Today! Meet Simba in Eugene, OR.

We are delighted that Tariro’s Executive Coordinator, Simba Kanyimo, will be visiting the Eugene, Portland, and Victoria in December! 

TODAY Simba will be in …. Eugene, Oregon.

You can meet Simba at the Kutsinhira Catch Up with Tariro at 5pm.  Come out to hear Simba’s vision for Tariro and what’s ahead for us in 2017.  This is an informal gathering at a private home.  For more info, please email tariro.board@gmail.com.

See you there!

 

#ThankYouWednesday – You donated $1,775!

Dear friends,

THANK YOU for your support on #GivingTuesday yesterday — you donated $1,775! We are overwhelmed by your support for our important work.

Don’t worry if you didn’t get a chance to donate yesterday — our donor has agreed to extend the matching window — all donations up to $3,000 will be matched through the end of the week.

You can donate numerous ways —

• in-person at one of Tariro’s events this week in Eugene, Portland, and Victoria.  Please see our blog for details of the events. We’d love to see you there, and you’ll get a chance to meet Simba and here about Tariro first-hand.
• by check mailed directly to our PO box at PO Box 50273, Eugene, OR, 97405
• online at our Fall Fundraising site — https://givingtuesday.razoo.com/us/story/Fall-Fundraising-Campaign-2016 (note that usual fees now apply)
• by bank transfer — please email tariro.board@gmail.com for details on how to set up a no-fee bank transfer.

Hope is powerful.  Hope for change.  Hope for a better future.  Hope is what makes us fight.  Hope is what makes us see possibilities when things look bleak.  In Zimbabwe’s Shona language, “tariro” means “hope”. Tariro gives hope to our students – it gives them hope of finishing school.  Hope of going to university.  Hope of getting a good job and breaking the cycle of poverty they were born into.  Hope of being a person in a position to give back.  Hope of being a woman treated with dignity and respect in her community. Hope is why we do what we do.

Thank you for joining us in giving hope to our students.

#GivingTuesday is TODAY!

Last year, Tariro participated in #GivingTuesday for the first time as part of our annual Fall Fundraising Campaign, and it was a huge success for us! We are excited to be part of this international day of giving, uniting millions of people across the world supporting so many worthy causes.

This year, we’re doing it again! AND this year, we have a donor who will match the first $3,000 raised!

Razoo, the site hosting our #GivingTuesday effort, is waiving most of their transaction fee through 29 November – that means more of your donation goes directly to Tariro!  Razoo is also awarding an additional prize for the nonprofit with the most unique donors in a specific hour – we’re targeting the 2pm PST/5pm EST hour.  

Please join us TODAY for a big international day of giving at  https://givingtuesday.razoo.com/us/story/Fall-Fundraising-Campaign-2016!

Thank you for your support!

Intern -Social Worker

.vacIntern – Social Worker

Tariro –Hope and Health for Zimbabwe Orphans, a grassroots non-profit organization working in Harare Zimbabwe to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS and other vices by educating young women and girls is looking for an Intern – Social Worker. The intern should be a student currently enrolled at one of the local universities and studying for a degree in Social Work.
The intern’s responsibilities will focus on addressing the psycho-social needs of our beneficiaries and their families in order to improve academic performance and provide support for the challenges that program beneficiaries are facing. The intern will work with the Executive Coordinator, with the involvement of the student, the family, the community and schools, to identify needs, establish intervention plans, and collaborate with community agencies to provide additional psycho-social support to our beneficiaries and their families.

The internship will run during the university academic year 2017.

The intern will be expected to perform (but not limited to) the following duties, with supervision and guidance by the Executive Coordinator:

1.Provide interventions based on detailed assessments, including but not limited to:
a. Individual and group counseling for selected beneficiaries and families, as needed;
b. Case management for identified students;
c. Home and school visits;
d. Liaise and advocate for student and parents on issues of social welfare and psycho-social support.
e. Assessment prior to providing interventions.

2. Contribute social media materials (blog posts, Facebook posts, twitter posts) related to the social welfare of our beneficiaries and the psycho-social support Tariro provides for our beneficiaries.
3. Attend related conferences and seminars.
4. Assist in grant writing where the intern will work closely with the Executive Coordinator, with special emphasis on grants supporting Tariro’s psycho-social support for beneficiaries.
5. Participate in community collaborative and/or meetings.
6. Initiate localized awareness campaigns on different issues affecting the girl child with the assistance of the Executive Coordinator.
7. Participate in beneficiaries’ monthly meetings and conducting/facilitating monthly extra-curricular activities.
8. Assist with administrative responsibilities and financial reporting related to Tariro’s social welfare and psycho-social programs, including but not limited to logistics for events and uploading financial records in Money-Minder.

