Healthy Kids, Healthy Communities!

Dear Friends, 

The health and well being of every child is important for children to lead an innovative and successful life. However, research from the Zimbabwe Demographic Survey shows that 84 out of every 1,000 children are likely to pass away before they reach five years old. Most of these deaths are due to infectious diseases that could be treated with the right primary health care. These deaths do not allow Zimbabwean children to live the full and prosperous lives they deserve. Most of these diseases go untreated because of the lack of doctors in the clinics and inability for parents to pay for a visit to the doctor. 

In 2010 the World Health Organization reported that Zimbabwe had less than two doctors for every 10,000 people. The price to visit a general practitioner in Zimbabwe is now at $35 with further visits for the same illness is another $30 per visit. Then, if someone needed to see a doctor during the weekend it would cost $60, and $70 for night visits. These prices do not even include medication costs. With an unemployment rate of 92 percent in Zimbabwe, and wages as low as $382 per month and a familial living cost of about $655 per month, many Zimbabweans do not have the financial stability to pay for doctor’s visits. 

In order to try and bridge this gap, the Nhaka Foundation has worked with local clinics and their nurses to carry out health assessments for ECD students in the schools they sponsor. The Nhaka team, along with a nurse goes to the schools and assesses the children’s health. Each child’s height and weight are recorded, and then the nurse tests the child’s heart rate, eyesight, and hearing. The nurse also inspects them for ringworm, which is becoming an overwhelming problem in rural schools, and other skin conditions. 

Once all the evaluations are done, the nurse and the team evaluate the results to see if there are any overwhelming problems with the children at the school, which, if any, children are facing malnutrition, and what medications are needed in order to improve the children’s health. The team then tries to come up with innovative ways to help the children be as healthy as possible. 

The Nhaka Foundation strives to “leave a lasting legacy” for the children of Zimbabwe. In order for a legacy to be made, children’s health and well being needs to be looked after. With the help from local clinics and nurses, the Nhaka Foundation strives to make sure the children are happy and healthy so each and every child can leave their own legacy. 

Until next time, 

Katie Shields 

Volunteer Intern

All about teacher training!

Hello Friends, 

Since you last heard from us, Nhaka Foundation had many great days out in the field, conducting teacher training. Everyone from Head Masters, to Teachers in Charge, to Early Childhood Development (ECD) teachers have gone through training workshops with Dr Lea Ann Christenson and the Nhaka team. These educators are already amazing at their job, and the purpose of Dr Lea Ann’s training was to re-emphasize the foundations of teaching ECD. She went over everything from how children learn, the importance of speaking two languages, Universal Design for Learning, Literacy, Pre-math, and tying it all together by having the teachers write a lesson plan with the information they learned during the training. 

In order to do so Dr Lea Ann had the teachers get creative by basing a lesson on a children’s edition of the Scholastic magazine that she handed out to every person at the training. Scholastic magazines are simple to read, non-fiction magazines that aid in children’s oral language development, and literacy. Each magazine is focused around a certain topic such as ants, classroom rules, and different holidays, like Valentine’s Day. While some of the magazines were the same, the teachers’ creative energies steered them in different ways to orchestrate a lesson they would teach. While every idea was different, each and every teacher made sure his or her lesson touched upon literacy, building academic language through specific vocabulary words, pre-math, and of course play! 

Dr Lea Ann and the teachers then also discussed how the lesson could be adapted through Universal Design for Learning (UDL). UDL is a framework to guide educators about the best ways to educate all children in the classroom, to make sure all children; even children with special needs understand the lesson taught in order to broaden each and every child’s horizon of knowledge. The fun of ECD training did not stop there! Dr Lea Ann also implemented teaching strategies that teachers could use in their classroom into the training. Tactics such as “turn and talk” where a question is asked, and then you turn to the person next to you to discuss possible answers. Switching the people you are working with in order to meet new friends to discuss possible answers with. 

And finally, what I think was the most fun was Dr Lee Ann drawing every name randomly out of a bowl to have the teachers come up and share a rhyme they sing in their classroom. Everyone at the training had a good laugh, while participating in singing and dancing to the rhymes, and most importantly, all the teachers learned new rhymes to bring back to their own classrooms.  Today’s children are tomorrow’s future. Teachers take up the outstanding duty to teach and train children in order to make sure their futures are bright and filled with knowledge. This teacher training reinforced skills that Zimbabwe’s teachers already know and use in order to motivate them to keep up the great work they are doing in educating our children. 

Until next time, 

Katie Shields 

Nhaka Volunteer 

WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS: Foods for Happy, Healthy Kids

"The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing."  

                                                                        -Walt Disney

Dark chocolate is one of my favorite foods.   A simple daily pleasure is enjoying several small pieces every afternoon.  Dark chocolate (look for chocolates with at least 70% and where cocoa, not sugar, is the first ingredient) promotes good moods, lowers blood pressures, and produces satiety.  

Dark chocolate

Recently I did a taste testing with some elementary age kids.  We compared several different kinds of dark chocolate, looking at the cocoa vs sugar contents.  The amazing thing was that almost all the kids preferred the dark chocolates where the first ingredient was cocoa, not sugar.  We did a “compare and contrast” between the dark chocolate and milk chocolate; when the kids left they had a solid understanding of why dark chocolate is a better food choice.

