Online Reporter
Yeukai Karengezeka-Chisepo
Herald Correspondent
LILY of Valleys Home of Hope (LoVHoH) will on Saturday host a fundraising dinner at Rainbow Towers Hotel aimed at mobilising resources for the construction of a Knowledge Hub that is expected to transform the lives of thousands of vulnerable children and young people through education.
The fundraising dinner, which will bring together corporate organisations, development partners, churches and members of the public, seeks to raise financial and in-kind support for the learning facility, which will be established in rural Marondera at the centre of Ward 15 at Materera Secondary School.
The Knowledge Hub is designed to provide learners with access to educational resources, digital learning opportunities and skills development programmes, helping vulnerable girls and boys break the cycle of poverty, child marriage, gender-based violence and crime.
Speaking ahead of the event, Lily of Valleys Home of Hope founder and director Mrs Fortunate Kufakunesu said the organisation was driven by a desire to ensure every vulnerable child had access to quality education and opportunities to fulfil their potential.
“At Lily of Valleys Home of Hope, our mission is to empower adolescent girls and young women to reach their full potential and live free from gender-based violence and poverty. A key part of this mission is improving access to quality learning resources that support educational success,” she said.
“Through the Knowledge Hub initiative, we are establishing a learning facility to meet this need. The fundraising dinner aims to mobilise resources by bringing together individuals and organisations committed to transforming the lives of vulnerable children and young people.”
Mrs Kufakunesu said although the organisation’s programmes focused strongly on empowering girls, the Knowledge Hub would also benefit boys and out-of-school learners seeking a second chance at education.
She said the long-term vision was to establish similar learning centres across Zimbabwe to expand access to educational opportunities for vulnerable communities.
Currently they are serving 81 villages, 16 schools and 4 919 households in the 3 wards they work in.
Mrs Kufakunesu said vulnerable girls in Zimbabwe continued to face numerous challenges, including child marriage, gender-based violence, poverty, limited access to education and health-related challenges.
She said many children, particularly in rural communities, were forced to drop out of school because of financial constraints, exposing them to early marriages, teenage pregnancies and exploitation.
Funds raised during the dinner will be used to construct and equip the Knowledge Hub with computers, furniture, books, ICT infrastructure and other educational materials.
The initiative also complements the organisation’s existing interventions, which include payment of school fees, university tuition assistance, provision of sanitary wear, educational books, uniforms, food hampers and economic empowerment programmes.
Mrs Kufakunesu said the organisation had already recorded encouraging results through its community interventions.
“One of our success stories is the annual distribution of a year’s supply of sanitary pads to vulnerable girls in three wards of Marondera Rural District. We have also provided educational books, life skills coaching, school fees, uniforms and food hampers,” she said.
“Several of the girls we have supported have successfully progressed to university, while many others continue to excel in school with renewed confidence, ambition and hope for the future.”
She appealed to companies and individuals to support the initiative, saying investment in education would leave a lasting legacy for future generations.
“Supporting this initiative offers the corporate sector an opportunity to create lasting social impact while enhancing its reputation and visibility. Those who invest in this vision from the outset will be recognised as founding supporters of a transformative initiative that will benefit generations to come,” she said.
Mrs Kufakunesu said organisations unable to attend the fundraising dinner could still partner with the organisation through financial or in-kind contributions towards equipping the Knowledge Hub.
She added that the organisation’s long-term vision included establishing a social enterprise to manufacture biodegradable and reusable sanitary products, developing a secondary school with integrated vocational training and expanding Knowledge Hubs to all provinces across Zimbabwe.
“Our message is inspired by Matthew 25:35-40, which reminds us of the importance of serving those who are most vulnerable.
Through your partnership, you will help change lives while becoming part of a lasting legacy of hope, opportunity and empowerment,” said Mrs Kufakunesu.
