Touched by the increasing number of orphans as a result of HIV and AIDS, Matamganadzo, 42, founded the Gateway Children’s Home in 2009 with the help of John Graham Foundation (JGF) and The Reap Fellowship Trust (RFT).
The non-profit, community faith-based home provides shelter, education, psychosocial support and care and life skills to vulnerable children in a healthy, stable and safe environment.
No one to care
As part of their practical ministry to the poor, JGF and RFT contribute $3,000 each month to pay for salaries, school fees, food, clothing and medical care for 30 children as well utility bills, office expenses and vehicle running costs. Other stakeholders and partners also make regular contributions.
“Many parents are dying and there is no one left who cares for them. Their safety is shattered, everything they know is wiped away in an instant and as a result many are shoved into the streets,” said Matambanadzo in a recent interview at the home.
“The other sad thing is that those who are given the responsibility to look after these vulnerable children do not have regular incomes and they struggle to provide. Many can’t even provide for their own children as it is. Soon the relative’s treatment of the children degenerates to neglect or abuse and children seek solace in the streets,” she added.
“There is no one to care for them if they become sick by eating food from the garbage. Many also start abusing drugs and alcohol and end up in jail. This is the sad story of thousands upon thousands of our children.”
Blossoming
The 30 orphans in her care are blossoming and developing skills that will give them a brighter future. The orphanage has pristine paths bordered with stones and flowers there are immaculate dormitories, play areas and a dining hall.
The matron, Eve Mutasa, 40, said the place was a haven where a future generation of Zimbabweans was being raised that did not know poverty, fear or hatred. “These are vulnerable people who love God and each other, who are receiving a first-class education, and who will no doubt shape Zimbabwe tomorrow,” she said.
“Our major aim is to turn many sets of dire circumstances around, saving the lives of many children who would never have survived if they had been left to fend for themselves in the villages,” sad Mutasa, a trained social worker, who holds a degree in social science.
“It is all about placing a value on children whom others would discard because they are seen as worthless or are stigmatised,” Mutasa said. “We get the children as babies and nobody sees them as worthless, nor do they grow up with that label. Instead, they are taught who they are in Christ,” she added.
Well fed
“They are loved, cuddled, cared for, and kissed. Though some of them have come to us malnourished, this has not been a huge setback because they have been nurtured and fed well here, so they are now bright, intelligent kids. They are normal, happy children. They have never been looked down on, and there is no reason whatsoever to feel sorry for them,” said “Mother”.
The children attend various crèches, primary and secondary schools in Nyanga town, some 17 km away. They are transported to and from school using the home’s 16-seater minibus.
One of the youngsters, Ngonidzashe Masaya, 19, is currently doing O Level at Nyamhuka High 1 in Nyanga. He dropped out of school in Form One in 2010, after his parents had died of AIDS.
“I was left to be brought up by my grandmother who could not afford to educate me. So I decided to go on the streets. Today, I want to thank the orphanage for shaping my life,” he said. “Before they rescued me, I slept on shop verandas at Nyamhuka shopping centre. I made a living from begging and I was hopeless. I was referred to the orphanage by some officers from the social welfare department,” he said.
Great plans
Matambanadzo has great plans for the orphanage. “As the children get older, so I keep on building. I am building all the time. I am never free from building something. Fortunately, we have plenty of land to expand onto, and I have a whole team of contractors to assist me. I am already in the process of building more dormitories and facilities to accommodate as many vulnerable children as possible,” she said.
She added that she was also in the process of establishing a skills training centre. “I am sure some of the children will want to stay and learn a trade and become farmers, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, welders, or whatever they want to be. The children will stay with us until they get married and set up their own homes, or find employment elsewhere,” she said.
Post published in: News