The fact is that besides being a delicious AND healthy treat, dark chocolate is one of the foods that promote good moods.  Here are more good mood-promoting foods for kids:

• Fruits and vegetables, especially dark-skinned berries such as blueberries and blackberries
• Oily fish such as wild salmon and tuna, which promote brain health
• Turmeric, the spice which makes curry yellow and contains some of the highest levels of anti-oxidants of any food on the planet

Ella Chabot (L) shopping for locally grown veggies at a farmers market in Johnson City, TN

Print the following list of ideas to bring healthy, good mood foods to your kitchen pantry, dinner table, and lunches for school or work:

1. Teach them about good foods such as dark chocolate, leafy green vegetables, and dark-skinned berries that promote good moods, increase focus, and prevent attention deficit disorder. 
2. Give them a day a week when they get to plan a dinner for the family. 
3. Shop together at your local farmers market (find one near you at www.localharvest.org).
4. Buy age-appropriate kitchen tools and invite your children to chop and cut vegetables and fruits with you (a favorite choice in the Growing Healthy Kids Test Kitchen is  always the lemon squeezer).
5. Give your kids choices ("Do you want to cut up red peppers or snow peas?")

Veggies for happy, healthy kids 

Create healthy, lifelong memories with your children by ensuring they have access to good foods.  

In gratitude,

Nancy L. Heinrich, MPH

Founder, Growing Healthy Kids

Equipping Teachers

Dear Friends,

The Team at Nhaka Foundation has been busy with preparations for our training workshops with Heads, Teachers in Charge (TICs) and ECD teachers and will be held on the 1^st,5^th 6^th and 7^th of  July respectively. The training workshops shall be facilitated by Dr Lee Ann Christenson, an Associate Professor in the Early Childhood Development Department, at Townson University, in the United States of America and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary’s Goromonzi District Trainer Mrs Mushawatu. We anticipate that teachers, Heads and TICs from the fourteen schools we work with will be in attendance. 

Our aim for the ECD teacher training workshops is to increase the capacity of teachers to enable them to meet the developmental needs of their students, to facilitate dialogue between teachers concerning teaching techniques as well as to aid teachers to develop their ability to innovate with media. In addition, our aim with the Heads and TICs workshops are to conscientise these individuals on the importance of Early Childhood Development (ECD) and to develop their ability spread awareness about the benefits of ECD to parents and caregivers. 

When ECD was implemented in 2005 under the recommendations of the Presidential Commission Inquiry on Education and Training or better known as the Nziramasanga Commission, there was very little understanding about its importance. Although many have begun to understand the importance of ECD there still remain many misconceptions about ECD and misunderstanding among some community stakeholders and parents. It is essential that key stakeholders, parents and caregivers understand that ECD is more than just about children playing. 

Children at very young ages learn through play. Play develops their physical and cognitive abilities. Many naysayers of ECD argue that it is merely an extra cost for schools and serves no purpose as children just play all day. However, ECD is the foundation of all future learning and for future academic success of any child. Our teacher training is part of efforts to campion the importance of ECD and to ensure that teachers and educators can spread the word about the pivotal role of ECD.   

This is why at Nhaka Foundation we are partnering with ECD experts in order to provide the neccesary tools to equip the teachers working with young children in communities.

Until next time,

Shona Musimbe

Media/Programs Intern

WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS: The Recipe for Happy, Healthy Kids

"Most cooks try to learn by making dishes.  Doesn't mean you can cook.  It means you can make that dish.  When you can cook is when you can go to a farmers market, buy a bunch of stuff, then go home and make something without looking at a recipe. Now you're cooking." 

                                                                                       --Tom Colicchio

What are the essential ingredients that parents need to ensure their children are both happy AND healthy?  Keep the following ingredients on hand at all times:

• A house filled with love and respect
• A kitchen where kids can learn to cook
• A family dinner table to eat together as a family most nights of the week and to share gratitude
• Hugs and laughter (unlimited quantities)
• Fresh, seasonal vegetables and fruits (more vegetables than fruits)
• Regular bedtimes so kids get enough sleep every night (key to helping kids AND adults stay at a healthy weight)
• The habit of turning off all computers and digital devices at least one hour before bedtime

By keeping your house and pantry well stocked with the above ingredients, you are well on your way to ensuring your children are healthy for their lifetime.

Wellness Wednesdays is celebrating its 300^th article for parents with this recipe.  As we approach our nation's Independence Day, celebrate your family and create your own recipes for healthy foods, healthy children, and healthy lives.  

Connect with local farmers at your local farmers markets.*  Teach your children about the benefits of eating locally grown foods from farmers who use non-GMO seeds and organic farming methods.  Celebrate health.  Celebrate life!

In gratitude,

Nancy Heinrich

Founder, Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.

*To find a farmers market near you, go to www.localharvest.org or click here.

International Day of the African Child 2016

The day of the African Child 

The 16^th of June commemorated the International Day of the African Child across the globe. This day was designated by the African Union in 1991 to reemphasise the importance of the rights of African children and to bring awareness to the problems facing children across the continent. African children across our continent are presented by severe danger now more than ever. In Nigeria Boko Haram continues to attack villages within the North East of Nigeria. In Libya civil war continues to rage on and in neighbouring Egypt continued instability threatens the lives of young children. The East of Africa does not fare much better than their West and North African counterparts with continued civil war in Northern Uganda and increased instability at the Ethiopian and Eritrean borders. 

