Zimbabwe | Projects
6th
highest prevalence of HIV / AIDS in the world [1]
18.6%
of zimbabwe’s poor children live in manicaland province [3]
550,000
children have been orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS [2]
Mwana Trust is based in and around the district of Mutare, and they have a strong focus on education, child protection and the provision of psychosocial care to children affected by HIV/AIDS.
They help over 300 children who have been orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS to continue their education by:
Paying their school fees
Providing books and educational materials
Buying school uniforms
Photo credit: G Gurung
A team of trained voluntary caregivers provide both practical and emotional support to the children and their families. Sadly, many of the children have been orphaned by HIV/AIDS and they are cared for by either elderly grandparents or by older siblings who are still children themselves. The support of caregivers is therefore vital in keeping family units together and ensuring the children can continue going to school.
Mwana Trust also runs a successful school livelihood project containing a piggery to introduce livestock skills, as well as a school vegetable garden that teaches children simple agricultural skills while improving their diet by supplementing school meals and providing excess vegetables to the local community.
“I would never have been able to write my examinations if it had not been for the kind educational support that I received from Mwana Trust. My Grandmother was thinking of withdrawing us from school when Mwana Trust saved the day!”
Photo credit: G Gurung
A donation of £20 a month buys a caregiver’s pack including a basic first aid kit, cleaning materials, tea, biscuits and a sewing kit.