Provide Youth in Zimbabwe with Hope

The current El Nino induced drought that is shredding the social and economic fabric of many countries in Southern Africa has hit Zimbabwe particularly hard. Over 7 million Zimbabweans are in need of general household assistance from now through to April 2025.  It is our communal rural areas that are bearing the brunt of this drought and are the worst affected by it. Water sources have long since dried up, crops and vegetables have failed, livestock is dying and villagers are forced to scour the bush in search of wild fruits/roots to sustain themselves. With employment opportunities also few and far between, people are becoming desperate.

In the communities surrounding the AFCA Project base in Matabeleland South Province, as with most areas in Zimbabwe, an air of hopelessness and despair is almost palpable as people locked in a grim battle for survival try to provide for their families.  Even the normally happy and smiling children seem to be unusually subdued.

The AFCA team, however, with the generous support of many of you reading this, is working tirelessly to keep people's spirits up and our targeted interventions at school and village level are designed to provide our children with " seeds of hope" in various forms to help them look beyond this especially difficult season into better times ahead.  Recently, we delivered much needed supplies including computers, text books, reading books and teachers aids to several primary schools and held a training day at our tree project nursery to demonstrate to children that even in desperate times we need to preserve, conserve and protect our environment.

The Headmaster of one such school, Mr P Mpofu had the following to say ....." Thanks AFCA for your critical support in this extremely difficult environment for these innocent souls in their pursuit of success and a brighter future. The hope that you have given them is immeasurable'.

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.