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Learning Becomes Easier for Children in Zimbabwe
He had difficulty concentrating on what the teacher was saying. Before beginning the 6 km walk to school, there had been no food available for breakfast. His back ached from sitting on the dirt floor with 97 other students in the cement building and it was difficult to share one textbook with five classmates. This future Zimbabwean leader needed help. Full story here...
An aging cement structure, home to the Ruwa Primary School sits in the south African sun. Approximately 500 school-aged students were soon to emerge from its doors and break for lunch. Some fortunate students had a few Zim coins to buy lunch, others brought a packed meal, and many would wait to see if there would be any food at home after school. A few distressed boys and girls would be asked not to return until their monthly school fees were paid. Their siblings were probably at home because parents could not afford educational costs including the required school uniform amounting to $100 USD for each child.
Learning is a financial burden for many families in a developing country where the unemployment rate is 50% and about 60% of the people live below the poverty line. As there are more students in the cities, the government's limited resources are not enough to adequately support rural school programs. The financial responsiblity of these year round programs then falls on already stuggling communities.
Originally from Cape Town, South Africa, Rev. Stewart and Gail Diesel-Reynolds have been bringing hope for more than 20 years to some of the 11.3 million Zimbabweans and their communities through Virginia-based Africare. In addition to establishing a medical clinic, AIDS awareness programs and church planting, they strive to raise the standard of rural schools.
Having previously supported Africare projects with medical equipment and textbooks, OBI's Back-To-School program was able to recently purchase 30 double desks! Two classrooms in the Ruwa Primary School were fitted with the new furniture. "The school's principal was absolutely overwhelmed that OBI would do this for them," commented Gail. "God's faithful to his word. Even if the support is a little bit, it's so huge to them."
During 2001’s Back-To-School program, attending school became easier and more enjoyable to over 40,000 children around the world including these from Zimbabwe. Please invest in giving to tomorrow’s leaders today…
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