believe that we are already nearing the end of 2022. It has been refreshing to gather together again with relaxed COVID protocols. Since the last update, the children have been busy with our arts, academic, and technology programs and they have just begun the third school term. Below are some recent photos and updates. 

Agriculture

• We recently strengthened our agriculture program to optimize sustainability. In August, we installed a new drip irrigation system, which is fed by our solar-powered boreholes (wells).
• The system has already improved our agricultural output and we anticipate that our gardens will provide all of the vegetables we need in the near term. In addition, a forthcoming facility expansion will allow for chicken coops, which will provide daily eggs for our children.

Computer Coding

• Our partnership with Uncommon Coding remains fruitful and all age groups are now receiving computer coding instruction. The older students in Uncommon’s coding bootcamp (including two Zara Alumni) are currently completing internships with local companies. Click here to read an update from Uncommon about the internships.
• Once the internships are complete, the bootcamp graduates will begin looking for entry-level employment in the tech field. Most Zimbabweans (over 80%) work in the informal sector [source], which means income is variable and there is no employment protection or job stability. This leaves workers especially vulnerable to food insecurity during economic downturns (like during the pandemic, for example). For these reasons, the value of formal employment and a reliable paycheck cannot be overstated. We are excited about the career opportunities that our partnership with Uncommon Coding presents to our young people.

Academics and Tutoring

• Our tutoring program has continued to help our children regain skills lost during the pandemic. We offered formal tutoring in core subjects every day during the August school break.Children were broken into groups by grade and received instruction from Zara staff as well as teachers hired from the local community (one teacher is a Zara alum who recently graduated with her degree in education).
• Instructors made sure to keep lessons fun and engaging by tying in games and friendly quiz competitions. After tutoring each day, the children enjoyed regular programming, including music, art, recreation, computer coding, and well-balanced, home-cooked meals.
• All children and alumni received 100% school fees payment for the third school term. Students in exam years had their exam fees covered in full. We are hopeful that our enhanced academic and tutoring program will help our young people as they take their year-end exams. 

On behalf of the entire Zara’s Center community, thank you again for your generosity. 

With gratitude,

Jessica Briggs

US Program Director, Zara's Center

PG Family Foundation

Links:

• Zara's Center Website
• PG Family Foundation Website
• Zara's Center - 2021 Annual Report

Dear Friends,

Since the last update, Zara’s Center has continued to serve children with life-saving services and 2022 has brought a return to some normalcy after nearly two years of COVID-related upheaval. Below are some recent updates and photos.

Tutoring Program Expansion

• We are proud that 100% of our children are in school in a country where 47% of youth are not in school as of 2021 [UNICEF]. Additionally, our students consistently outperform their peers on pre-secondary school exams at a rate of nearly 2:1. Despite these impressive outcomes, our kids have struggled during COVID-19 along with students throughout the country and around the world. The school system is in disarray, plagued by unpredictable schedules, a lack of teachers, and insufficient resources.
• In order to help our students succeed, Zara’s Center has introduced a formal tutoring program in core school subjects. The program was tested in April during the school break and was very successful. During the school break, staff also organized quiz tournaments in each subject and grade. The children enjoyed the friendly competition and received prizes for great scores and participation. 
• Our staff is currently undertaking an internal review of attendance rates, school schedules, and tutoring needs to ensure every child is able to receive (at least) weekly tutoring.

School Fees

• The Center continues to pay 100% of school fees for children and exam fee costs for our young adults and alumni. Public school is not free in Zimbabwe, so school fees are a significant financial burden for many low income families.
• The Center also supports college-going alumni with tution payment, transportation costs, and other needs.

Agriculture Program

• While the Board works on plans for our facility expansion, our agriculture program on the new land has become very successful. Our crops are thriving and we are proud that we already grow enough produce for meals at the Center. Depending on the season, we have grown tomatoes, peppers, chamoulia, spinach, beetroot, peas, corn, carrots, and more. We hope to expand our operation in the future to provide for the children's families on a regular basis.

Donor Spotlight

• We are incredibly grateful to Zara's Connection Club, a student-run group based at a high school in NYC. Since November 2020, ZCC has gathered donations of items valued at over $4,400 for our kids (items such as hygiene products, books, school supplies, and shoes). The most recent shipment arrived in mid-June and staff has begun distributing the items to the children.

Thank you for taking the time to read this update. We are endlessly grateful for the support of our donors who allow us to serve vulnerable children.

On behalf of the entire Zara community, thank you again for your generosity.

With gratitude, 

Jessica Briggs

US Program Director, Zara's Center

PG Family Foundation

Links:

• Zara's Center Annual Report 2020/2021
• PG Family Foundation Website
• Zara's Center Website

Dear Friends,

Since our last update, Zara’s Center has continued to serve children with life-saving services. Below are some of our major accomplishments from 2021 and an exciting update for 2022.

Nutrition

• In 2021, Zara's Center served over 20,000 home cooked meals when the Center was open for take away or in-person meals. 
• During COVID closures, Zara's Center distributed monthly food hampers, containing:
• 11,819 lbs of Maize Meal
• 283 gallons of Cooking Oil
• 590 lbs of Dry Beans
• 2,364 lbs of Sugar
• 590 lbs of Soy Protein
• 2,364 lbs of Rice
• In a country where only 4% of young children are receiving a minimum acceptable diet [UNICEF], we are pleased to report that 98.5% of our kids are at a healthy weight. Those who are underweight are being closely monitored.

