The Mangwende Orphan Care Trust (MOCT) transforms Zimbabwean township.
The Mangwende Orphan Care Trust (MOCT) is a locally driven project in Casino township. It is located in Murehwa district, 80 km East of Harare, Zimbabwe. MOCT seeks to reverse family disintegration resulting from the devastating effects of HIV/AIDS, poverty and diseases. For instance, their effect led to countless numbers of orphans and child headed families.
Evans Mangwend and his family founded the Trust in 2015 to cater for the local community. Above the founders, a small team of local and world-wide volunteers support the project. The primarily aims are to provide food, clean water, shelter, clothing, safety and medicines to the vulnerable members of the community. In other words, to the orphans and other vulnerable children, widows, the sick and the disabled. Above that, the Trust also aims to give support with school uniforms, fees and books. MOCT primarily works together with teachers, health professionals and community leaders. They collaborate to create a healthy environment for vulnerable young people, who are in a need of financial, medical and emotional support.
The Challenge
Agriculture is the backbone of the MOCT’s mission to feed its growing number of users. As a result of years of over-tillage, irresponsible chemical usage, poor farming methods, droughts and soil erosion, the land is no longer productive. The population is malnourished, unemployed, disconnected and susceptible to various infectious diseases. For this, MOCT plans to implement a permaculture farm featuring an education and demonstration centre. *
Unfortunately, the Trust is facing financial challenges due to the current economic situation in Zimbabwe, including:
- corruption
- lack of reliability of Zimbabwean accounts
- high inflation rate
- low financial investment
- no capital asset
- Covid-19.
Solution: A SEEDS Alliance
To meet financial challenges, the Trust was looking to find new ways to create a collaborative, resilient economy. That’s how MOCT became an Alliance organisation with SEEDS on the 30th of August, 2020. The Alliance allows the Trust to cooperate with other like-minded (SEEDS) organisations. The mission is to create community and self-resilience through regenerative practices in Zimbabwe. By using the SEEDS system* MOCT (and other organisations) can overcome of most issues they face when using the traditional monetary system. Therefore, the Mangwende Orphan Care Trust and SEEDS align to facilitate this socio-economic transformation of Zimbabwe and Africa as a whole, achieving it by educating, assisting and advocating for the vulnerable and the underprivileged through permaculture education and practice.
Overwhelming Growth and Need
In its beginning, the founders, Evans and Tonha took part in a government-sponsored school feeding program. The increasing numbers of children – from 66 to 1354 in the four-year period- show the importance of the program. But then the government stopped the funding in 2019. To pursue their passion of helping their community, the founders started to seek alternative ways of supporting the vulnerable. Their research led them to learn more about permaculture and alternative agricultural methods. In the light of their findings, they decided to create two orphanage villages and combine them with agro ecological farming and food cooperatives.
The Trust secured two areas of land, a smaller (4.8ha) and a larger plot (18ha) on relatively flat, semi-deserted areas. The smaller plot is located near schools on a main road and currently holds a non-residential orphanage. The brick house will ultimately accommodate up to 50 visitors after completion. The larger plot is located 8 km north of the smaller area, where most of the farming and educational activities will take place, but this area lacks amenities.
Vision
MOCT sees its vision fulfilled by using the traditional Zunde method complemented with modern permacultural practices, perfected and educated in a purpose-built Permaculture Education Centre. Thus providing a place for learning new skills and experience related to agro ecological methods and business management. The farming activity would also ensure continuous food supply for the orphanage. But most importantly, their intention is to create an exemplar project that can be replicated in the region and elsewhere in Africa.
The Trust’s core values are mirrored in the 12 nodes of transformation (see below) and include: inclusivity, diversity, safety, empowerment, equality, elders wisdom, cooperation, regeneration, sustainability to name a few.
Progress
As a first step, since last year, MOCT created a food plantation with trees and vegetables. Thanks to the hard work of the locals and volunteers, the bananas, papayas, mangos, onions, cabbages, potatoes are growing well. The Trust is going to sell the produce to the local community and in the nearby towns. Furthermore, a percentage will also be given to child – headed and other vulnerable families.
Achievements
- MOCT secured the two plots from the area chief (leader)
- secured funding to fence off both lands
- implemented a tree nursery
- created a food plantation with trees and vegetables based on permaculture principles to sell and provide a percentage to vulnerable families
- purchased a solar powered water pump and irrigation kit
- currently building its first hut to accommodate carers and the catering area
…and challenges
- in 2019 they experienced extreme draughts, leading to the loss of the majority of crops
- no drinking water on the bigger plot, therefore the Trust is working on solar based water purification methods to provide clean water
- skills shortage – agriculture; business administration; education; food processing; builders
- land degradation and biodiversity loss
- poor infrastructure
- lack of funding
Future plans
The next priority is to finish the orphan villages. Both areas will include 6 huts to accommodate 10-10 children and their carers, a communal kitchen and sitting room. A smaller veg garden and fish pond – combined with aquaponics – helps to connect villagers and visitors with the environment. After the huts, a local knowledge hub, the Permaculture Education Centre will be constructed. It will incorporate the education area, a library and accommodation for staff, teachers and volunteers. The Centre hosts courses on permaculture, natural building and business studies. These courses will be discounted for locals and SEEDS members. The latter also will receive a discount from the accommodation costs.
In conclusion, MOCT is working on to build valuable networks with the SEEDS community and to be able to continue their pioneer work in the region, while exchanging knowledge and best practice.The future aim is to create added value products. This will create jobs and products that would sell at a higher rate or can be exchanged for other products/services and help other communities to do the same.
From left: papaya and banana trees; cabbage seedlings; cabbage field; stand for the solar panels; first hut for the orphans
Please visit Mangwende Orphan Care Trust’s website for further information: https://mangwendeorphancaretrust.org/
*“SEEDS is a new financial system helping bring about the Regenerative Renaissance and transforming this breakdown into a breakthrough to offer a more exciting, healthier and hopeful story for humanity. One where those who are doing the most good in the world make the most money — not the other way around.”