Although currently less conflict prone Southern Africa is also faced by numerous crises. Since 2014 Southern African countries including Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa and Malawi have suffered prolonged periods of drought and crop failure due to the effects of El Nino. El Nino refers to the abnormal warming of water temperatures in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean that result in extreme changes in climate around the globe. The El Nino phenomenon has been worsened by climate change.  According to the Food Aid Organization (FAO), Southern Africa has been hit by the worst El Nino event in the last 50 years. Lesotho, Malawi and Zimbabwe have all declared national disasters due to the severe drought, consequent crop failure and food shortages. With this is mind it is important to remember that in every conflict and crisis that currently faces African countries it is the children that suffer the most. Children are our most valuable assets but also our most vulnerable. Conflict and crisis have made it difficult to ensure that children’s rights as stipulated by the legal frameworks of the African Charter of Children’s Rights (ACCR) and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCR) are respected. The purpose of reflecting on the condition of our continent is not to champion the narrative of the doomed African continent but to emphasize the plight of children across our entire continent.  

 At Nhaka Foundation we have witnessed the effects of El Nino and climate change on children’s rights to adequate and culturally appropriate food in our own country Zimbabwe first hand. During our interactions with teachers within the Goromonzi district many recount how students walk long distances of about 8 kilometers to and from school having had nothing to eat. The situation is so bad that some pupils arrive at school so hungry that they faint. The responsibility to protect and to ensure that children are protected in crisis is not just up to the government and organizations but to society at large. As the old African saying goes, “It takes a village to raise a child”. Many repeat the age old statement “children are the future”. However, we forget that the quality of life children enjoy will influence the type of future they have and the leaders they become. A child’s situation today shapes their tomorrow.  

The IDAC is not only designated to bring awareness to the importance of protecting the rights of African children but also to celebrate their achievements and dignity. The majority of images that are disseminated by the media often misrepresent the African child. The images the world sees of African children are usually those of dirty, naked vulnerable or starving children, though true, this is not the only one side of the African Child’s story. African children are also strong, valuable members of the global community with so much more to contribute to the world if given the chance and opportunity. 

At Nhaka Foundation we believe that African children are just as important as any other children in the various parts of the world and they also deserve to be treated as such. On this day as we celebrate African children’s lives, their resilience and their achievements. Let us also honour and remember the memory of those African children whose lives were cut short whilst the world watched and those that endeavour to uphold the rights of all children.

Until next time,

Shona Musimbe

Media and Programs Intern

A birth certificate: the Right to Identity

Dear Friends,

Under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCR), of which Zimbabwe is a signatory, every child has the right to a name and a nationality. Under the birth and death Registration Act [5:02] of Zimbabwe it is mandatory to register the birth of a child within six weeks of their birth. The responsibility of registering the birth of a child is placed on the parents however society places this duty more on the mother. Under this law the occupier of the house the child is born in, headman in the village, caregiver, hospital officials, and any other person above 18 present at the birth can register the birth of a child.  Although a birth certificate may seem insignificant particularly to individuals who have them they serve many purposes and are essential to a child’s survival. 

Without a birth certificate children are vulnerable and susceptible to human trafficking by people who target vulnerable groups. Furthermore, without a birth certificate a child grows up stateless; meaning they do not belong to a nation and cannot vote, obtain any other national documents, be a beneficiary of certain state benefits, enrol into school or enter a civil marriage. To secure employment formally in Zimbabwe one requires an identity card and without a birth certificate as adults these children will not be able to take identity cards. Thus, without a birth certificate a child can never be formally employed as an adult. If a child under 18 without a birth certificate commits a serious crime and is liable to serve jail time the child will serve a sentence in a prison with adults as they cannot prove their age. Furthermore, there are certain sentences such as the death penalty that cannot be given to a child under 18. However, without a birth certificate to prove they are a child they can be sentenced to death. This document is therefore, an important tool in ensuring that children’s rights are respected in a court of law. Despite the importance of this document, according to UNICEF, one- in- three children under the age of five in the world are denied this right and do not have birth certificates.  According to a 1998 study done by UNICEF globally, rural populations have less access to legal registration and rural children are among the highest numbers without birth certificates. 

Recently, the Nhaka Foundation programs team held a parenting meeting at Mwanza Primary School in conjunction with the Legal Resources Foundation (LRF) to discuss the issue of birth certificates affecting the community. During this meeting parents themselves also expressed how a birth certificate secures rights to a lot of other documents such as a passport. In addition, many children without birth certificates in the Goromonzi area have had to drop out of school when they reach Grade 7 or are sent back to lower grades because they cannot register for the ZIMSEC examination.  A representative of the Legal Resources Foundation pointed out that, often parents realise the importance of this document too late such as when it is required for the child to register for the national final primary examination at grade 7 or when a child is meant to travel abroad. LRF also explained to parents that a birth certificate allows children to participate in national sports activities and when they are older they may be able to participate in global events. Without a birth certificate young children are vulnerable not only today but also in future. An education is a valuable asset but without a birth certificate many opportunities will be closed off. 

One issue that must not be overlooked is the role of parents and families. Children‘s development and their future successes are integrally linked to their families and parents. Speaking to parents at Mwanza revealed that parents wanted to secure this right for their children but there were several obstacles that prevented them. Each situation was unique and often complicated. Some parents explained that they did not have birth certificates themselves, and had no living relatives to attest to the fact that they knew of their birth parents and birthplace. Others were guardians of children whose living relatives had abandoned them or whose parents had died. 

In situations where a child does not have a birth certificate the role of the parent is paramount as they must not give up in order to secure their child’s future. Parents must attempt to pursue all avenues in order to ensure that their children have this right although processes may often be complicated and long. Parents must look ahead and at the end goal that a birth certificate will give their children an opportunity to succeed. At Nhaka Foundation we believe in leaving an inheritance for the next generation that will help them in their own endeavours and aid them in reaching their full potential long after their parents and guardians are long gone. A birth certificate is part of leaving a lasting legacy for the next generation. 

