Orphaned and vulnerable: Church provides hope for children in need in Umzingwane

Gibson Mhaka

IN the heart of rural communities in Umzingwane District, Matabeleland South Province, a silent crisis unfolds. Orphans, robbed of their parents’ love and protection, face a future fraught with uncertainty. 

These children, often left to fend for themselves, struggle to access basic necessities like food, shelter and education.

Their days are filled with hardship, their nights haunted by fear. Without parental guidance, they are vulnerable to exploitation, abuse and neglect. Many are forced to drop out of school to work in the fields or beg for survival. Their childhoods, stolen by tragedy, are marked by hardship and despair.

“Sometimes, we don’t have enough food to eat or money for school fees. It’s a tough life, but we try to stay strong,” said a 13-year-old orphaned girl, her voice filled with a mixture of resilience and despair.

“We dream of a better future, but the reality is harsh. We often feel alone and forgotten, but donations from the Methodist Mzinyathi Circuit, companies, individuals and the social welfare department have helped us cling to hope, believing that one day, our lives will change.”

The girl’s lament replicates the plight of about 100 orphans and vulnerable children who are being helped by the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe (Mzinyathi Circuit) through its Matthew Rusike Children’s Home in Umzingwane District.

The Methodist Mzinyathi Circuit, through its Matthew Rusike Children’s Home, is responsible for the well-being of about 100 orphans and vulnerable children from communities in the Umzingwane District.

While the home itself may not yet accommodate all these children, the church has engaged voluntary caregivers, who are also members of the Methodist Church, to look after the children in their respective communities. 

These caregivers are responsible for addressing the challenges faced by the orphans, such as access to food, shelter and education and empowering them to lead more fulfilling lives.

Reverend Obey Muchena, Superintendent at Methodist Mzinyathi Circuit, explained that their outreach extends beyond the church’s membership.

“We cater for both Methodist and non-Methodist children. Our focus is on those who are in need within the community, regardless of their religious affiliation,” Rev Muchena said.

He said that although the Matthew Rusike Children’s Home, built in 2010, was intended to accommodate orphans and vulnerable children, it has been unable to do so due to a number of challenges.

They anticipate transforming it into a halfway house for abused, vulnerable and substance-abusing individuals.

““We have our Matthew Rusike Children’s Home, built in 2010. We anticipated catering for orphans and vulnerable children, but unfortunately, due to some challenges, we haven’t accommodated any orphans yet. 

“However, we are rendering assistance to various children in communities under Umzingwane District.

“We have several categories of people we care for, including orphans, vulnerable children and elderly individuals. 

“Currently, we are supporting nearly 100 children. We receive donations from various institutions, companies and individuals, and we distribute these donations to all the orphans and vulnerable children in communities under Umzingwane,” said Rev Muchena.

Mollet Dube (54), a caregiver from Mlomoliwoto Village and also a member of the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe under Mzinyathi Circuit said many of the children they support struggle to stay in school due to a lack of school fees.

“Most of the children we are looking after are having problems, mostly at school. While the social welfare department is trying its best to provide food, ensuring they can attend school, the lack of school fees remains a significant challenge.

“Many children are forced to drop out of school due to financial difficulties, often lacking books and being sent away by schools. Although Beam (Basic Education Assistance Module) is assisting, it doesn’t cater to all orphans and vulnerable children,” she said.

Another caregiver, Melphin Ncube (43) from Ezinkondweni Village, who is supporting 25 orphans, also concurred with Dube, saying that if they drop out of school, they end up indulging in immoral activities that put their lives at risk.

“These children face challenges with school fees and food. We’re grateful for the donations we receive, but we pray for continued support especially when it comes to school fees.

“Without it, these children may resort to immoral activities to survive, putting their lives at risk. This area is known for gold panning and we fear that school dropouts may become vulnerable to exploitation by illegal gold panners,” she said.

Umzingwane National Assembly member, Brigadier-General (Retired) Levy Mayihlome said the area was facing the challenge of high school dropout rates, especially among boys who were drawn to the allure of gold panning. This trend, he noted, often leads to involvement in harmful activities like drug and substance abuse.

“We are facing the challenge of high school dropout rates, especially among boys who are drawn to gold panning. Once they drop out, they often engage in drug and substance abuse, starting their day with alcohol as early as 7am.

“Particularly vulnerable children, such as those living with elderly grandparents, need to be in school. As a community in Umzingwane, we are working to establish vocational training centres to equip these young people with skills like carpentry and handicrafts, empowering them to become self-reliant,” he said.