About Esandleni
Esandleni sothando (in the hand of love – Matt 19:14,15) is a Shimmer project, partnering with Bulawayo Baptist Church, to provide funds that will turn around the vicious cycle of poverty that exists for girls in the cities and rural areas of Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe continues to be one of the poorest countries in Africa with overwhelming problems of inflation, corrupt government, unemployment, HIV AIDS infection, malnutrition and poverty.
Esandleni sothando’s vision is to raise women of influence who will impact their society and live a life that honours God. Their mission is to bring girls to the knowledge of Christ, help them overcome their barriers and reach their fullest potential through provision of mentoring, educational, vocational and life-skills support. We are looking to fund three areas of work:
1. Luveve: (20 young girls aged 13-18) - 60% orphans, 40% juvenile delinquents. Luveve is an old, high density, poverty-stricken suburb, with a lot of young people with very limited opportunities and many early pregnancies.
2. Mawabeni: (15 girls aged 10-16). Mawabeni, 55 kms from the city, is one of the rural communities hardest hit by the HIV AIDS pandemic. The group of children have been raising chickens to pay for school fees and upkeep of the families they live in.
3. Mutare: a small eastern border town which, because it has opposed the rule of the current regime, has suffered harsh reprisals and been denied food and other aid. It has a whole generation of AIDS orphans, looking after themselves or in the custody of very old grandparents. Schooling is unaffordable.
