Tariro: Hope and Health for Zimbabwe’s Orphans
2018 Annual Report
Dear Tariro Supporters,
Thank you for your faithful support! This year, we celebrated 15 years serving young women and girls in the high-density suburbs of Zimbabwe. The Tariro Board and I have never been more proud of our students. It was a great year: two of our students graduated from tertiary institutions across the country and two of our students did exceptionally well in their Ordinary Level examinations. Another student switched to a vocational program after completing her O-Levels – an exciting development for Tariro. In consultation with her teachers and parents, Tariro agreed to support her in a program that would equip her with a dependable, economic skill.
This is a short summary, but you can see more details about our program and our 2018 financial report in the full Annual Report.
The most significant development in 2018 was that we were able to launch our poultry project with our students! The Young Women’s Poultry Project teaches our students entrepreneurship and is a source of income for our program. The project was made possible courtesy of the United States Embassy through a grant from United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). We are hopeful that the poultry project will be dependable source of income in Zimbabwe and that our students and their families will learn business skills through the program that they will be able to benefit their families.
Another significant development in 2018 was the severe economic downturn that began in the second half of the year. For the second time in Tariro’s history, we are facing serious economic upheaval with skyrocketing prices for commodities and fuel. We are making strategic decisions, such as buying supplies in bulk and limiting the number of new students enrolled, to insure ourselves against the rising costs in Zimbabwe, and to make sure our budget is not over-extended while we continue to provide holistic, quality support for our students.
Despite the financial and economic challenges that the country continues to face, our work of educating and empowering girls continues to be recognized by corporations and individuals in Zimbabwe. ZB Bank is a new corporate sponsor in Zimbabwe, Nashua donated a heavy-duty photocopier/printer, and we again received cash donations from CBZ Holdings.
There are so many girls worldwide who cannot go to school while they have their period because they do not have access to feminine hygiene products. Making sure our students can always go to school is a core part of Tariro’s program. We are very grateful for the donation this year of a full year’s supply of sanitary pads for our students! We received sanitary pads from an American philanthropist, Chanita Foster, a donation that has helped Tariro weather the rising costs for sanitary ware in Zimbabwe. In 2019, we will be investigating options for washable feminine hygiene products for our students.
The Tariro Music and Dance Ensemble continues to make us proud. This year the ensemble performed twice at the Harare Agricultural Show and at a wedding, where they received a monetary donation. Four of our students also participated at the Dreams Marimba Camp, made possible by scholarships they received from Dreams Marimba. The ensemble is a source of pride and confidence for our students.
Tariro is a Shona word that means hope, and true to its name, Tariro continues to bring hope to many girls who could have dropped out of school. Hope is being able to see that there is light despite all of the darkness. Despite challenges and problems these girls continue to face, their future now looks bright.
Thanks to Tariro and its supporters and donors, Tariro gives hope to our students that they will be okay despite the current economic situation. Thank you for your continued support.
Elizabeth Davis
President, Tariro Board of Directors