Until next time,

Shona Musimbe,

Programs/Media Intern

Nhaka Foundation 

Team Nhaka loves to play!

Dear Friends,

On Saturday 28 May 2016, children across the globe will celebrate World Play Day. World Play Day is a day set aside on the International Children’s Calendar to celebrate play by the United Nations. With the help of various partners and well- wishers Nhaka Foundation is commemorating World Play Day by having a sports day for the Early Childhood Development (ECD) pupils at St Dominic’s Nora Primary School (26 May 2016), Mwanza Primary School (27 May 2016) and Dudzu Primary School (1 June 2016) in Mashonaland East, in the Goromonzi District.  

Nhaka Foundation as an organisation driven by child education, we are excited for the upcoming World Play Day as this day commemorates the importance of incorporating play in ECD education. Play is crucial in a child’s development and to promote every child’s right to play it is set out in Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the child. On the event children will be given a chance to play while they learn skills like fine motor skills, hand and eye coordination through the activities of the day. Our main goal is to encourage play as a way of learning and leave this as an ongoing sustainable exercise to be done by the schools and communities independently. 

Play is the child's language and play is a fun, enjoyable activity that elevates children’s spirits and brightens their outlook on life. It expands self-expression, self-knowledge, self-actualization and self-efficacy, it stimulates creative thinking and exploration, regulating their emotions, and boosts their confidence and ego. (Landreth, 2002). Play therefore provides us with a bridge or universal language and a common forum for interacting with children. 

Zimbabwe has taken a step in incorporating play in its ECD curriculum. Play is particularly important in the Southern African context where most of our children below the age of 6 have limited or often no access to early childhood development opportunities. It is important to recognise that the type of play and games differ according to cultural context. These games can be form of cultural socialisation and instil in the children a form of cultural sensibility. For example I remember growing up I used to play mahumbwe with a lot of my friends and we would make mud pies and practice cooking sadza which we had seen older women doing. In addition, play allows us to practice skills and roles needed for survival. Learning and development are clearly best fostered through play (Russ, 2004).

Going along with this year’s theme for World Play Day, “Play is for all ages” meaning even for adults, play isn’t just for children it’s for adults too. Play is an opportunity to explore new ways of learning and gives adults a chance to connect with their inner child. Play relieves feelings of stress and boredom, connects us to children in a positive way. Children are not miniature adults, they have their own language which is play if we as adults want to get the best out of them, and we better learn to speak with them in a language they understand. 

Play is also one of the most used therapeutic technics when doing intervention with children in a technique called ‘play therapy’, this is whereby play tools such as anatomically correct dolls for sexual abuse victims therapy and children’s court interventions. For physical therapy instruments such as sand balls are used for rehabilitation. 

In conclusion we encourage parents, grandparents, teachers and the community at large to play with their children and stimulate their learning abilities. So let us remember 28 May 2016 we encourage you to tag @Nhakafoundation on our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages on all the fun activities you have with your loved ones on World Play Day.

Millicent Katsande

Social Worker/Programs Intern

Feeding the children

Hello Friends,

Today I would like us to talk about health and nutrition. Nutrition has been called the single greatest environmental influence on babies in the womb and during infancy, and it remains essential throughout the first years of life. A proper balance of nutrients in this formative period is critical for normal brain development.  Shortages of nutrients such as iron and iodine can impair cognitive and motor development, and these effects are often irreversible. Nutrition is also an important part of academic success and physical development. In vulnerable communities children often attend school without having had anything to eat and spend the whole day at school on an empty stomach. In the rural communities we work in, teachers highlight how difficult it is for some of the pupils to concentrate during class when they are hungry. When we conduct our regular health assessments one can clearly observe stunted growth due to malnutrition in some of the pupils. To mitigate this challenge, Nhaka Foundation with the help of its partners and the rural communities in the Mashonaland East Province is currently implementing a Health Assessment Program and a wet School Feeding Program in primary schools. 

Each day pupils receive a traditional, highly nutritious drink called maheu at break time. 

Maheu consist of a blend of maize meal, sorghum and water and has since time immemorial been used as a meal on the go. It has a high roughage content making it a food and a drink at the same time which can be taken at any time of the day. Maheu also have a high nutritional content with 12 vitamins and nutrients, which guarantees the health and development of the children having it on a daily basis.The kids love it and seeing them drink and enjoy the drink is enough reward for me. As Programs Officer part of my job is ensuring the food drink is delivered timeously and that it is being served according to agreed food and health standards. I am so passionate about the feeding program that the kids now call me “Mr Maheu”.

Our organisation’s mission;, “to educate, feed and improve the health of orphans and vulnerable children” is put to the test in a climate where millions are facing hunger due to political, socio-economic challenges which have been exacerbated by two consecutive drought seasons between 2015 and 2016. In order to ensure that the feeding program is sustained past the intervention period Nhaka Foundation seeks to provide a nutritional solution that will not only address the immediate need to provide food relief but also have an option that can be replicated in the communities that we serve. This is why we chose Maheu. Since maheu has been made for decades communities know how to grow the ingredients as well as make it. They can therefore come together to as a collective to feed the children on a continuous basis. 

I would like to leave you with this thought I read from the Journal of Nutrition (2010); the long-term health and vitality of entire nations depends on the wellbeing of its individual children. As an organisation with the support of local and international partners we seek to provide our children with the fair opportunity to grow and develop just as well as they privileged peers, through the use of sustainable methods that can be replicated with ease.

