Reaching out to all former children from the MRCH Home

A group of adults who once attended Matthew Rusike’s Children’s Home are creating an Alumni organisation. They want to offer support to each other as well as reach out to those young adults who are imminently leaving the Home.

As you may know on reaching 18 years of age, by law, young adults have to be discharged from the Home. The Home does what it can to prepare these young people for this, but ultimately no longer have responsibility for them. A support network is one way to help with this.

If you, or anyone you know attended the Home in the past and wish to become part of this project, please contact our Chairperson and she will pass your details to the co-ordinator.

December newsletter

Our latest newsletter is now available.

In this newsletter, we bid farewell to one of the long serving house parents at the Home. Fungayi Mahlakapane popularly known as Mrs Tunha, retired after 27 years. We thank her for all the love and support she has shown the children in her care.

At the same time, we welcome Audrey Standhaft who has joined the Friends as Secretary, we look forward to working with you. And extend a huge thank you of course to Michael for all the work he has done with us over the years – he will continue to work as a committee member.

The financial situation at the Home continues to be difficult, with staff salaries in arrears, the poultry project having been hit with a virus causing the loss of 200 birds, and buildings in need of essential repair. Projects are in the planning phase for the building work and any financial help you can offer with this will be very much appreciated.

Please note we are looking for a new Chariman as Carol Banham will be stepping down in June 2024 after 20 years in post. If you are interested please contact her directly.

Christmas Cards 2023

This year, we are again offering digital Christmas cards along side our real cards.

Our digital cards are available through an organisation which, for a donation from you, allows you to choose one of several designs to send to up to 100 friends (via email).

This is an increasingly popular way to support your favourite charity.

The process is very simple:

1. Go to our card website.

2. Here you will see one example of our cards, click on this first card to see all the other choices.

3. Click on the card of your choice.

4. Say who the card is from and add your message.

5. Choose how much to donate (and whether to add a tip for Don’t Send Me A Card).

6. You are then sent to PayPal’s website to complete your purchase.

7. You are asked for the email addresses you want to send the card to, insert these.

8. Click send.

It’s very straightforward and a great way to stay in touch with people while also helping out the charity of your choice.

Thank you, and have a lovely Christmas.

September newsletter

Our latest newsletter is now available.

There is sad news of one of the children who passed in August through diabetes complications. The funeral was shortly after and Esther was laid to rest near her mother.

The newsletter highlights concerns about the impact of hyperinflation in Zimbabwe. Staff salaries have not been paid for 5months and the Home attempt to aleviate some of the hardship with small food hampers, but things are tough for everyone. The poultry and piggery are going well and enable to Home to generate a little income to help in this.

This will be the final year our Chairman, Carol Banham, will be in post. After 20 years service she will be stepping back, though will remain as a Trustee. So we are looking for someone to take on her position. The newsletter describes the scope of the role, much of which is online these days. Please give this careful consideration.

June Newsletter

Our latest newsletter is now available.

This month we are very pleased to report that the solar panels have been fitted at both the Home and the outreach centre at Donga “this brings huge relief for both centres as we have been experiencing excessive power cuts…the solar panels give us light and refridgeration”

The Home is begining to put plans together to open a Primary school on site and discussions with the Ministry of Education are underway. The idea would be fees charged to local children would mean the school can sustain itself.

Four UK donors funded the repair of the vehicle at Donga which means the key worker there is once again able to easily deliver supplies to the rural schools, for the last two years he has been making the 15km journey on foot.

Finally, it is with sadness that we announce the death of Malcolm Payne after a long illness. Malcolm was our first FoMRCH secretary back in 1997, and he remained a firm support for the rest of his life. Thank you Malcolm.

March newsletter

This quarter our Newsletter contains another detailed report from the Home, with good news about exam results, and the children’s Christmas party. Unfortunately, fewer children than expected were able to take a break at a foster home over Christmas, but activities were laid on at the Home to help compensate.

Donations have been gratefully received and this time put to good use in Donga, where solar power will be installed to support the non-residental centre there. Much more is needed at the Centre and any donation you can make could go towards repairing the roof, pigsty and vehicle – the latter has not been been working for over 18months and restricts the outreach work significantly.

December newsletter

This Newsletter reveals both the terrible struggles for education in Zimbabwe and the wonderful generosity of local people to help – an Education Expo launched by the Home encouraged 18 new volunteers to offer additional educational opportunities at the Home.

The newsletter also covers lots of other topics from the solar panel project, the health of the children, Christmas plans and the crop plans. Do take a look.

Thank you for all your support over this last year, your donations make a massive difference to the Home and the lives of the children the Home cares for. We look forward to keeping you updated in the New Year.

It’s that time again – our Christmas cards are ready

This year, we are offering our digital Christmas cards as well as our real cards.

Our digital cards are available through an organisation which, for a donation from you, allows you to choose one of several designs to send to up to 100 friends (via email).

This is an increasingly popular way to support your favourite charity.

The process is very simple:

1. Go to our card website.

2. Here you will see one example of our cards, click on this first card to see all the other choices.

3. Click on the card of your choice.

4. Say who the card is from and add your message.

5. Choose how much to donate (and whether to add a tip for Don’t Send Me A Card).

6. You are then sent to PayPal’s website to complete your purchase.

7. You are asked for the email addresses you want to send the card to, insert these.

8. Click send.

It’s very straightforward and a great way to stay in touch with people while also helping out the charity of your choice.

Thank you, and have a lovely Christmas.

September newsletter

This newsletter tells of the fabulous fundraising events which have occurred over Matthew Rusikie week – which in the end stretched to the whole of June. There are also some lovely photos of the Home’s trip to Lake Kariba in August – a long awaited treat for some of the children.

Zimbabwee is still in the middle of hyper-inflation and this seriously impacting the Home. Things are very difficult indeed. The Newsletter includes details of just how much it costs to care for a child at the Home today.

The Outreach Project at Donga reports on progress and there is much support needed there. Anything you can do to help would be very much appreciated.

Please note the Home is eligible for Government support for children with a valid court order. Of the 94 children currently at the Home, this relates to only 9, so any help you can give will be made careful use of. Thank you.

Our remaining packets of Christmas cards are now available for purchase and our e-cards available via Don’t Send Me A Card are being update this week and will be available shortly.