The Story of Macadeira Community
In 2011, Farai Gunhe, the leader of the Zimbabwe Regional Support Team, travelled from his home in Zimbabwe to identify the poorest of the poor communities in Mozambique. In his search, he found Macadeira, a small, rural farming community. Many people in Macadeira are completely reliant on their small plot of land to produce enough food in order to feed their families. With several seasons of extreme weather of either too little or too much rain, many families have experienced poor harvests for the last few years.
Hunger and starvation are prevalent, as well as various health risks such as HIV/AIDS and malaria. Abuse in family relationships has fostered a spirit of brokenness within the community. Young girls are particularly vulnerable, as there is a strong possibility that they will be offered up for marriage before they can finish school.
135 Children currently supported
23 Care Workers Coordinated by MARIA
Basic Services Started in 2013
70 KM from the Chimoio Local Office
Recognising the multitude of challenges, Farai gathered together several of the local church leaders in Macadeira and challenged them on their biblical mandate to care for the widows and orphans within their community. In response, four church leaders from various churches stepped forward. One church pulled together their congregation and used their resources to provide food and clothing for the children. Another church donated its land and building to provide a place where children could play and be fed. Men and women from the various churches volunteered as Care Workers. They decided to name their Community Based Organisation (CBO), ‘Tariro’, which means hope.
The Care Workers in Macadeira are now caring for 150 of the most vulnerable children, ensuring that they receive a hot, nutritious meal six days a week, and are supported with their education and basic health care.
In 2016, with the support of friends in Australia, a new piece of land was identified and purchased in Macadeira. This gave the Care Workers and children a safe place to call their own. A well was dug on the land for the Tariro CBO, ensuring that the Care Workers and children have access to safe, clean water. Additionally, there is a fence surrounding the Life Centre, making it safe for the children to play, and giving a greater sense of ownership.
The Tariro CBO continues to be coordinated by Maria, an incredible woman of faith. Despite her own challenges and the risks that she takes to care for the children, she provides essential leadership to the Tariro CBO and humble service to the most vulnerable children in her community.
The local Hands at Work team in Chimoio currently supports five Community Based Organisations, which exist to care for the most vulnerable in their communities. The office provides training, networking, and encouragement to those Community Based Organisations like Macadeira. It also gives administrative support, including helping with funding proposals, monitoring and evaluation, bookkeeping and reporting to donors.
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When Gertrude was 6 years old her father died, leaving her mother to care for her and her 4 year old brother, Alexandre. “It was sad for us to lose our father,” Germena says. “It was difficult. No one was helping us, and my mother worked very hard in the fields to provide food for us. We did not have any money and many times we went to bed hungry. Without a father in the house we did not feel safe and were scared of other people to abuse us.”
For the past four years, Chumai has suffered from epilepsy. His mother decided to return to her family because she could not deal with Chumai’s illness or those of the rest of the family, including Chumai’s father. A few months after leaving her children, Chumai’s mother remarried. Tragically Chumai’s father, Joaquim, died after falling from a platform used to dry maize cobs.