Best wishes,

Garikai 

A view from the Finance Desk

Hello Friends,

I am happy to be blogging today, something we finance people rarely get to do. Creating child safe environments is a dynamic process that involves active participation and responsibility by everyone in the community – individuals, families, government and non-government organisations and community groups. Sharing responsibility for the care and protection of children helps to develop a stronger, more child-focused community. 

A community conscious of safe spaces for its children can: 

• care for all children; 
• identify vulnerable children; support children who have been abused and neglected; 
• and prevent further harm to children. 

At Nhaka Foundation our programs help communities and schools to provide safe environments for children. Through our Early Childhood Development (ECD) outdoor playground equipment construction and ECD Classroom renovation we have been able to create a safe playing environment for ECD pupils. A child's environment affects their development and behavior. A well-planned, indoor and outdoor environment makes it easier for children to learn, to get along with one another and become independent. Effective environments can also make things easier for the parents, teachers and guardians. Be it a school or home setting, a positive learning environment is crucial for a child. A positive learning environment not only consists of the physical setting, but it also encompasses how the child feels or responds to the setting.

What I have learnt through the work we do at Nhaka Foundation? Young children need teachers who take time to work with them individually, in small groups, and sometimes with the entire class–to help them develop their cognitive and social skills, their language abilities, and their interest in learning new things about the world. Through our ECD para professional and teacher training program teachers receive in service training to build their capacity in line with child development trends. The focus of a child safe environment is not simply to create an environment that minimises risk or danger. Rather it is about building an environment which is both child-safe and child-friendly, where children feel respected, valued and encouraged to reach their full potential.

A lot still needs to be done in the communities we serve. Being the "number cruncher" means that I get to see how we spend our funding directly on the children we serve each and every day. We need more and you can help in your individual or collective efforts. Visit our webpage DONATE button and partner with us as we carry out this work.

Until next time,

Viviane

Special needs education: Creating an inclusive learning environment

Dear Friends,

In recent weeks we have worked with a number of children that need support through special needs education. As we have interacted with communities and teachers we have noticed a few things that need to be addressed urgently. Firstly, the teachers are not adequately trained to support children with special needs especially when it comes to providing them with support. Secondly the schools are not resourced well enough to ensure that the children enjoy their right to education alongside their compatriots. According to the Constitution of Zimbabwe every child has the right to education.  All children are included in this clause regardless of the fact that they have special needs or not. Special needs education refers to children who have learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for them to learn than most children of the same age. Many children will have special needs of some kind at some time during their education. (http://www.nidirect.gov.uk/what-are-special-educational-needs).  The UN General Assembly held in March 1994 outlined in relation to standard rules on the equalisation of opportunities for persons with disabilities: “Education in mainstream schools presupposes the provision of interpreter and other appropriate support services. Adequate accessibility and support services, designed to meet the needs of persons with different disabilities should be provided”

In order to ensure that children with special needs have access to the same level of education as a child otherwise classified as normal child inclusive education has been adopted.

UNESCO views inclusive education as implying four key terms:

1. “It is essentially a process of looking for the most appropriate ways of responding to diversity, as well as of trying to learn from differences.
2. It is linked to the motivation and development, through multiple strategies of students’ creativity and their capacity to address and resolve problems.
3. It comprises the right of the child to attend school, express his/her opinion, experience quality learning and attain valuable learning outcomes.
4. It implies the moral responsibility of prioritising those students who are at risk of being marginalised and excluded from school, and of obtaining low learning outcomes.”

Despite being more vulnerable to developmental risks, young children with disabilities are often overlooked in mainstream programmes and services designed to ensure child development. They also do not receive the specific support required to meet their rights and needs. Children with disabilities and their families are confronted by barriers including inadequate legislation and policies, negative attitudes, inadequate services, and lack of accessible environments. If children with developmental delays or disabilities and their families are not provided with timely and appropriate early intervention, support and protection, their difficulties can become more severe, often leading to lifetime consequences, increased poverty and profound exclusion. All Early Childhood Development, Education and Human Rights actors should therefore commit to advancing not only the needs of children but also give special attention to the area of inclusive education. 

As part of Nhaka Foundation’s contribution to supporting inclusive education and ensuring that children with special needs are able to achieve their full educational potential we are committed to assist this cause by facilitating the identification, assessment and documenting of children with special needs in the areas that we work in. Nhaka Foundation undertakes to support District Officers in the Department of Social Services to assist children with special needs access education. Finally, we also seek to raise awareness in communities on the right to education for all children including those with special needs and the importance of allowing these children the same opportunity to reach their full potential as their able bodied peers.

Lets all work to promote the interests of EVERY child!

Best wishes,

Charity

GROWING HEALTHY KIDS: WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS: Breakfast Matters

GROWING HEALTHY KIDS: WELLNESS WEDNESDAYS: Breakfast Matters: "Children are our most valuable resource."                 -- Herbert Hoover, 31st President of the United States W...

Increasing access to food during the drought season

Hello Friends,

The continuous dry spells the country is experiencing has led to an emergency predicament on household food security. In recent meetings, non-governmental organisations have been coming together to find solutions to mitigate the effects of the drought exacerbated by the El Nino phenomenon. In light of this, Nhaka Foundation has to answer a lot of questions internally as we work towards identifying immediate solutions to the hunger faced by children and caregivers alike. The most recurring question in our team conversations has been; how do we as an organisation continue to provide access to education, food and health services for the children in light of the funding challenges faced by many organisations in the country?

