MILLICENT HUNGWE
ZVISHAVANE-Shekinah Glory Organisation, one of the children’s homes in Zvishavane has bemoaned the country’s economic outlook as having a negative impact on its operations.
Shekinah Glory was established in 2016 and is home to several children whom they receive from the Department of Social Welfare in Zvishavane and surrounding areas, to be under its care
The institution which is registered as a Private Voluntary organisation also offers a skills training in bricklaying, sewing and carpentry to the less privileged members of the surrounding community.
Juliet Bvekwa the founder of Shekinah Glory told The Midweek Watch that they started offering skills training in 2023 and a number of disadvantaged children have benefited from the initiative.
“I do most of the work and funding of the organisation, I would like to thank the local community, churches, school clubs such as Midlands State University and friends who have been donating for the welfare of the kids,” Said Bvekwa.
Currently the home has 11 children and three were recently discharged after they attained 18 years old.
Since the inception of the training programme at the home 69 trainees have graduated while 55 are undergoing training with the institution.
Meanwhile, Bvekwa encouraged the society at large to report child abuse cases in their communities to the police in order to the tame the rampant abuse of children.
She said the home does not admit children who come to the home without going through relevant channels like the department of social welfare.
“The organisation does not take in walk in children, they first go through the police who will inform the Social Welfare Development and then a document is given to us with the terms and conditions and all the information about the beneficiary for their safe upkeep,” she said.
However Bvekwa said due to the Economic crisis being experienced in the country, the institution is faced by a plethora of challenges in taking care of the minors, chief among them is shortage of food and clothing for the inmates.
She added that the community has reduced their monthly donations to the children’s home.
As a mitigation measure the institution established income generating projects such as markert gardening, in which they sell vegetables and they also rear domestic animals such as goats and sheep for resale to the business community.
