On behalf of the board, staff and beneficiaries of Tariro, I would like to wish everyone a prosperous 2014. This is a time to reflect on the past year as well as determine our course of action. And a chance to let me also take this opportunity to thank those of you who have been standing with us from the years beyond. We have had a good year in 2013 – a milestone year which saw us reach ten years of committed service to the upliftment and empowerment of the girl child through education.
Our wonderful last year
The previous year ended with us scoring a number of successes. One of our students, Tatenda C, graduating with an Honours Degree from the University of Zimbabwe. We also had two grade seven students passing with flying colours in their national examinations. A number of our girls also received awards for academic excellence in their respective schools. The year also saw us have the largest number of students enrolled in Universities across Zimbabwe in our history as an organization.
We have also managed to keep all of our girls in school and none has dropped out due to lack of tuition and /or supplies. The students have continued to enjoy the full range of our programme activities.
It’s you who made it possible!
It is at this point that I express profound gratitude to you for the support you have rendered in helping our girls attain these accomplishments. We would not have managed to achieve the aforementioned had it not been for your unwavering support and commitment to the Tariro cause. In the same spirit, I would like to plead with you to continue supporting us as we drive towards the empowerment of the girl child and women through education. Your support has always been vital and will continue being so.
We look forward to another successful year ahead
We are just beginning a new year, 2014, and our mission will remain focused on the importance of women’s education as an effective response to the AIDS epidemic. With the perpetual rise of urban and rural poverty in Zimbabwe, many girls are dropping out of school thus putting them at a higher risk of contracting HIV. We believe education can reverse this negative cycle, since attending school dramatically reduces the risk that a young Zimbabwean woman might have of becoming infected with HIV/AIDS. By educating young women, Tariro empowers them to build a future free from poverty and disease.
This year we are looking at strengthening our existing programs and exploring new ones. One area of note is vocational training. We would like those of our girls who do not make it academically to be armed with vocational skills to sustain them and their communities. In addition, we hope to touch more lives by expanding our area of operation to even the remotest parts of Zimbabwe by year end. This year we are bent on unrolling a package of total empowerment for every beneficiary within our ranks and we will leave no stone unturned to achieve this end.
Tariro needs your help
Yet, we know that any year is not devoid of its challenges. The plans that we have cannot be actualised without adequate financial and material resources. Given the harsh economic conditions we are operating in your continual support is much needed. Your donation, whether in cash or kind, can go a long way in empowering a girl child. You will not only be empowering her but also restoring hope to a society that has been ravaged by the HIV/AIDS scourge. With your support, there will not be any challenge that will be insurmountable.
On behalf of all Tariro’s students, families, and volunteers, let me wish you a successful 2014 ahead. Tariro means hope, and hope is what our girls have, hope is what sustains us. Let 2014 be a year of hope, and a year of empowerment for every one of you. Thank you.
Kenny Magwada
Tariro 