This is to testify that American Foundation for Children with AIDS has partnered ZOE since 2005 reaching to the orphans in Zimbabwe directly through the churches in many areas of the nation and also through the clinics in those areas.
When we requested Cotrimoxazole & Paracetamol (Tylenol) suspension and tablets for 1,000 Orphan Children infected by HIV and AIDS because there was a great shortage in the country, they supplied the same which were administered to the children who were being visited by church volunteers, working through the local doctors and clinics. They also supply porridge for 1,000 families caring for orphans infected by HIV & AIDS, which first of all was shipped in containers from USA and is now purchased in-country. When we shared the predicament of teenage orphan girls not even being able to purchase the necessary sanitary provisions for themselves, we also received a shipment of the same which were distributed directly to where the need was through our volunteers who regularly visit the orphans in their families in different parts of the country.
AFCA has assisted in writing for grants for the ZOE programmes on our behalf, of which grants all proceeds have come to ZOE and AFCA has not taken one cent towards their administrative costs. Much of this funding has been to benefit our rural livelihoods programme, providing livestock in the way of goats, sheep, chickens, pigs, and guinea fowl which have been given to 628 orphan families. From these a selection of offspring will be passed on to further families after appropriate years or months according to the animal and the nature of its breeding, thus ensuring the sustainability of the programme. Also, they provide seeds and trainings for vegetable gardens and veterinary kits as ZOE works in conjunction with the local veterinary officers, but there is a marked shortage of drugs to prevent and heal the diseases which afflict these animals.
Yet another great contribution of note is that they realized from their visits how many times in the week our electricity is cut (in fact throughout the nation this is so) and that was a great hindrance to communication, so AFCA provided funding to purchase a generator.
ZOE send reports to AFCA and we appreciate their annual visits in which they monitor how we are using the funds and also find out from “the ground” what our further needs might be.
Yours Faithfully,
Denford Munemo
National Director
Zimbabwe Orphans through Extended Hands
(Church Community Orphan Care)
Email: denford@zoezim.org