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Lawrence Chitumba Review Writer
Dubbed “Project Relocation”, the programme will see vulnerable children already being looked after by the church moving from old style types of homes to a system which aims to create an authentic home setting.
Celebration Ministries International has embarked on a highly ambitious programme to raise $1,25 million to build homes for 60 orphans.
Pastor Tom Deuschle III, a leader in the church told The Herald Review that this project is only part of the global mission to take care of the needy.
“In total, five double-unit homes will be constructed on a piece of land that has been donated to the orphans and is within walking distance of the Celebration Church, Celebration International School.”
He said the cluster homes will house parents and on average five children (at most six) per home.
“This is only a model and if it is successful we are going to build more of those orphanages in future.”
Dubbed “Project Relocation”, the programme will see vulnerable children already being looked after by the church moving from old style types of homes to a system which aims to create an authentic home setting. The website dedicated to the initiative http://celebrate.org/relocation explains the journey that started in the 1980s when the church created its welfare arm, Compassion Ministries, to help children made vulnerable by factors like urbanisation and HIV.
“We built dormitory-styled homes in a rural, farm setting, with education facilities on the farm and a high school within walking distance. With the care of the church and a generous farmer who donated the land, we have seen a whole crew of children grow up and enter into meaningful lives in the mainstream of society.
“As world agencies began to do research and studies, different and better models of orphan care were introduced to Government, and to all of those who had engaged in care of the children. This culminated in laws and regulations being passed by the Government of Zimbabwe known as the National Minimum Child Residential Care Standards five-year policy framework. This is a prerequisite for all children’s homes and orphanages to shift to cluster homes.
“The Ministry of Labour and Social Services (MoLSS) through the Children’s Act 5:06 “ . . . has the statutory mandate to place children found in need of care into places of safety, which serves as temporal homes for them, where children can access basic services.” The MoLSS extends to the registering and monitoring of all residential care institutions in Zimbabwe for compliance with regulations regarding child protection and development while in institutions.”
Chinyaradzo Children’s Home run by SOS is currently one of the few orphanages in the country that have moved to the recommended system.
Pastor Tom Deuschle III said the church, founded in Zimbabwe and now in other countries, is focused on bringing about change.
“Our focus is that we give more than what we take and not vice versa. The global mission of the church is to take care of the marginalised groups and make them capable men and women. As the younger generation we need to do more in order to tackle this humanitarian crisis and end the orphan epidemic. We need to capacitate the community and not an individual,” he said.
To kick start this project 15 climbers led by Celebration International founder Pastor Tom Deuschle as part of his 60th birthday last year took on Mount Kilimanjaro on a sponsored climb. Other climbers included Pastor Tom Deuschle III, Patrick Tormey, Isaac Jeche, Nigel Chanakira, Chantel, Tim Bickers, Brian Chonyera, Natalie Hallowes, Nate Olson, Harold Mubvuti, Catherine Beard, Daniel and Ben Deuschle and Lauren Benson.
The Relocate Project website says the climb was a resounding success.
“The story of the climb spread across the nation and we raised enough funding the secure the plot of land for the home development and currently have $100 000 designated directly to the building costs of the project,” it reads.
A full length feature documentary film about the six-day climb was produced in order to raise awareness and support for the project. Last week the documentary won an award as the best film at the Zimbabwe Film Festival.
On August 29 this year, a concert was held to also raise funds for the project which was dubbed; Relocate 60, Worship Expo. It featured Pastor Bonnie Deuschle, Pastor G, Tembelani, and Janet Manyowa, Celebrate Young, and Call to Worship among other acts.
Pastor Deuschle also said their charity work was not only confined to Zimbabwe. The ministry constructed a primary school in Mozambique in fulfilment of their mission to capacitate the communities and not necessarily an individual.
He said they were aware that there were other organisations and individuals who were involved in charity work and urged them to continue with the good work. Deuschle also invited all those willing to work with them to come forward and contribute towards the cause of the orphans.
The corporate world has answered to the call by to contribute towards the cause of orphans with Mimosa and Unilever being among the big names that have already donated towards this worthy cause.
“Stop by the book store and buy a Project Relocation T/shirt ($10), the Kilimanjaro documentary ($5) and the relocate 60 Worship Experience single (two for $1) for you and your loved ones. Let’s bring these orphans home,” said Pastor Deuschle.
“Anyone can contribute to the project by purchasing this DVD at a cost of five us dollars which will all be chanelled towards the cause of the orphans.”
“The other way that one can contribute to the cause of the orphans is by buying Telecel’s Teletunes and Econet’s Buddie tunes on your mobile phones. The tunes were made by artists who donated their time to write songs which were put on mobile networks as Teletunes and Buddietunes.”
A traditional African says that it takes a village to raise a child, implying that children are precious and the responsibility of everyone in the community.
This system worked well when the extended family institution thrived. But with urbanisation and other cultural changes, sadly, too many children are being ostracised from the global village as most people concentrate on their core families.
With statistics saying that there are over 1,5 million orphans in Zimbabwe with many of them living in child-headed families, it takes a special kind of society members to step up and take responsibility. Things that other children take for granted like food, shelter, clothing, education and love are often mere dreams for orphans.
The Government through its Social Welfare department, civil society, the corporate world and individuals are all vying to step in and be surrogate parents but gaps remain.
Online Reporter