Hands of Friendship – was established in 2003 as a Belgian registered non profit organisation that aims to help young Zimbabweans seeking opportunities to build a future. Particular focus is given to children, especially girls and boys, who have been orphaned by the loss of their mothers and fathers. It seeks to enable the young to go to school by providing support for school fees and for buying school uniforms. It also seeks to ensure that food is is available for those who are malnourished. It supports grandmothers looking after their grandchildren who have lost their parents to HIV/aids and other diseases.

Hands of Friendship – works from the principle that “if you give a man a fish he will eat for a day, but if you teach a man to fish he will eat for life”. To this end we put great emphasis on helping children living in poverty have access to an education that would otherwise be out of their reach, and in ensuring their health as well as the health of others within their community.

We strive to help communities grow progressively self-sufficient. So many people living in poverty not only need food, but encouragement, compassion and tools to enable them to meet the challenges that they face, not only today but for the future.

Hands of Friendship supports such communities through assistance with rearing poultry, producing batik cloth and making recycled crafts from plastic and scrap metal cans.

Many children who have lost their parents to HIV/AIDS and other diseases are left in the care of their grandparents. In 2007 we have helped a group of such grandmothers and grandfathers start a vegetable garden, which not only provided food for the children to eat, but also produce for sale that generated funds to pay for school fees and uniforms due to recent droughts they are struggling to cope but we are are trying to sink a borehole to enable them restart producing. We also organise fashion shows, crafts sales, marathons and barbeques

2020 Projects

Clean water

Hands of Friendship is campaigning for clean water for 6 villages , a primary and a secondary working with the Former Student Association who want to help uplift their former school.

“Water is life and clean water is health“
Audrey Hepburn

Solar Powered borehole

Re: Request for Solar Powered Borehole support for the Chipinda Primary and Secondary Schools.

This document serves to request for assistance towards the drilling of Borehole that will support Chipinda Primary and Secondary Schools. Our wish is to assist these schools to have Water and Sanitation Hygiene (WASH) infrastructure and sustainable projects that will raise funds for the betterment of the schools. Currently the schools are relying on community bush pump borehole which during the dry season cannot meet the demands of the schools and the surrounding villages. The borehole is also oversubscribed due to non-existance of boreholes in the area. This affects the schools in engaging in meaningful projects such as poultry, and horticulture that can raise funds to support their obligations since the levies paid

by parents are not sufficient. The schools will also engage in nutrition gardens that will support the Home Grown School Feeding Programme which the Government is encouraging. The project will also go a long way in providing clean water to learners, staff and the community within the school catchment area. Availability of Water at each household within schools premises will also reduce the burden of walking long distance to fetch water for domestic use.

The schools are administered by the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education of Murewa District. The schools are located in Mukarakate area under Chief Mangwende. The following are villages and number of households: Tendenguwo Village (240), Mujuru Village (220), Marumisa Village (106), and Bere Village (208) provides the catchment from which the schools learners come from. The Primary and Secondary schools have 430 and 220 learners respectively.

Land preparation for the rainy season

Chipinda Secondary School learners preparing land for growing summer maize crop.

Beneficiaries from this project will be mainly the learners, teachers from the schools and community. The Primary and Secondary schools curriculum offer Agriculture as a practical subject which empowers learners with practical skills that will improve their future livelihoods after school. Agriculture is taught from Grade 3 up to Form 4. Learners will embark on projects and activities that will enhance the Exit Profiles as espoused in the Updated Curriculum (2015-2022).

During the peak of the dry season they do not grow crops or vegetables due to shortage of water. With the availability of solar powered borehole they will use the water for irrigation. The can produce winter crops for marketing, such green mealies, tomatoes, peas, and potatoes just to mention but a few. The produce from the project will benefit both the learners and the community since vegetables will be produced on a large scale. The schools instead of putting burden on the parents by increasing levies will raise money that will be used for the development of the schools. With the availability of adequate funding and water the schools will be able to expand their poultry projects which are currently on a small scale as evidenced by the pictures below. Water for the poultry project will be readily available. They can expand and engage into piggery since they have plenty of land allocated to the schools for such activities.

The Primary School nutrition garden project

Broiler production at Chipinda Primary School

Egg production at Chipinda Secondary School

Teachers will benefit from the project since they will have water available in their residence. Households around the schools will also have clean water for consumption and for raising their livelihoods. Besides these immediate beneficiaries the project will enhance the availability of vegetables to the community.

Community involvement is guaranteed. The community will provide with manual labour, land and other locally available materials such as bricks, pit and river sand for the construction activities that may be carried out. Given that the nutrition gardens are created community will also provide with labour for enhanced production. All schools have security personnel that will take guard of the properties once they are installed for safety.

The project will be the sole responsibility of the two schools and the community through the involvement of the School Development Committees (SDCs). The schools will manage the equipment in terms of services and repairs in the event that there are breakdowns to the equipment.

We want to thank you in advance for the support

Yours Faithfully

CHIPINDA SCHOOLS IN PICTURES

Chipinda Secondary School and the Chipinda Mountain at the background

Western side view of Chipinda Hill. The schools were named after the hill.

The Sanctuary of The United Methodist Church built by one of the UMC Clergyman Rev Kawadza.

The school was established by The United Methodist Missionaries in 1908. It was first a preaching, point and as well where formal education was conducted to educate people about the Christian morals.

Western view of Chipinda Secondary which established in 1980 under Mr Tsopotsa as the Head of both the Primary and Secondary. By then the Secondary schools were called

“Upper Tops”

Jacaranda Tree and Part of Chipinda Primary School showing Infant Block and the Administration Offices

The Jacaranda tree

One of oldest trees that carries a History for the Primary School where the Secretary’s Bell is still hanging from 1975. The Bell is one of the prestigious prizes in the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education which symbolizes a School of Excellency. The school was once a force to recogn within the whole Region of Mashonlaqnd East Province

Compiled by: Mashaire Tendai