April/May Update

Following the resignation of the Executive Director Philani Nyatsanza the board has appointed Noma Kasimonje as the acting Executive Director. Please pray for the board as they consider applicants for this post (closing on the 14^th July), Nooma Kasimonje as she takes on new responsibilities, and give thanks for the faithful service of Philani Nyatsanza whilst he was in this position and the many ways God blessed this charity under his guidance.

Children’s Issues

For the greater part of the month, our children enjoyed good health, with the exception of a few.

• One child has been suffering recurrent infections, after which an HIV test was recommended. It turned out positive. He has since been put on anti-retroviral therapy.
• One of our older girls also suffered a flu bout and abdominal pains and was attended to.
• Samuel hurt his forefinger whilst playing and has been attended to. The wound is healing well.
• Nine toddlers and three babies were taken to the local clinic for weight check-ups. Only one baby had suffered weight loss due to a bout of flu.

Education

Schools opened on the 3^rd of May 2010 and all pupils went back to their schools. We have started paying school fees for children in schools out of Harare. As we are now in winter, the school going pupils need jerseys and winter uniforms. JCF managed to buy 21 jerseys that were given to the children. School shoes were bought for only those who did not manage to have new pairs in January. All fees were paid during the first week of the school term.

One of the older boys who had been on attachment at Innscor secured a place at Chinhoyi University where is going to study for a degree in hospitality and tourism.

At Come Unto Me Centre (CUMC) all the children went to school as usual and the term started well. The fees were paid and a few pupils managed to have jerseys this winter. The rest of the bigger boys and girls did not manage to have jerseys. One of our children was however denied a place at Larche after doing all the necessary preparations for him. His fees were paid in time but they returned the money back. He will go back to his old school in Karoi.

Chikomba Education Outreach

The outreach team managed to do a visit to Maware primary and secondary schools as well as Chisangano primary and secondary schools to collect results of the 2009 public examinations for children under the education outreach programme. One of our children at Chisangano who is partially deaf did well and we are organizing that he goes to a suitable college.

Partnerships

We have continued to enjoy financial support from our partners such as the Child Protection Society (CPS) which has continued to partner with us in our projects.

Mercy Corps has also come into the picture, extends funds to us so that we can procure food and hygiene baskets for children under our care.

Donations

Donations have also continued to come in from several individuals and this has seen our children having the traditional three meals per day. We would want to thank God for them.
We received donations from:

• Connecting Classrooms
• United Methodist (Kuwadzana Extension)
• Joshua Nkomo Scholarship
• Seventh Day Adventist Church (Whitecliff)
• Interdenominational Church (Kuwadzana Extension)
• Mercy Corps
• Mr. Lee
• Soroptimists