Zimbabwe: SOS Social Centre Waterfalls

In Zimbabwe it is estimated that each week over 2000 people die from AIDS. Such a high death rate has impacted heavily on survivors socially, economically and psychologically. The "extended family" has been unable to cope with the increase in the number of orphans because this increase comes at precisely the same time as family members who would normally be expected to take in such children are themselves dying from HIV/AIDS. Even those adults who are still alive but who are infected with the virus are typically too weak to either work or grow the crops necessary to feed the ever-growing number of orphans.

SOS Children’s Villages works with such communities pursuing a double -headed strategy: in the short term to assist with the amelioration of the immediate impact of poverty and disease, and in the longer term to work together with the community to develop sustainable and capacity building initiatives to break the cycle which in many cases leads to the abandonment of children.

The SOS Social Centre in Waterfalls, founded in May 2002, has been delivering preventative

work at grass roots level to assist and support over six hundred children who are living in difficult circumstances in Glen Norah, a "high density" suburb of Harare. The main target group are those children who are living as part of an already over-burdened extended family, i.e. those who are either living with one of their parents infected with the HIV virus, or with relatives, or in a household run by an elder child. Very soon, the majority of the children in Glen Norah will be in this situation. In line with the governmental Zimbabwean Orphan Care Policy and SOS Children’s Village guidelines for social centres, the beneficiaries of the programmes remain within their existing family structures where they are able to imbibe their own culture and identity.

Where children have dropped out of school, or have erratic school attendance records due to their family’s situation the social centre provides for school fee payments and uniform requirements, and also, where necessary schoolbooks and further support as required on an individual basis. In a country where literacy rates are still one of the best within Africa, education is a highly prized commodity in its own right.

For older youths there are options available to study at the SOS Vocational Training Centres of agriculture and engineering or other approved skills training courses. Courses such as those in welding, carpentry, knitting and tailoring have proved most popular. Once youths have finished the courses, they are in a better position to start a business of their own. When they are ready, youths on the scheme will be given a small loan to finance their start-up. Support and advice will be available to them to ensure that their business, or, should they be lucky enough, their employment, remains viable.

Medical assistance offered to children facilitates attendance in hospitals and the availability of medicine.

With Zimbabwe facing a food crisis, food security is a problem amongst such vulnerable and

typically large family units. Eventually, in the longer term, we support and promote urban

agriculture and the utilisation of "kitchen gardens". However, an immediate "stop gap" measure of limited food assistance has been implemented. Each month a food pack is distributed from one of the community centres in Glen Norah. Each pack consists of 10 kg maize meal, 1 kg dried beans, a bar of laundry soap, etc. On their first distribution, each child is also given two blankets. The maize, Zimbabwe’s traditional principal food comes from the SOS Children’s Village Farm in Bindura. Once harvested and dried, the maize is then milled at the SOS Vocational Training Centre for agriculture.

In addition to the support programmes for children, the SOS Social Centre offers parents and

guardians workshops on parenting skills and how to access existing support structures, such as legal advice and the improvement of their living conditions. Our social workers also coach the families when financial or structural problems arise, e.g. due to the admission of another child, and they also offer material support should the need arise. Such interventions strengthen the children’s self-esteem and the importance attached to the child by the extended family.

The situation of child-headed households is particularly problematic. In many cases their relatives have died or are physically unable to take care of their families due to illness. Traditionally, once the father dies, his family can claim all of his belongings, including his house, as theirs, leaving his children and surviving wife destitute. In either situation, financial income into the family unit is paramount and children are tempted into prostitution and crime to ensure a minimum income.

Sensitive intervention is required in order to explain alternatives and to support traumatised

younger children and youths who have seen parents grow sick and die, have been rejected and possibly received abuse at the hands of other family members. For those children between twelve and twenty, we organize so-called "Life Skills" workshops where we discuss things like puberty, communication skills and sexuality.

In the near future, SOS Children’s Villages Zimbabwe will be setting up social centres in

Bulawayo and Bindura. They will be run on similar lines to the Waterfalls project, adjusted to suit the requirements specifically targeted by the communities involved.