Orphans and African Tradition

Traditionally, orphans in Africa have been taken in by relatives or neighbors. This tradition broke down in Zimbabwe because of increasing poverty and the deaths of many caregivers due to HIV-AIDS. The Zienzele Foundation was established in 2000 in response to the growing crisis.

Zienzele's Approach

Building on tradition, we help villages achieve self-reliance and care for orphans themselves. This involves

• projects and small businesses in which orphans and caregivers earn money for basic necessities;
  
  
• paying school fees through sales of hand-made baskets, enabling over 1,000 orphans to gain an education;
   
  
• workshops and counseling that develop confidence and organizational skills for building a better life.

Despite daunting circumstances in Zimbabwe, Zienzele's approach is bringing hope to children and their caregivers in some of Zimbabwe's poorest rural villages. Please visit the rest of our website to learn more about our work and join in our efforts.

Annual Zienzele Celebration Starts at 6 pm
on May 23 at the Dartmouth Outing Club

This year's annual Zienzele Celebration will be one of the most enjoyable and informative ever.

Marjorie Rose Irwin of Hanover and her daughter Katy will describe their experiences in Zimbabwe as volunteers this spring. Marjorie is a member of Zienzele's Board of Directors. A special guest will be Innocent Mpoke, one of the many Zimbabwean orphans who was able to stay in school because of the Zienzele Foundation. Innocent did such an outstanding job on his O-Level exams that he was recommended by Prisca to attend college in the U.S. He will be starting at Lebanon College this spring, hosted by the Irwins.

Of course Prisca and Nancy will both be on hand to tell about the recent field work and to share their insights into current conditions in Zimbabwe.

The Dartmouth African Chorus will perform, and Taste of Africa will serve delicious, authentic dishes.

Invitations are being sent to past supporters of Zienzele Foundation, but anyone interested in our work is invited and urged to attend. Tickets, at $30 per person, are tax deductible and can be reserved by calling 802 439 6196.

A Zimbabwe
Reading List

Several people have asked that we post a list of good reading about Zimbabwe. The relatively short history of the country has been inspiring, troubling, and tragic. Click here to see Zienzele's first Reading List.