Tariro student Tinotenda B

In my last post, I discussed Tariro’s strength in reintegrating students who have been out of school for extended periods due to the financial hardships facing their families, many of whom are caring for multiple orphans.  Today, I’d like to profile one student whose story illustrates the many challenges that face orphaned girls seeking to attend secondary school in Zimbabwe.

Tinotenda’s story

This student is Tinotenda B.,who had been forced to drop out of school almost two years ago, after losing her parents.  She currently lives with an uncle in Glen Norah, who is unemployed and unable to pay for her education.  Tinotenda had heard about Tariro from a friend, and she came to our offices to get more information, passionately exclaiming that school was the only important thing in her life.  Despite the fact that we were not in recruiting mode at the time, Tinotenda showed incredible determination and persistence, convincing our program coordinator Tafadzwa to enroll her in Tariro before our normal, end-of-year recruitment season.

Hope and determination

Every time Tinotenda appeared in our office, she wore the same dress, which she admitted was the only one she owned.  Upon conducting a home visit to assess her living situation, however, Tafadzwa discovered that despite owning only a single dress, Tinotenda had managed to amass a collection of old school uniforms from friends who attended different schools.  As she explained, she knew that once she found a sponsor, she would want to immediately begin attending school, without having to worry about buying uniforms.  As our program coordinator Tafadzwa relates, “I was surprised at her determination and hopefulness when she had been out of school for two years.”

Obstacles to enrollment and the need for advocacy

After accepting Tinotenda within Tariro’s educational sponsorship program, however, we had to conduct intensive community advocacy in order to find her a place in school.  Given the long period of time she had spent without attending school, she was unable to secure the transfer letter normally required for new enrollments at the government public schools in her neighborhood.  Our program coordinator visited several area schools, yet was unable to find one willing to give Tinotenda a place, because there was no evidence that she had ever attended school previously.

To overcome this obstacle to her enrollment, Tinotenda said she was willing to be placed in an entry level class, known as Form 1.  Finally, after several extended discussions with local headmasters, our program coordinator managed to convince the headmaster at Glen Norah High 1 to accept Tinotenda.  Because Glen Norah High 1 was the only school willing to accept Tinotenda, she must walk an hour to get to school everyday, yet she has not missed a day since she was admitted last term.  Tinotenda wore one of her borrowed uniforms for a term, until Tariro  purchased a new uniform for her to use.

A child is a cloth…

Tinotenda’s success in re-enrolling in secondary school after such a long absence was made possible through a combination of her own perseverance and dedication, as well as the intensive advocacy efforts exerted by our program coordinator, Tafadzwa.  In turn, Tariro’s ability to sustain this type of grassroots advocacy is made possible by all of the many donors who contribute to our programs, enabling us to pay school fees and related expenses for Tinotenda and almost 60 other girls.

As a Shona proverb says, “A child is a cloth, which is held by everyone.”  On behalf of Tinotenda and all of us at Tariro, thank you for being part of the community of support holding up our girls!

A student's family relaxing at home in Epworth, from our Kids with Cameras workshop

As we move into 2012, I’d like to thank all of the many people who donated to our fall fundraising campaign.  I’m pleased to report that Tariro raised $20,484 in the final months of 2011!  This amount is enough to cover the costs of our educational sponsorship programs in Zimbabwe for one school term, enabling us to sponsor 60 students from January through the end of April.  As always, we’ll be working hard to continue to raise funds throughout the year, in order to finance our sponsorship programs during the second and third terms of 2012.

Even given all of the work Tariro does, however, it is even more important to remember that the largest share of responsibility for our students, both social and economic, is born by the extending families supporting Zimbabwe’s orphaned children.  As our program coordinator, Tafadzwa Muzhandu reports,

The frontline service providers for Tariro girls are families, households and communities. Tariro provides a complementary service, and for the organization to remain relevant and effective we have to listen to guardians and students as well as appreciate the various challenges the households we work with face. Schools also play an important role in each of our student’s lives, hence cooperation with the different school heads is very important, as well as identifying teachers and staff who may be able to assist in our outreach programs.

Our grassroots approach is essential in enabling us to maintain the kind of community relations that enable us to work effectively with our students and their families, and continues to produce wonderful results.  In our forthcoming 2011 Annual Report, for example, our program coordinator has highlighted our strength in re-integrating students who have found themselves compelled to withdraw from school due to a lack of ability to pay school fees.

In a few days, I’ll be posting a profile of one of our exceptional students, Tinotenda B., whose story illustrates our success in using community connections to reintegrate students who have dropped out of school.  Stay tuned for this moving portrait, and thank you again for your support!

"Researchers warn of hard choices ahead and a need for some countries to take more responsibility for their national programmes."

