Yollanda’s mother died in childbirth and the offer of 2 goats from Tariro Yeupenyu (TY) to Yollanda’s grandmother shortly after she was born saved her from being killed by a family who saw her as a burden. Yollanda is now nearly 6. She continues to benefit from the goats’ milk but she, and the other orphans in her extended family, have no prospect of going to school and are in great need of food, clothes and blankets.

TY is led by James Kambudzi – a farmer, pastor and hospital chaplain in the poor rural area of Mount Darwin. Through TY goats are provided for orphan children who live with grandmothers and other relatives, or in orphan-headed households, so they can benefit from the milk, breed more goats for sale in order to meet basic needs, and even use the dung for fertilizing crops. There are hundreds of orphan children in the villages around James as a result of the ravages of AIDs and poverty-related illness.

Since 2011 80 goats have been handed over to children. James continues to visit each of the children on a regular basis to check on their welfare and to ensure that they are directly benefiting from the milk or the proceeds of the sale of goats that have bred. Where possible, James also buys clothes for the most needy children. The current method is for a herd of 10 goats to be purchased and then distributed through the leaders of a local church. James provides training and ongoing support for those leaders. His vision is for a network of evangelical churches across the Mount Darwin area that are working together to develop their own goat herds and other practical projects to bring hope for orphan children.

FARMING GOD’S WAY James also teaches the children and the poorest local farmers sustainable agricultural methods in order to enable them to support themselves and their families. This requires much hard work and careful soil husbandry from the farmers and extensive follow-up support from James but many farmers have seen both their harvests and their soil health improve. Through funds from ZPT James has provided vital maize seed and fertilizer for a number of these families and each year he identifies and works with more children and families and purchases agricultural inputs where funds are available.

TY is entirely funded through gifts channelled through Zimbabwe Partnership Trust. Chris Boyes, a trustee of ZPT, has visited the area 3 times and seen for himself both the great needs of the orphans and their families and the difference that the goats and the agricultural support are making.