The intern will also be expected to perform additional duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Executive Coordinator. Please email your applications – detailed curriculum vitae and cover letter to the Executive Coordinator on email : tariro.vacancy@gmail.com . Closing date is 16 December 2016.

Simba visits the Northwest – Join Us!

We are delighted that Tariro’s Executive Coordinator, Simba Kanyimo, will be visiting the Eugene, Portland, and Victoria in December! 

First stop …. Eugene, Oregon.

Thursday, 1 December from 5pm

Kutsinhira Catch Up with Tariro – come out to hear Simba’s vision for Tariro and what’s ahead for us in 2017.  This is an informal gathering at a private home.  For more info, please email tariro.board@gmail.com.

Next stop … Portland, Oregon.

Friday, 2 December from 7pm

Join Tariro and Njuzu Mbira us at Ford Food and Drink @ 2505 SE 11th Ave Ste 101. Portland, OR 97202!

Come out to meet Simba, hear some great music and see an amazing quilt – being raffled off to support Tariro and other groups in Zimbabwe.  It promises to be a great evening!

And finally … Victoria, Canada

Sunday, 4 December at 2pm

Join Simba at the Bopoma Winter Event @ Church of Truth, 111 Superior Street, Victoria.

Simba will be talking about Tariro and sharing in with local musicians and long-time Tariro supporters for a special event.  Don’t miss out!

Get the latest updates on our blog and on our Facebook page. If you would like to receive email reminders about the events, please contact tariro.board@gmail.com.

See you there!

Girl child support -Necrisha R.supports Tariro .

Many Zimbabwean students are forced to drop out of school or have irregular school attendances because their families can no longer afford tuition and associated educational costs. The girl child is more at the receiving end. This is one issue Necrish Roach wanted to see change. Necrisha came to Zimbabwe in April 2016 as part of a global health elective offered by her home institution-the Ohio State University College of Medicine.  This course is offered to medical students during their final year of medical school and it allows them to have a clinical experience that is different from what they would normally experience back in the United States of America.

During her time working in the health care system in Harare, she had the opportunity to have a first-hand look at the many challenges faced by local doctors and patients alike. In addition, she also had the chance to work with Tariro Trust –Hope and Health for Zimbabwe Orphans. Necrisha developed an interest in Tariro Trust after going through our face book page and web page and Tariro Trust was a major influence in her decision in doing her attachment here in Zimbabwe.

Necrisha travelled to the high density suburb of Glen Norah where she spent the day working with the girls and learning more about the aims and goals of the organisation. The time spent in Glen Norah brought to her the grim reality faced by many of Zimbabwe’s young women.

Many of the young ladies she met are orphaned because of HIV and currently live with extended families or in a single parent household. The economic meltdown in Zimbabwe has made it even worse.  As a result, the costs associated with getting an education are often too much for the family to bear forcing them to drop out of school. These young girls then rely on the financial support of Tariro and its donors to cover school fees, school supplies and transportation costs.

Despite the rains that pounded Harare that day , and a demanding work schedule , Necrisha    spent the day with the girls, delivered a health talk and she donated USD300 . Prior to traveling to Zimbabwe, Necrisha with the help of her friends, was able to raise funds to help cover the cost of school supplies for 30 Tariro students for one academic year.

The Tariro Hope visit became a turning point for both Necrisha and the young girls she met during her visit. She was humbled by the experience.  The girls were moved that a young American doctor came all the way from America to not only visit them ,  but her and her friends were willing to make a financial investment in their futures by covering the cost of school supplies. Recognizing that the donation for school supplies was greatly appreciated, it was evident that there was still a great need among the students. To that end, Necrisha decided to cover the tuition for the next three years for one of Tariro’s beneficiaries Florence M. enrolled at Harare Polytechnic (a local tertiary institution) where she is pursuing her studies in Transport and Logistics.

Necrisha believes in the adage “by educating a girl you have educated the nation” and she implores other women and girls who have made it in life to donate towards sending underprivileged girls to school.  The Tariro girls treated Necrisha to some beautiful music and cultural dance routines and she was impressed by the performance. Necrisha encouraged the girls to, to despite them coming from under privileged backgrounds to also help those less fortunate than them. She also encouraged the girls to work hard and excel in their studies and this she said was the best way of repaying those who assist them. She said it was also important for the girls to desist from premarital sex and to value their sexual and reproductive health.

 On behalf of Tariro we would like to thank Necrisha and her prayer group for the donation and Necrisha for taking on board one of our beneficiaries’ and to thank her for taking her time from her busy schedule to spend the day with the girls .This will definitely make a huge and significant difference in the lives of the girls.
Education is what brings a community, or rather a country forward, and for the current situation in Zimbabwe.  Necrisha has been a part of the solution and we all can be a part of that solution by donating towards Tariro’s cause.

Zero Our New Hero

In December 2015 Tariro successfully hosted “A Cultural Retreat and Showcase for HIV/AIDS Awareness” under the theme, Zero, Our New Hero, aimed at youth aged 14-23 from Harare. Made possible by a grant received from the Society of the Celtic Cross, the retreat enabled Tariro to create a safe space for dialogue and experiential sessions, with the assistance of experienced and local facilitators in the field of HIV/AIDS.  Through these educational and awareness building sessions, the participants were not only the recipients of this rare opportunity for open discussion and education, but will continue to help in of the ongoing fight against the HIV/AIDS crisis which continues to impact Southern Africa at an alarming rate.

According to recent information by the PANOS Institute Africa (PSaF), girls between 15 and 19 years old account for 71% of new infections, indicating that a significant number of our beneficiaries fall within this target group.  Tariro’s beneficiaries have lost parents and guardians to the disease. The chosen theme, Zero Our New Hero, was derived from the theme of the 2015 International World AIDS Day commemorations: ‘getting’ to zero in three ways:

• Zero new HIV infections
• Zero AIDS-related deaths in Southern Africa
• Zero stigma and discrimination

The retreat hosted 31 girls between the ages of 14-23 from high-density areas of Harare (Epworth, Glen Norah and Highfield). Under the facilitation of Reverend Nyarumwe from the Anglican Church, and staff from the Transformative Youth Development Association- a Harare school based organization for youth empowerment- the girls participated in activities including songs, poetry, dialogue, storytelling and drama that explored the many HIV/AIDS-related challenges facing the girls and their communities.

Specifically, Reverend Nyarumwe led participants in discussions ranging from the causes and affects of HIV, his experience with HIV/AIDS in the church regarding discrimination, and safe sex practices. The facilitators from the Transformative Youth Development Association led the students through various activities, incorporating the arts with dialogue regarding HIV/AIDS. Topics covered were the importance of testing, disclosure of one’s status, and the importance of medication for those infected.  Importantly, the girls were able to personalize the workshops by talking about how to deal with infected people, how to socialize and stem stigma arising from the community, how to deal with negative cultural practices that fuel HIV/AIDS and how to prolong the life of someone infected with the disease.

 

This was an incredible learning experience for all involved, and Tariro is grateful to the facilitators who were adept at engaging the participants in a dialogue that built on their current understanding while addressing gaps in knowledge. We believe the girls were positively impacted and will act as ambassadors in their communities.

Thank you (Tatenda!) to our facilitators and to the Celtic Cross Mission Society for the opportunity to positively impact our beneficiaries so they can carry on this vital work!

International Women’s Day

According to the International Women’s Day website, the pace we are progressing toward gender equality means that closing the gender gap wouldn’t be complete until 2133. That’s right, 117 years from now. That isn’t acceptable to us. Closing this gap will take all of us working toward women’s equality and equity, and Tariro is working to do our part in the Harare region of Zimbabwe.

 

Equal educational opportunities are a major force in creating equity for women. This is a large reason why Tariro exists, yet statistics also show that providing opportunities for women and girls benefits everyone in her community. Here are just a few ways equality for women creates a “ripple effect” that benefits all of society:

• Women are the largest emerging market in the world. More equality equals more GDP. Countries with better gender equality and equity, and less gender disparity in primary and secondary education, are likely to have higher economic growth (Global Partnership for Education).
• Women have the most influence on their families. According to Camfed, when you educate a girl she will earn up to 25 percent more and reinvest 90 percent of her income into her family.
• Educated women are more likely to have smaller families, have healthier and better-educated children, and participate in political processes that influence their well-being.
• Educated women are less likely to contract HIV/AIDS, and less likely to be exploited. Evidence shows that among 15-18 year old girls, those who are enrolled in school are more than 5 times less likely to have HIV than those who have dropped out of school (Global Coalition on Women and AIDS).

Tariro was founded in 2003 by Memory Bandera and Jennifer Kyker who know benefits of educating girls and saw a need during their time in Zimbabwe. Tariro addresses the particular needs of Zimbabwean teenaged girls who face higher risks of dropping out of high school and contracting HIV. With much of the educational support in Zimbabwe focusing on younger children, our founders saw a gap to fill. Tariro started with 12 students and has grown to support as many as 60 students, all of whom have lost one or both parents to illness and poverty.

Meet Tinotenda.

Tinotenda was forced to drop out of school after losing both of her parents. She had been out of school for two years when she heard about Tariro through a friend and sought out our headquarters. Although it wasn’t recruiting time, our coordinator agreed to do a home visit, and noticed that Tinotenda had a closet full of school uniforms though she seemed to own little other clothing. She had been collecting them from friends who had outgrown them, so when the day came for her to return to school she would be prepared. Her determination was inspiring and Tariro sponsored her. After missing two years of school, it was difficult to place her in a school, but eventually we found one that would admit her at entry level. Attending this school required her to walk and hour each way, yet Tinotenda never missed a day.

Though Tariro is a small grassroots organization, we don’t take lightly the large impact we have on girls such as Tinotenda. We are proud to have several girls we now also support through University.

In addition to paying school fees for the girls, Tariro purchases uniforms and supplies, provides books through our lending library, offers tutoring and extra curricular activities including traditional Shona music and dance, psychosocial support and an annual conference on HIV prevention. Nearly 100% of donations go directly to our students and staff on the ground in Zimbabwe. To make a donation, visit us here.

Tatenda (we thank you) for your support of Tariro, of closing the gender gap, and of women and girls around the world!

 

Welcome Tariro’s New Executive Director

We extend a warm welcome to Simbarashe Crispen Kanyimo, Tariro’s new Executive Coordinator in Harare, Zimbabwe!

Simbarashe grew up in Chiredzi and attended one of the leading mission high schools in Zimbabwe (St. Anthonys High School). He then attended a local university and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Honours) degree in English and Communication Studies with Education. After graduation, he taught at St.Anthonys High School where he served as the guidance and counselling teacher in charge.

He left teaching in 2008 to join the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council Global fund where he served as Youth Health Coordinator, working to fund Adolescent Sexual Reproductive Health. Simbarashe worked closely with the youth in raising awareness on HIV and AIDS and other sexual and reproductive health and rights issues in Chiredzi district. He was instrumental in the set up of an anti-retroviral centre at Chikombedzi Mission Hospital through his lobbying and advocacy efforts.

In 2012, Simbarashe joined the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) as a Programs Officer –Educator where he was part of an eight man team that successfully implemented two projects: 1. ) The Youth Education Pack- a vocational and life skills training project that targeted vulnerable internally displaced youth in Mutare, Chiredzi and Chipinge as well as refugees at Tongogara Refugee Camp, and 2.) The Second Chance Learning Project – targeting school dropouts, particularly girls and young mothers in difficult circumstances, giving them an opportunity to return to school. These two projects were co-implemented with a number of partners and government ministries, namely the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education, Ministry of Youth, Caritas Masvingo, Simukai, COPAZ, FACT Chiredzi and the United Church of Christ in Zimbabwe.

Simbarashe then joined the Centre for Cultural Development Initiatives (CCDI) in January 2015 where he coordinated the education and health portfolio. CCDI is a local trust that works with indigenous communities in the Southern Lowveld of Zimbabwe.

Simbarashe has acquired a number of qualifications from local institutions including Systemic Family Counselling, Program and Project Monitoring and Evaluation, and Humanitarian Assistance and Project Management. He brings to Tariro a wealth of experience in education, youth, sexual and reproductive health and rights and education programming.

Simbarashe is a firm supporter of womens’ empowerment and throughout his career has been involved in projects that uplift the girl child, youth and women. He is married to a lawyer Dorcas Makaza, a gender activist who works at Women and Law in Southern Africa Research Trust. In his spare time, he enjoys watching soccer, fishing and playing chess.

We look forward to working with Simbarashe!

 

Tariro Benefit Event: Mid-Winter Dance Party