According to the Lean Season Monitoring Report released in January 2016, the Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZimVAC) assess that the effects of the drought are far reaching and are extremely visible in the rural areas. Grain prices have gone up by 35% nationally meaning people will have to pay more for very little.  Livestock prices have plummeted as farmers seek ways to get income in order to buy basic necessities for their families. Previously, cattle could be sold for at least US$380 on the market, now sales have gone down to as little as US$80, a necessary give away as farmers feel they would rather sell their cattle for very little instead of watching them starve to death (ZimVAC, January 2016, pp. 50-51). 

Social behavioural change is also a result stemming from the current situation. An article published by Her Zimbabwe in September 2015 refers to the increase in child marriages being attributed to by poverty as opposed cultural reasons and makes mention of surveys conducted by UNFPA. This is further corroborated by the surveys carried out in the ZimVAC report (ZimVAC, January 2016, p. 42) which attests to an increase in child marriages as parents are marrying off their daughters as a way to firstly ensure that their child will be taken care of and secondly earn some income in order to support the remaining family. As misguided as this is, the bride price creates a source of income for the families. The same report also states; issues of gender based violence, physical or sexual are more frequent with an increasing number of reported cases of domestic violence. Suicide rates have also increased.

One of the interventions Nhaka Foundation undertakes is a primary schools feeding program. The program ensures that each child in the schools that we support goes into the classroom and has the opportunity to maximise their potential and participates in classroom activities. Teachers at the different schools we support attest to the fact that absenteeism is decreasing, participation is improving and evident health conditions that spread quickly such as skin infections have improved. In order to increase a child’s potential to succeed through ECD enrolment we address issues of child protection and other pertinent social issues through continuous engagement with parents, community leaders and other stakeholders. However, these parenting programs need to be worth their while as parents are under increased pressure to find food for their families. This is a challenge Nhaka Foundation is seeking creative solutions to address. 

With the continued assistance of our donors, friends and supporters, we will continue offering support programs that continue to push our vision to create a nation with young children living a life full of possibilities even amidst the current challenges facing our nation.

Until next time,

Charity

Joy of being in the field daily...

Hello Nhaka Friends,

My name is Glenda Takavadii and I work as a Senior Program Officer at Nhaka Foundation. My work is to primarily ensure that our programs are all being implemented according to the agreed plans and timelines.This means that I get to spend a lot of time in the field and I absolutely love it! I am one of those people who easily get bored with monotonous work, so I am thankful that in my work, every day is different from the one before. I plan my work a week in advance and am always guided by the overall Nhaka Program Implementation plan. I mostly enjoy being in the field because the team and I get to implement the programs, converse with communities and see the impact the programs we deliver are making on the ground.

The programs we implement at Nhaka Foundation bring in a lot of value into the meaning of life. Being in the field working alongside poor communities is not for the faint hearted because anything and everything can happen anytime and you have to be proactive, responsive and be sensitive to communities. The roads we use to reach the communities are nothing short of prominent gullies and craters that are on dirt roads. A journey that is supposed to take 30 minutes can easily take twice or thrice as much time due to the effects of gully erosion, non maintenance and the like. The scenery however compensates for the bad roads.  The views are breath taking and sometimes you can temporarily forget about the troubles of the world. 

I remember that on my first field visit at Nhaka Foundation our truck decided to sever the power steering cable just after we had left the city and turning back was not an option for the determined duo. Truth be told I also didn’t want my boss to think I had failed on my first field visit ;). My job also involves field research which entails assessments of the schools and communities we serve, looking at their current needs, their ability to respond and areas in which the team may come in to assist. Some of the schools we work with are in the most vulnerable and poor rural communities. The difficult part about my job, I would say, is keeping my emotions in-check, even when the situation on the ground is dire and you have no idea where the funding will come from to assist or be part of creating a solution together with the communities.

At the end of the day knowing that our programs and collective work with the help from our partners and the high involvement and participation of the guardians and caregivers of children, makes it all worth it. 

Best wishes,

Glenda

Education in Zimbabwe

Dear Friends,

The long term impact of the neglect of the education system cannot be under-estimated and will impede Zimbabwe's ability to revive and develop. Adult literacy rates are still estimated at over 90%, but this may plummet to 70% by 2020 if completion rate and quality do not rise or 2nd chance education programmes be offered to youth who have left the school system. Due to the macro economic pressures that are currently obtaining in the country, parents are struggling to pay fees/levies for their children in schools.  According to a new report, http://www.theafricareport.com/Southern-Africa/zimbabwes-education-sector-in-crisis.html,  the dropout rate was 43 percent higher than the previous year. Basic Education Assistance Module (BEAM), meant to assist children from poor families with school fees, is failing to cope with the increasing demand. The report gives the dropout figures as 2,289 for secondary and 2,784 for primary of which 52% at secondary and 40% at primary level were females.

Currently the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education has been working on a new curriculum whose zero draft has been now a centre of discussion. Besides the discussions on the new curriculum there are also various issues that have been discussed within the Education sector which include the construction of over 2,500 new schools in newly resettled areas so as to increase access to education for all children, training and deployment of qualified early childhood development teachers to schools that have established the required early childhood development classes and increasing awareness and knowledge on the importance of inclusive education and ensuring that children with special education needs are catered for at all times. Organisations that work to promote the education of girls have also been advocating for strategies that promote the retention of students in school especially girls. 

Early Childhood Development

Early childhood education was introduced after independence in 1980 through the National Early Childhood Development (NECD) program which was aimed primarily at pre-school children in rural areas who had never had access to these services. A community development approach underpinned the roll out of the ECD centres. With limited focus on minimum criteria, and lack of capacity at community level to make significant contributions, the standard of facilities and activities varied substantially. There now has been a great improvement in the provision of ECD services in the country through the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education that has made it a priority for resource provision such as deployment of qualified ECD teachers as well as training programs for teachers and parents through the structures.