This weeks blog post is the last part of a three-part blog post written by Tariro’s intern Megan Bauer. The first post discussed the history of HIV/AIDS, the second looked at the various groups who have been accused of spreading HIV throughout time, and this last post is going to discuss how to take this information and act on it now.

Making solutions, not problems:

Since the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic there has been blame. Various groups throughout time have been accused of causing and spreading AIDS and these same groups as well as new ones continue to be blamed today. What problem does blame solve? It offers no solutions or answers, it only creates anger and hostility against the groups who have been given that burden of blame.

There are books, websites, and studies dedicated to researching and proving who had the initial case of AIDS and who is to blame for spreading it. There are tons of resources that could be used for making a better future, but instead they live in the past. Education about what HIV is and how to prevent is it important, but why continue looking for an answer to a question that will never be found? Even with extensive research, we will never know what group had the first case of AIDS, and how does that information really matter?

What benefit do we get out of living in the past? We are simply creating more problems and leaving less solutions by focusing on who caused it. Instead we should be looking towards the future and finding a cure for this epidemic that has now been plaguing people’s lives for 30 years.

Focusing on the future:

We need to take all of our resources and reroute them to focus on finding a cure and helping those in need. With more research focused towards finding a cure, we can be that much closer to a solution. If people let down their guards and take away the anger and hostility, we can work toward helping others who are struggling, and put more energy towards preventing HIV from being spread. It isn’t important where it came from, but how we handle it and solve it now.

The question never should have been who caused it, but how can we fix it.

Thank you readers:

I hope that you enjoyed and took interest in this three-part blog piece. All of these thoughts and ideas had been going on in my head for a while and it was great to able to share them with you. I hope that the history of HIV/AIDS may have offered some clarity, that the accusations post offered some recognition, and that this post offered some motivation to make a change.

Tariro students in Epworth, taken by one of our sponsored students during a Kids with Cameras workshop

As we move into the third week of our fundraising campaign, I’m please to announce that we have raised $2,548 toward our goal of $40,000.  Most of the donations we’ve received so far come from pledges made by our monthly donors, each of whom contributes between $15-$100 per month in support of our work.

Signing up to become a monthly donor is a wonderful way to show your commitment to supporting Tariro’s work.  It’s also a good way to make a huge difference in the life of a Zimbabwean girl, for only a small amount each month.  For the price of dinner out, a few cups of coffee, or a new album on iTunes, your monthly donation of only $20 enables us to pay a month of school fees for one of our sponsored students.

Please join us today, and help us achieve our fundraising goal of $40,000!

Tariro student Pamela K. is excelling in her Advanced Level studies

As we move into the second week of our fall fundraising campaign, I’d like to share a profile of one of Tariro’s most outstanding students, Pamela K.  In addition to demonstrating her outstanding ability to overcome the hardships of her life and move toward academic success, Pamela’s story also demonstrates some of the things I love about the way Tariro works.

Tariro makes a long-term commitment to girls

Tariro’s involvement with Pamela’s family dates back to 2004, when we enrolled Pamela’s older sister Pauline as one of Tariro’s first sponsored students.  With an incredible story of her own, Pauline was our first student to graduate from the University of Zimbabwe, where she finished her Bachelor’s degree last year.  We’ve sponsored Pamela since 2007, when she enrolled in her first year of high school.  Our commitment to girls like Pamela and Pauline enables our students to dream big, confident in the knowledge that we will continue to sponsor them to the highest level of their ability.  It also enables us to witness the transformative power of an education, as students like Pamela learn, grow, and mature into empowered and educated women.

Tariro is making a difference for Zimbabwe’s most vulnerable girls

Pamela and Pauline lost their mother in 2000, and their father had long been absent, as a migrant worker trying to make ends meet in Harare.  After their mother’s death, Pauline moved to town to complete her Advanced Level studies, while Pamela remained in the family’s rural home in Mhondoro, living in a child-headed household with a brother who was then 16 years old. After her brother left to find work in South Africa, Pamela was left to fend for herself in Mhondoro.  Given Pamela’s situation, Tariro worked to transfer her to a school in Harare, where she was able to stay with her uncle, who was also housing Pauline.  After a short time, however, the girls’ uncle found himself unable to care for both of them, and kicked them out of his house.  As Pauline and her sister moved from relative to relative, Pamela found herself unable to attend school regularly, yet showed exceptional academic promise.

Tariro’s personalized approach to education enables girls to succeed!

After being recommended for a boarding school placement by Tariro staff, Pamela was transferred to the UMMA Institute, a boarding school located roughly an hour from Harare, in the town of Marondera.  After passing her Ordinary Level exams with high marks, Pamela chose to study Geography, Accounts and Management of Business for her Advanced Level study.  She plans to follow in her sisters footsteps and attend university, and dreams of becoming a social worker.

