The Problems:

- Zimbabwe is still a largely patriarchal society and there is a lack of opportunity for young girls living in rural Zimbabwe. This is mainly due to gender discrimination, cultural and religious limitations, and poverty.

- Young girls are vulnerable to sexual abuse and manipulation due to family poverty and lack of opportunity. For example, prostitution or early marriage may be encouraged by families for to ease financial struggles.

- The risk of becoming pregnant or married at an early age. Adolescent pregnancies and child marriages are widespread in Zimbabwe.

- Lack of access to health care due to economic hardship, excessive poverty and forced migration due to limited opportunities at home.

- Menstruation and period poverty are widespread. 72% of menstruating schoolgirls do not use sanitary pads because they cannot afford them and thus are unable to attend school during menstruation.

- Child labour and the added burden on of expected daily Household Chores for school going girls.

The Plan:

To construct a recreational centre at Numwa Secondary School, providing facilities for music instruction, chess, darts, and other indoor recreational activities. To promote holistic development among the girls, fostering their talents and skills while addressing the impact of poverty and patriarchy and providing a safe space for sharing and learning.

The centre will be built from repurposed shipping containers with large roofed, outdoor areas. Within the centre we aim to fund raise for marimbas, mbiras (local Zimbabwean musical instruments), chess, and darts. These activities have been chosen as they are already active clubs in the school, with qualified and dedicated teachers overseeing them. There are active leagues countrywide, and the school can participate in once they achieve a high level of performance.

We have many goals for the centre. Primarily the centre provides a safe space for girls to connect, learn and to develop and pursue creative outlets. The girls will learn skills that will enable them to have fun and express themselves.

The space will at the same time, serve as a space to host guest motivational speakers and vocational skill teachers, which the girls will ultimately be able to pay for with funds raised by Marimba and traditional music performances for learned at the centre. As well as being inspired by motivational speakers from similar backgrounds, the girls will learn skills, including poultry keeping, hairdressing, bookkeeping, sewing, for examples will help empower young women with independent income generating capability after leaving school.

The opportunity to learn and succeed in pursuits such as chess and darts, both highly revered pastimes in Zimbabwean culture will grow the girl’s confidence and enable them to participate in competitions regionally growing their self confidence and giving them insight into a broader world outside the confines of their rural family homes.

Programme Aims:

- For the centre to become financially self-sustainable.

- To empower the girls to be able to channel their potential and make good life choices.

- To enable the girls to become advocates for the programme

- To enable and support the girls to find a vocation.

- To reduce teenage pregnancies, prostitution, and period poverty through education.

- To improve self-confidence and self-belief.

How can you help?

We have big dreams for the centre. In order get the concept going we need the following:

- A safe and secure space – ideally a 40-foot container with a large, outdoor seating area. The container is secure for locking and weather protection. The veranda is large and cool for practicing and socialising in a safe and adult monitored space.

- Funds to modify and customise the containers as described in the budget below.

- Donations for furniture within the container – tables, chairs, storage cupboards, desks, bean bags, white boards etc.

- Donations for marimbas and mbiras (local Zimbabwean musical instruments)

- A speaker for music/ fun

- Chess sets and darts.

The Budget:

The estimated initial budget for getting this project off the ground is $15,510.00 USD. This includes the cost of renovating and repurposing shipping containers, as well as acquiring basic necessary equipment and materials for the centre. Fundraising efforts will be critical to securing the financial resources needed for the successful implementation of this project.