Academic Support

Access to both traditional and new modes of learning is critical for our children. With over 2,000 books in our lending library, new computers, and our job readiness programs, we are working to cover all of our bases, even during these challenging times. 

• Resources
• To mitigate lost learning due to covid school closures, we purchased 50 chromebooks, 150+ new library books, and 125 solar lights (for the kids to use at home). The resources arrived in December and have already been put to good use.
• Our computer instructor has begun working with small groups of children to make sure everyone knows how to use the new chromebooks. Students have begun using the chromebooks for academic review and for school projects.
• The solar lights were distributed to every child with their Christmas gifts and holiday groceries. We have already heard from a caregiver who expressed her gratitude for the new solar light. The family has no electricity at home, and she shared that the light allows the children to do their homework more easily and the family to enjoy quality time in the evenings after dark. 
• School Fees
• The Center paid school fees for all children and exam fee costs for young adults and alumni (during trimesters when schools were in session).
• We are currently supporting five alumni who are attending university by providing 100% tuition and transportation coverage. In Zimbabwe, less than 1% of the poorest young people achieve higher education.
• We are proud that two of our alumni, Peacemaker and Ayama, graduated from university in November. Ayama graduated with a first class degree in Quantity Surveying and Peacemaker with a honors degree in Finance. Both Ayama and Peacemaker have already found employment.

Physical and Mental Health Support

Zara’s team forges connections with our children’s caregivers and also identifies community partners that generously share life-protecting resources. We're proud to report that:

• Staff conducted regular home visits throughout 2021 to ensure the children’s well-being. Home visits were especially important during COVID closures in order to maintain open communication with children and their caregivers.
• Zara's Center provided annual medical check-ups for each child through a partnership with a local doctor.

Looking Forward: Our Expansion

We are excited to share that we are expanding in order to serve more children and to become agriculturally sustainable.

• In March 2020, we began a partnership with Krueck Sexton Partners (KSP), a US-based architecture firm that has worked on incredible projects around the world. KSP is generously providing their design services on a pro bono basis. We are incredibly honored and grateful to partner with such an accomplished and talented team for our expansion.
• KSP has created beautiful designs (see renderings below) for our forthcoming chicken coops and a new 200 sq ft. building. Construction on this phase is expected to begin later this year.In all, the five-acre site will eventually provide capacity for two hundred children total and will contain orchards, gardens, playing fields, vocational resources, classrooms, and community spaces. It is designed to be sustainable, operating off-the-grid, and relying on local materials and construction labor.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about just a few of our accomplishments over the past year. We are endlessly grateful for the support of our donors around the world - and could not do any of this without you.

On behalf of the children and families we serve, thank you for your support.

Links:

• 2020/2021 Annual Report
• PG Family Foundation Website
• Zara's Center Website

Dear Friends,

Zara’s Center has continued to provide crucial services to vulnerable children throughout 2021.

After another covid closure in July and August, the Center has officially reopened for all programs. During the closure, all children received a month of staple foods, access to our library, and continued medical care. Now that we are open for programs, we are continuing to follow covid prevention protocols, including mandatory masking and sanitizing. Below are some program updates:

New Coding Program Partnership

We are excited to announce that we have partnered with Uncommon.org to provide coding instruction to our children. Uncommon conducts their programs in solar-powered "innovation hubs", made out of recycled shipping containers. They have constructed a hub on our property and we are so pleased with the beautiful design (see photos). 

As of October 2021, five of our alumni (ages 19-24) are enrolled in Uncommon's coding bootcamp. The bootcamp is a free, 12-month program that covers UI/UX design, front end web development, digital marketing, leadership skills, and more. Graduates have gone on to study abroad, work for local tech companies, and build websites for clients all over the world. 

In exchange for the bootcamp, our alumni will teach our younger kids to code. In this way, all of our children will have the opportunity to learn invaluable tech skills that will prepare them for the workforce in the 21st century.

Learning Resources

During a year-long closure due to covid-19, Zimbabwe's public schools offered no practical virtual options to children who lack internet access. Since none of our kids have internet at home, they have suffered significant academic losses during the pandemic. Through the generosity of our donors, we were able to purchase the following resources for our children:

• 50 HP Chromebooks for use at the Center
• 193 Culturally relevant books (see list of books attached) for reading practice at the Center and to check out of the library
• 125 Solar Lights for children to use at home for homework

These resources will help mitigate educational gaps caused by the shutdown. Our number of available computers will grow by 85% to accommodate 65 children at a time. The new books and laptops will be used to work on the state curriculum when the children come to the Center after school. Solar lights will be sent home so children can study in the evenings during rolling blackouts, which have become routine.

The items were sent via ocean freight and will arrive in early December in time for the holiday season. While this shipping method takes a long time, we have found that it is the most secure and cost-effective solution for shipping a large amount of goods. 

I have attached some recent photos of our programs below. Thank you again for your commitment to our work at Zara’s Center. I’ll be in touch soon with another update. 

Sincerely, 

Jessica Briggs

US Program Director, Zara's Center

PG Family Foundation

Links:

• Zara's Center Website
• PG Family Foundation Website