Rose of Sharon Orphange Project, Harare, Zimbabwe Rose Mary Craig's Visit 3 - 7 October 2011
My visit was as usual inspiring and humbling. Inspiring because one sees the Founder Fatima Maruta so committed and struggling to give the orphans she has taken into the care of the Rose of Sharon a good life and a future against great odds, as most of the population, except for a small elite group, carry on a daily battle for survival in an endless roundabout of barter and small trade. Humbling because one realises that we have so much and they so little and they are so grateful for the part we are all playing in their lives. I ask myself the question ‘Where would all these children be if it had not been for the intervention of Fatima....and indeed the funds from Ireland?’ I can safely say that I truly believe they would not be living in such a secure and happy place as Fatima’s Orphanage, and indeed, many of them might not even be alive if she had not taken them in as day old babies found on the streets of Harare.
The challenge is to keep going and funding. There are dedicated staff looking after the children in three houses located in Harare and its outskirts and teachers in the Rose of Sharon School all of whom must be paid a modest wage and who provide continuity in these young lives. I arrived to the news that one of the children picked up off the street as a baby had developed a huge lump and urgently needed medical attention. We went to the public hospital to discover that the scan machine was not working! To go private was out of the question. Funds are short. A dilemma.
Happily a doctor friend of Fatima’s was able to arrange an emergency operation 4 days later and, as I write, he is back in the Orphanage and I await more news on his condition. Some funds from Ireland were used for some costs incurred. I mention this because the funds raised in Ireland through mainly the Christmas Shop and the Wicklow Summer Mountain Walk (and of course private donations which are wonderful) can only go so far and, Fatima tells me provide, about 70% of the day to day costs of keeping the Orphanage and School going. Petitioning and fundraising are done locally too and NGO’s, private companies and Embassies donate some foodstuffs, clothes, toys and contribute to the education of some of the children. But there is a lot of competition, not just in Zimbabwe, but in the rest of Africa and, indeed the world.
Self sufficiency is the target and to this end Fatima has received 4 hectares from the Government (without title papers) on which she is growing maize. The children help in the planting, harvesting and processing and the surplus is sold. Similarly with the chickens they now raise (some of the boys look after the chickens), they provide food and surplus sold. They are also making peanut butter which is very nourishing and vegetables are grown on 2 of the properties. Fatima owns some land about 125 kilometers from Harare and she dreams of setting up a vegetable and livestock project there to provide the children with farming skills.
During the year Bergin’s Auctioneers donated 4 computers (which arrived whilst I was In Harare to great excitement courtesy of Independent Valuations who picked up the transport tab) and we received a grant from the Community Foundation for Ireland for Lifeskills Projects with which Fatima purchased sewing and welding machines in order to equip the children with potentially money making skills for when they leave the Orphanage. This is the main concern as the children get older –what future do they face? – as the political situation still staggers on with, seemingly, little change. Elections are planned for next year and people are fearful for the outcome as it is clear that there will not be an agreement to continue powersharing.
In short every cent earned in Ireland is going directly to this admirable enterprise and I convey the deepfelt thanks of Fatima and members of the Rose of Sharon to everybody in Ireland who has contributed and I would ask you to please continue to do so and get more involved if you so wish. You are directly contributing to the wellbeing of over 100 lives. THANK YOU!