In 2004, a national review of the education system recommended that ECD be integrated into education structures rather than running parallel to them. A national survey conducted in 2007 indicated that 95 per cent of primary schools had ECD facilities, but among 5,059 preschools surveyed, 61 per cent did not have buildings. MoESAC now estimate that most primary schools (97%) do have some kind of ECD provisions but facilities and resources, especially teachers and associated costs remains a major challenge. By 2015 Zimbabwe seeks to offer two years of ECD education in all primary schools and increase enrolment so that 90% of 5 year old children attend, currently only 48% of 5 year olds do. Concern has been raised over (i) the acute shortage of qualified ECD teachers (a play centred methodology is used which differs from the standard primary school pedagogic approach) and (ii) parental costs, given the high prevailing poverty rates and absence of free or low cost services.

Most schools have no classrooms for the ECD children. The number of children in each class was too large failing to meet the recommended teacher-pupils ratio of 1:20. In most provinces it was found that there was a critical shorted of trained teachers with ECD qualifications. Overall, the ECD A and B classes are being manned by untrained staff (para-professionals) a practice which militates against attainment of quality education. Most primary schools visited lacked age appropriate toilets, WASH facilities and furniture for the 3-5 year old children, play equipment for outdoor area, toys and indoor learning materials. On health and nutrition the analysis revealed that many ECD centres in primary schools did not give children food at school and in some cases the children had no food. Some of the children were infested with soil transmitted helminthiasis [STH) and schistosomiasis (SCH) worm-parasites which affect the growth and development of children.

Conclusion

More still needs to be done to revive the education sector in the country. Financial resources need to be strategically deployed to ensure that students in the country have access to great educational opportunities. At Nhaka Foundation we advocate for equal learning opportunities for all children. We strive to ensure that children have access to education facilities, great teaching as well as quality, holistic programming that supports the total development of a child.

Patrick Makokoro

Cooling off at school this summer!

Hello Friends,

Summer is here and so comes the heat! Nhaka Foundation is proud to be in partnership with Ruffs Kitchens which supports the daily feeding program in some of the schools we operate in seeing about 5 174 children being fed every single day! As summer beckons the children will be receiving 500ml of the nutritious traditional drink called maheu. Served as a cold and refreshing beverage this drink surely does refresh the children.

We have been working hard the past couple of months on various fronts. The team has been implementing various interventions through the early childhood program such as classroom renovations, health screenings to help with early identification of disease, parenting meetings to promote great parenting practices amongst parents and caregivers as well as working with schools to establish outdoor playground centres for the early childhood development classes.

I have also been out and about on the regional and international front, working with various partners to promote access to early childhood development for children living in difficult circumstance across Africa and around the world. This work has certainly broadened my view especially of the work we are currently implementing in Zimbabwe and also opened up different lessons that I have brought home for adaptation and implementation in the communities we work in. 

Follow some of the regional work we have been involved  here  as well as read about us in articles that we have contributed to such as in the ACEI Childhood Explorer Summer 2015 issue by clicking  here . As a learning organization we are happy to be part of various initiatives that will ensure that children will enjoy a brighter future that opens up a whole lot of possibilities for their lives.

Until next time,

Patrick

Rocking Zimbabwe forward

Dear Friends,

Forgive me, it has been quite some time since I  put up my thoughts on this blog. The past couple of months have been filled with a lot of activity and movement within the Team Nhaka family. The work we carry out in the communities continue to hold a lot of meaning as lives are transformed and children have a better shot of opportunities that exist for them in the world. The passion, energy and commitment that the Team has always puts a smile on my face and makes me want to work even harder each day. 

2014 was a very busy year for Nhaka Foundation and the trend is set to continue in this new year judging by what has transpired so far. The team is working on finalising the 2014 annual report which will be posted shortly on the website and sent directly to our partners and friends. Just having reviewed the report myself, I am amazed by the commitment of the team members but more importantly by the resolve that communities have to solve their own local level challenges. Where in some districts children are not enjoying the power of play, this is not the case in the district we are working in. Parents have mobilised themselves and constructed outdoor playground equipment using locally available resources. Parents are coming together to load scotch carts with bricks, river sand, pit sand and are carrying drums of water so that an early childhood development classroom is either constructed right from the ground or is renovated with support from Nhaka Foundation and its partners.

Nhaka Foundation believes in the power of working together, collaborative approaches to community development as well as in the use of appreciative inquiry to build up the positive strengths that exist in the communities so that the lives of children do not remain the same. It does take a village to raise a child, thus when everyone comes together to work towards one goal, the children of that community benefit more.

In 2014 we continued work with our amazing partners in Ruffs Kitchens who have committed to building more feeding stations and tripling the number of children that receive a guaranteed meal each day. 7 schools are currently being supported resulting in over 3 500 children receiving a meal at school each day. If you dont see that as awesome and out of this world, I don’t know what will… We are grateful for this kind of support and what it is doing to the children and communities in Goromonzi. 

Our friends from Rock Africa supported the construction of a two classroom block at one of the schools in the District and already over 150 children are benefitting from the use of the classrooms. In 2015 they have committed to supporting after school discipleship clubs that will see children being mentored and discipled!. Exciting kingdom work!

We have had some staff movements, as we restructure our operations to improve efficiencies and ensure that we are able to reach out to more children.

This my friends, kicks off the blog for 2015!

Best,

Patrick

Our children, smile laugh and cry!

Dear friends,

I am delighted to share that we have over the past 10 months been able to streamline our work, have better operational efficiencies and reaching out to more children. 

