Matthew Rusike Children’s Home has under gone various transformations and continues to grow and has become one of the largest childcare organisations in Zimbabwe. With the support of many organisations both local and international, whose support is truly invaluable to us, we continue to grow from strength to strength. MRCH depends largely on donations from friends and other well wishers and still needs assistance in a lot of areas to enable effective programming to carry on.
As of September 2017, the following areas have been identified by the Home as project objectives…
- Child sponsorship
Childcare, whether residential or community based happens at a cost. Education costs on average US$120 (£90) a term per child for secondary education and US$40.00 (£30) per term for a primary school child. Sponsorship towards education for children in the Home and those in the community helps us to reduce our costs greatly so that resources can be channeled to other needs of the children.
- Projects
MRCH runs a vibrant poultry, piggery and market gardening project. Currently we have two greenhouses. Of the two, one is old and has a rock outcrop which negatively affects output. Our wish is to have an additional 500square metres greenhouse. We have established the current cost to be US$5 800.00 (£4330).
- Early Learning Centre
MRCH runs an Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centre, which caters for the institutionalised children as well as those under the Community Based Orphan Care Programme. The centre has an enrolment of 45 between the ages of 3 to 6 years. The facility serves as a children’s play area and also prepares children for formal entry into Grade One. The outdoor play equipment at the centre is dilapidated and becoming unsafe and needs replacing. We require support in the form of modern swings, slides, merry go rounds and any other relevant outdoor play materials.
- Health
MRCH has a clinic and a registered nurse that caters for the health needs of both the children and staff. It also runs an effective Community Health Programme which assists orphaned and vulnerable children in the communities who are not able to meet the costs of the health services. This project has seen MRCH assisting children in need of medical services in all its service areas. Assistance in the form of drugs, supplementary food, baby formula and other medical supplements is required to ensure viability of this programme.
- Training Workshops
As part of its Community Based Care programme, MRCH delivers training workshops across the country which are meant to raise awareness on the needs of vulnerable children in local communities. It is also an opportunity to raise the awareness of the needs at residential MRCH.
We incur costs on travel, stationery, accommodation and other associated costs for the team that is involved in this programme. The need is great and with more resources we will be able to widen our scope.
These are the facts:
- 16 Childcare workshops arranged each year through Methodist Church Zimbabwe
- Planned, coordinated and delivered by MRCH staff
- All vulnerable children in the communities are included regardless of religion denomination, race, sex or tribe
- Part funded by the World Church Office but this only covers 4 of the 8 Districts in Zimbabwe needing them
- Staff work with Zimbabwe National Council for the Welfare of Children (ZNCWC) Viva Network, Child Protection Society and the School of the Social Work.
- Training begins at District level so that the Church leadership is involved it is then followed up at Circuit level and Society level
Funding is needed because:
- 4 rural districts are not included and staff have to travel significant distances to these mainly rural areas to deliver the workshops
- Requests have been received from church leaders to visit their Districts to help in preparations of fundraising activities for the annual Church wide event ‘Matthew Rusike Big Sunday’ Their participation is important because this annual event produces many donations in kind as well as a significant boost in income for outreach work
- Requests for training have been received from other organisations and crèche centres
Positive outcomes:
- More people appreciate the child care work and what is required at MRCH)
- More people are coming forward to foster children during the school holidays
- A significant increase in families wanting to adopt children – not only from MRCH but also other institutions
- There is a significant increase in donations of goods in kind to the Home
PAST PROJECTS
MRCH Staff developed a plan for 2013 looking at the key requirements for the Home. As we have reported over the years since, many of these targets have been reached thanks to wonderful donations from Friends and a lot of hard work by the staff at the Home.
Feb 28th 2013
The Matthew Rusike Children’s Home complex is more than 55 years old. The buildings were influenced by old designs and there is need to improve the infrastructure and staff capacity by customizing it. The 2013 work plan (sent to us by MRCH) will ensure service delivery improves and matches acceptable statutory standards.
MRCH Objectives:
- To develop Matthew Rusike Children’s Home through infrastructural improvement and enhance Management Capacity
- To develop Childcare Principles and Practice through relevant staff training
Funding is needed for all the following projects:
1) We intend to rejuvenate the piggery project because it is a very viable income generating project. We need 6 breeding stock and a year’s supply of stock feed. The pigsties need some repairs and plumbing and a water tank installing
2) The family houses were built in 2004 and are now needing some refurbishment, e.g. repairs to leaking roofs, repainting inside and out, plumbing and electricity needs checking. The boys’ residence needs door locks
3) The clinic needs some finishing touches to reach Zimbabwe’s Medical Authority recommendations
4) To cover fire regulations for 2013 each building must have fire extinguishers. We need 16 at US$460.00 each
5) Child sponsorship programme – The non residential children in the Community outreach programmes do not receive sponsorships for education. The proposal is to try to set one up. There are 85 children requiring support in the Epworth area and many more in the other outreach centres in Chitungwiza, Bulawayo, Gweru and Masvingo
6) Staff Development. All staff should be able to develop in their areas. Caregivers should be trained or able to attend refresher courses in these areas:
a) childcare (1 – 3 weeks)
b) cookery (3-4 days)
Senior staff need to work on degrees/masters programmes in related fields
7) We are hoping for more and more visitors to come for short or long stays so there is a need for somewhere specifically designed for guests to stay. There are plans in place to alter the building that used to be the laundry facility for this purpose. The present 3 bedroom guest house was always intended to provide accommodation for 6 more children needing care
To know more about these projects please contact MRCH at: