12 Nov Zim Tour 2018
BY THE HOST TEAM ARK Zimbabwe is a local Non-Governmental organisation established in line with the current UN’s Sustainable Development Goals formerly
Millennium Development Goals. Zimbabwe ratified to the UN Charter on the Rights of Children and it is from this backdrop that ARK has established its development goals to ensure that all children, regardless of race or ethnicity access basic requirements of their livelihoods to ensure that they enjoy equal opportunities and realise their full potential. The host team appreciates the arrival of guests from the UK whose visit will go a long way in capacitating ARK programmes.
The objectives of the visit as defined to stakeholders are as follows:
- To familiarise and appreciate ARK activities in Zimbabwe.
- To open-up and foster relations amongst key stakeholders who are sponsors and beneficiaries (orphans, vulnerable children and their parents) and the various stakeholders of the programs especially the Government of Zimbabwe, initiated by ARK to date.
- To market ARK activities through active interactions between local stakeholders and international stakeholders.
- To afford an opportunity to those from the UK to visit and tour Zimbabwe, thus initiating future linkages and relationships.
- To encourage and capacitate the beneficiaries with life skills such empowerment of talent through sport and inspirational games.
- To afford beneficiaries an opportunity to appreciate values of teamwork, moral and cultural values, integrity, role modelling and the power of participatory approaches.
- To afford the visitors an opportunity to understand, appreciate, analyse and evaluate the impact of the Zimbabwean Economy to the less privileged, that is, living arrangements, education, food, clothing, health, sport and the facilities related thereto. Cultural values and ethos combined are also looked into as the visitors take on field activities.
Activities carried out by the visiting team
Mufakose Mhuriimwe High School
On the 11th day of August 2018 in the morning, a visit was made to Mufakose Mhuriimwe Secondary School where 6 coaches and about 60 students were having a tag rugby training session. The visiting team assisted with training drills. A local game called Tarisai Mukati Shumba inoruma was exhibited by the kids and the visiting team actively took part in. Motivational stories were shared and the kids had the opportunity to do story telling. The coaches and the kids were encouraged to identify and nature talent as benefits of sport was explained by the experienced team. After a 3 hour drill, the kids were served with snacks and refreshments which marked the end of the program at the venue.
Seke 1 High School
After Mufakose activities the team proceeded to Chitungwiza- Seke 1High School. In Chitungwiza the team found a group of 40 students waiting for them at the football pitch. The students were put into three groups, one for the adolescents, the other for junior primary school, and one for pre-kindergarten ages. Tag Rugby was taught and played through those age-groups. Motivational speeches and games were also played.
Tsungirirai Orphan Care Centre
On Sunday the 12th of August 2018, the team visited Tsungirirai Orphan Care Centre in Norton. About 90 kids were available and their learning facilitators were present including the Centre Director. Tsungirirai Centre is a drop in centre for Orphaned and Vulnerable Children (OVC). The majority of kids at the centre are affected by the HIV epidemic. The visiting teams facilitated training sessions in tennis, netball, soccer and other field games.
Story-telling and motivational speeches were given by both the facilitators and the kids. The Centre Director had an opportunity to appraise the visiting team about the main activities they were undertaking and the challenges the centre is facing.
St Joseph Centre for Boys
St Joseph Centre for Boys is a Catholic run orphanage for boys situated in Milton Park, Harare. It serves both as a drop in and boarding facility with halls of residences on site for orphaned boys who include street kids.
An invitational soccer match was played between visiting team and a local social club in the afternoon. An opportunity was granted to tour the halls of residences where bedding, shower/bathing and ablution facilities were seen. Interaction with the kids and the janitor was done and the team had the opportunity to view and appreciate the challenges which the centre is facing.
Morris Depot Police Academy
On the 13th of August 2018, the visiting team was invited to play at a 6 team Marunza Memorial Soccer Tournament which was hosted in memory of the late police officer known as Marunza who once played and coached the Tomlinson Depot Football Club. The tournament attracted teams from the high and low density suburbs. ARK activities to justify its existence were marketed and appreciated as there was intensive exchange of ideas. Fundraising activities were available and proceeds were channelled to the memorial fund.
Number 7 Bideford Rd Chadcombe, Hatfield
On the 14th of August 2018, the visiting team did not have an outreach program. They instead agreed to spruce up the residence as this is the house currently serving as the Offices and Drop off Centre for ARK activities. Their focus was to do general cleaning and maintenance work at the House. The host team would at this juncture, take the opportunity to thank the visiting team for the following projects they successfully completed:
- Perimeter fence construction.
- Water and general plumbing maintenance.
- Toilet construction.
- Dura wall construction.
- General cleaning and upkeep of the yard.
Honours Academy-Chegutu visit
On the 15th of August 2018 the team visited Honours Academy in situated in Chegutu and did the following projects:
- Construction of a shed
- Played Games
- Watched movies
- Visitor- Parent Interaction.
There were more than eighty children in attendance including teachers and parents. The day was a success.
Victoria Falls Trip
The Ark UK Team had a rare opportunity to visit the magnificent Victoria Falls. The team had a fabulous time as they toured the falls and undertook the following activities:
- Sunset Cruise
- Game Drive
- Croc dive
- Bunge jumping
- Horse riding
- Swing jumping
On the 19th of August 2018, the Ark team put final touches to the precast wall. The sink in the toilet was also attended to. In the afternoon, the team then went to play social soccer in Hillside.
Les Brown Swimmind
On the 20th of August 2018 at about 1000hrs, the Ark Team took the kids for swimming lessons at the Les Brown swimming pool in the Harare Gardens. The kids enjoyed the two hour session as they acquired new skills on how to swim.
Lion and Cheater Park
The trip brought smiles on the faces of the beloved kids as most of them were visiting the park for the first time. The park is home to lions, giraffes, zebras, warthogs, camels, kudus, impalas, the giant vegetarian tortoise which is believed to be over 300 years old and weighs 500kgs, variety of bird species in their natural habitat and the indigenous vegetation surrounding the traditional Nharira and Hunyani Hills. It was a marvel to watch the kids play at the park’s play centre. After getting lessons about the wild animals from the park wardens, the kids enjoyed playing games on swings.
Crown Plaza Monomotapa
The tour was summed up with dinner at Crowne plaza where ““`¬`the host team bed farewell to the visitors at Crown Plaza Monomotapa in Harare. This was a priceless moment with the speeches and the presentation of gifts to the visitors.
Lessons learned
The tour was both educative, inspiring and an eye opener to both children and the ARK Team on the aspect of team work.
Visitors got first-hand experience and opportunity to appraise themselves of the various activities and programs undertaken by Ark in Zimbabwe. Links and opportunities for greater co-operation were established. The visitors got a rare chance of interacting and learning the challenges faced in the running of the activities of ARK in Zimbabwe. Through the various activities done during the tour, the beneficiaries had the chance to learn and acquire the skills of self-reliance, initiativeness, hard work, teamwork, sportsmanship and communication.
Challenges
Despite the success and achievements made during the tour it is also important to highlight some challenges that were faced, some still recurring. These included transport and logistics, water and electricity. However the host team would like to thank everyone for militating against these challenges to try and make the tour a successful and memorable one.
Pending Projects
ARK Zimbabwe has a lot of projects that are pending and is currently looking around for assistance to complete them. These include:-
- Construction of ECD, Primary and Secondary Schools
- Construction of a swimming pool at the H
- Driveway construction at the H
- Bathroom tiling and ceiling renovation
- Sinking of a borehole
- Tiling of the bathroom
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