Join us in our work!

As girls like Pamela and Pauline struggle to finish a high school education, Tariro’s educational sponsorship program means the difference between life of poverty and hardship, and a future filled with hope.  By focusing on education, we give girls the tools to succeed.  But we can’t do it without your help!  Your donations to our fall fundraising campaign will go toward paying schools fees, required uniforms, supplies, and other educational expenses for Pamela, and all of the students we sponsor.  Please donate now, and help ensure that Tariro’s work with students like Pamela can continue in 2012.

Please join Tariro in our Fall Fundraising Campaign!

On behalf of Tariro, I am pleased to announce the beginning of our fall fundraising campaign.  This year, our fundraising goal is set at $40,000, out of an estimated total budget of $75,000 projected for 2012.  We invite you to take a moment to read about our work, and ask you to join us by making a donation today!

Educating girls, strengthening families

Working toward our mission of educating and empowering girls in Zimbabwean communities affected by HIV/AIDS, Tariro provides educational sponsorship for girls who have lost one or both of their parents.   By sponsoring educational expenses for students who are living with surviving family members, Tariro lessens the burden on families as they confront the dual challenges of poverty and HIV/AIDS, helping ensure that orphaned children are not moved into institutional care facilities such as orphanages.

Education is the single most powerful tool for women and girls

In Zimbabwe, teenaged girls represent the demographic group at highest risk for contracting HIV.  In preventing new infections, education represents the single most important intervention strategy, dramatically reducing a girl’s risk of contracting HIV.  For orphaned girls facing the higher school fees and uniform costs associated with attending secondary school, however, education represents an often unattainable goal.  By ensuring that teenaged girls have access to education, Tariro seeks to reduce their chances of contracting HIV.

Your donations go directly back to Zimbabwean communities

Over 90% of donations to Tariro return directly to the communities in which we work, based in the neighborhoods of Highfield, Glen Norah, and Epworth, located in Zimbabwe’s capital city of Harare.   In addition to covering the costs of our school sponsorship program, donations also enable us to maintain a variety of academic and psycho-social support services, including a lending library, annual empowerment activities, and a traditional music and dance group.  Given Zimbabwe’s high unemployment rates, estimated to hover around 80%, we are also proud to employ three staff members in the neighborhoods where we work, making another positive contribution to Zimbabwean communities.

Tariro is committed to sustainable development

As a small, grassroots organization, Tariro’s approach to development is distinguished by intensive engagement with our sponsored students and their families, including regular home visits and meetings with students’ guardians.  We are committed to long-term, sustainable relationships with students, and will continue to sponsor students who excel in school throughout high school and college preparatory classes, as well as offering financial assistance for Tariro students who are accepted at university.   Educating girls represents an investment in human capital, arguably the most sustainable contribution toward social and economic development.

Please join us!

As we prepare to continue our work in 2012, we invite you to join us by investing in Zimbabwe’s future, through three easy ways to donate to Tariro’s Fall Fundraising Campaing.

1. Sign up as a monthly donor.  Monthly donors are an important part of our fundraising base, providing us with regular donations, and allowing us to make more accurate predictions about donations over the course of a year.
2. Make a one-time donation online, through JustGive.
3. Mail us your donation, through a check made our to Tariro: Hope and Health for Zimbabwe’s Orphans.  Our mailing address is:

Tariro: Hope and Health for Zimbabwe’s Orphans
PO Box 50273
Eugene, OR, 97405
USA

In the coming weeks, I will be sharing more important news about our work.  Please visit our blog regularly for more details, including individual stories about our students and their families.  And as always, please feel free to contact us with questions about any aspects of our programs.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Kyker
Executive Director

Students of Singing Wood Marimba, in Santa Cruz, play Zimbabwean marimba music

In today’s post, I’d like to acknowledge a donation from students of Singing Wood Marimba, in Santa Cruz.  The global community of Zimbabwean music, including students and performers, has been one of Tariro’s major sources of support since our inception in 2003.  Combining a performing ensemble with a community music centre, Singing Wood Marimba has consistently supported Tariro by performing at benefit events, and through student contributions.  Thank you members of Singing Wood Marimba for your support!

I’ll be launching Tariro’s fall fundraising campaign this coming Monday.  As we move into fundraising season, I’d like to acknowledge the many other Zimbabwean marimba and mbira performers, schools, and groups that have supported Tariro.  Studying the dynamic, participatory marimba and mbira traditions of Zimbabwe is a wonderful way to learn more about African music and culture, and offers the chance to create cultural understanding through musical exchange.  I encourage all of our blog readers to contact the center or performing group nearest you, and learn how you can take a class!