We are grateful for true partnerships that join hands with us and work to support the lives of children in Zimbabwe. Last night I had a conversation with one of the respected citizens of Zimbabwe and she took me back memory lane to the things that this country used to do to ensure that children are safe and living in secure environments. Some of the information she shared was from back in the day and I could not relate to it because I was not born yet! As much as these mechanisms of childcare where developed in the colonial period, the new government failed to maintain the systems that ensured that the poor and vulnerable children would be taken care of. Now that is really sad…

When I reflect on the work that we are doing at Nhaka Foundation, I see how as a team we are working to reweaving these mechanisms and trying to get communities to take more responsibility to look after their children. Granted this is not an overnight process, we will continue to claw away and ensure that communities value children, respect their wishes and creates friendly spaces for them to play and learn.

When we look at life, how many of us wish that our children do well in life and that they become happy, responsible and productive individuals, citizens, members of society, members of families, leaders, parents and brothers and sisters? This off course should be what everyone cherishes and have as a dream. Are we doing enough to help our children, to ensure that they have all the opportunities available to them?

Im our daily hustle and bustle do we to pause to think and reflect on the fact that our children also have a human side that craves for hugs, smiles, laughter, love and bonding? Are we getting too busy for these basic yet most important aspects in the development of children? 

The above all starts in early life and it is important for us all to invest into the early years of our children.

Until next time,

Patrick

Catching up...

Hello friends,

These are exciting times at Nhaka Foundation. A lot of things have been going on in all facets of the organisation i.e from Admin to Programs. We are grateful to you our friends and partners for the journey that we are taking together. 

Since my last update/post, I have travelled around the country looking at various initiatives that are being undertaken by organisations as well as the various efforts being made by various individuals to promote the wellbeing of the Zimbabwean children. I have also been honoured to meet with various funders who are looking for ways to support the Zimbabwean cause targeted at ensuring that our littlest and most vulnerable children receive the support that they need so that they live happy and fulfilling lives.

Apart from taking a physical journey, I have also been travelling, this time in my spirit. My relationship with God has grown tremendously particularly as I have quiet moments, ruminate on the word of God, the promises He has made over my life and indeed the Word He has spoken over Nhaka Foundation. It is true friends, God watches over His word to perform it. Many of you know of the testimony of Nhaka Foundation and I am proud to say that indeed God is watching over His word and it is springing to life.

When one looks around and at best looks deeply into the Zimbabwean situation, we see no end in sight. We see suffering, we see children not going to school, not having three square meals a day, not prospering, lack of health services, increased maternal mortality, children heading households, an economy that has spiralled out of control. These are the daily heartaches that we are having to wake up to and the realities that we have to face. When shall we live in a Zimbabwe that has abundance for all, a society that is just and whose rulers are fair? I have been spending a lot of time also with my seniors, people who saw the sun decades before i did...trying to delve into their minds, getting wisdom and knowledge at the same time. Interesting journey this has been.

So what is consuming your time, your mind and where are the treasures of your heart? I know a lot of you will be starting up a conversation with me about this..lets talk! remember you can drop me an email on patrick@nhakafoundation.org. Thank you for the conversations that we continue to have. 

Join the discussions on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and be part of the work we are doing in Zimbabwe!

Be blessed!

Patrick

News from KLRN Education

KLRN’s Education Initiatives
Maricella Borroel
Director of Education

KLRN’s Education Department creatively engages and inspires lifelong learning as we present free high quality workshops, experiences, and as we deliver resources to the community.

The station continues to grow its early childhood programs for children birth to age five—reaching their families and formal caregivers. KLRN delivers community-based family strengthening services that prepare children to enter school ready to learn and prepared to succeed. KLRN believes there is power in sharing experiences, information, and ideas. When caregivers learn more about child development, they learn how to promote literacy and school readiness through every day activities.

In 2013, KLRN served over 2,150 adults and children at 260 enrichment activities. Enrichment activities, like Play & Learn, teach adults practical strategies to support children’s holistic development and explore the borderless classroom. As we build engaging experiences, adults learn more about their role as a teacher, advocate, and nutritionist resulting in stronger, healthier families.

As a partner in Education, KLRN is committed to strengthening the quality of childcare throughout San Antonio. The station delivers free professional development opportunities for formal caregivers via Training Through Television, Super Saturday Trainings, and Little Bites, Big Steps workshops. Since 2013, the station has awarded over 3000 training hours. KLRN engages caregivers, offers support, and encourages their professional development. Early childhood teachers return to their classrooms empowered and prepared to create stimulating, nurturing, and developmentally appropriate experiences for children in their care.

KLRN’s Healthy Kids Project supports healthy lifestyles by influencing eating decisions and physical activities as we share media resources and lesson plans with educators. As children’s dietary behaviors are formed early, it is important that they take ownership of their personal eating and fitness habits. In School Year 2013, Harlandale ISD and Edgewood ISD participated in the school based phase of Healthy Kids. To learn more, visit us here.

KLRN knows creative, interactive experiences engages students and inspires teachers. As school budgets are becoming leaner, many campuses are eliminating field trips. By delivering Dinosaur George- Museum in the Classroom on campus, KLRN cultivates a collective activity for students, faculty and families.

We thank you for taking the time to learn more about our educational initiatives. Being a part of the community has constantly motivated us to be more for you, to design and to deliver high quality experiences, and to continue searching for opportunities where we can all connect together. KLRN is committed to helping all children, their families, and their teachers thrive. We offer experiences because we believe every child is special and deserves a positive, supportive learning experience. I would invite you to reach out me so that I can share more information about our efforts.