The Story of Matsinho Community
The poverty of the people living in Matsinho A Community is confronting. Poor living conditions play a contributing factor to the various health challenges that exist in the community. The impact of these health challenges has resulted in a number of parents passing away in recent years - often leaving children either alone or under the care of another relative. With little opportunity for employment, many people are forced to rely on farming small plots of land to survive. The practicing of witchcraft and traditional medicine has created a stronghold within the community, leading to many turning to these practices rather than to health care from clinics. Each of these challenges adds to the vulnerability of the people living in Matsinho A Community.
In 2011, Care Workers from the local church in Matsinho united to carry out their calling to care for the most vulnerable children. In 2015, Hands at Work partnered with them to create Matsinho A Community Based Organisation (CBO).
Since the local Hands at Work team in Chimoio formed, they have supported and grown the Care Workers within the Matsinho A CBO. The Care Workers are quick to advocate for the children that they care for, especially the young girls, who are susceptible to early marriage and teenage pregnancy.
140 Children currently supported
17 Care Workers Coordinated by Maria
35 km from the Chimoio Local Office
Basic Services Started in 2015
Over the years, due to the ever-increasing vulnerability in Matsinho, the number of children being cared for increased from 75 to 150. Most children added were from existing families. Due to the challenge of poor harvests, the small plots of land that caregivers rely on aren’t sufficient in producing a harvest capable of feeding their family.
The relationship with the local church has meant that the Life Centre now operates out of one of the churches in Matsinho.
Regularly, the Care Workers visit the children in their homes, developing strong relationships of trust which enables them to effectively support each child’s physical, emotional, and spiritual needs. Despite their own difficulties, the Care Workers aim to bring Christ-like hope and love to their community.
As Matsinho A continues to develop into a thriving Life Centre, investments have been made to various structures, including a purpose-built kitchen shelter and a well for clean water access. In 2024, new facilities, including a toilet and kitchen, were constructed.
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 Matsinho. 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.