Among the many groups that have supported Tariro are: the Zimbabwe Music Festival scheduled for Moscow, ID in 2012; the Kutandara Center in Boulder, CO; the Kutsinhira Cultural Arts Center in Eugene, OR; Rubatano Marimba Center on Whidbey Island, WA; Pembera Youth Marimba in Cle Elum, WA; Chiroto Marimba Ensemble in Moscow, ID;  Kubatana Marimba in Albuquerque, NM; Anzanga Marimba in Seattle, WA; the Low Flying Knobs in Boulder, CO; Sadza Marimba and Kuzanga Marimba in Santa Cruz; Hokoyo Marimba and Kudana Marimba in Eugene, OR; Boka Marimba in Portland, OR; and Zuva Marimba, of Santa Fe.

Tariro sends a huge THANK YOU to all of the students, performers, and groups who continue to support our work educating and empowering young women in Zimbabwean communities affected by HIV/AIDS.  We couldn’t do it without you!

From left to right, Grace, Sabine, Dion, and Lissa all finished high school with Tariro's support.

As promised, I’m following up on my first post detailing our successes in 2010, with more highlights from Tariro’s 2010 Annual Report.  Today, I’d like to focus on Tariro’s psycho-social support services, designed to enable students to focus on moving beyond their challenges and obstacles, and working toward realizing their future goals.

In low-income neighborhoods such as Epworth and Highfield, Tariro's students live in extremely vulnerable households, with little access to basic resources

As teenaged girls in communities deeply affected by poverty and HIV/AIDS, our students are among the most vulnerable young people in Zimbabwe.  In addition to coping with the death of one or both parents, our girls have to meet the daily challenges of living in neighborhoods with intermittent electricity and running water, and where average family incomes fall far below the poverty line.  As Tariro’s program coordinator, Fadzi, writes in the Annual Report:

Many of Tariro’s parents and guardians are informally employed, and earning on average $50-$100 per month. Most guardians do not own the houses they live in; hence most are paying rentals, of between $50 and $100 per month. The average school fees for a Tariro student in day high school is $90-$100 per term. Whilst the school fees structures have become more stable, and parents are allowed to sign up for payment plans, the fees are very high relative to the incomes of most guardians. Additionally, some of the parents and guardians are taking care of more than 2 orphaned and vulnerable children (OVCs).

While paying school fees in enough to get a student back in school, offering students psycho-social support services is also essential in ensuring their success, by enabling them to work through underlying issues related to grief, loss, and abuse.

In 2010, Tariro’s psycho-social support services included:

• Our fifth annual Empowerment Camp, led by volunteer therapist Lauri Benblatt of Boulder, Colorado, was designed to encourage sponsored girls to reach their social and academic potential.  As in 2009, the Empowerment Camp was funded by a grant from the Presidential Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).

Guidance counselor Peggy Samhaka speaks with Tariro students as part of our ongoing psycho-social support services

• The introduction of ongoing counseling activities throughout the year in order to response to our students’ psycho-social needs outside of the context of the empowerment camp.  These included monthly group counseling sessions held by guidance counselor Peggy Samhaka and life skills coordinator Shepherd Wazara, open to all students enrolled in our programs.

• One-on-one mentoring opportunities, which saw five Tariro students participate in the US Embassy’s mentoring program, centered around International Women’s Day, as well as 25 Tariro students paired with Zimbabwean undergraduate student mentors studying in the United States, through the USAPCares program.

• Weekly traditional music and dance classes open to all students, providing girls with a safe environment to develop self-confidence, new skills, and positive relations with their peers.

Tariro’s mentoring, counseling, and empowerment activities are critical in enabling our students to develop the motivation, confidence, and abilities to succeed.

Show your support for Tariro! 

In the coming weeks, Tariro will begin raising money to support our students’ progress in 2012.  As we move into our fall fundraising season, please consider making a donation to support our work.  You can also join us on Facebook, and help spread the word about us to friends and family.  Getting involved with Tariro is a wonderful way to make a difference in the lives of young women and girls in Zimbabwe!

Join Tariro on Saturday October 1st from 5-8pm at Friendly Street Church! The sliding scale for the event is $15-2o and it includes the dinner.

This is an event that we put on every year to raise money for our girls in Zimbabwe. All of the funds go to the girls that we sponsor who have lost parents to HIV/AIDS. The event will not only be fun but your presence will make a difference in a young girls life.

Location:

Friendly Street Church

2290 Friendly St

Eugene, OR

Ready for a fun event:

Filmed in 2009, this short clip shows students in Tariro’s traditional music and dance ensemble performing a rhythm called jukwa.  They are accompanied by Tariro’s wonderful music and dance instructor, Daniel Inasiyo.  Enjoy!