By Nyasha B Dube
Zvishavane based children’s home Shekinah Glory Organization last month celebrated seven years of being a home to the homeless children in the district, seven being a biblical symbol of perfection, mirroring how the organization through its founder Juliet Bvekwa has perfected the lives of many children who without intervention would have been out in the cold streets.
The celebrations were held in Chirere under the theme “Umuntu Ngumuntu Ngabantu” loosely translated to “I am because we are”, an African philosophy which speaks to the spirit of oneness as a society and how it takes a village to raise a child.
The home, popularly known as musha mukuru (the big home) in Chirere under Chief Masunda where it is located, currently has 12 children under its custody. Some children who grew up in the home have since succeeded in their education endeavors and are giving back to the home through offering their expertise to keep it running.
The Chief also graced the event.
Narrating the journey, Bvekwa (43) said it has been full of obstacles and moments of hopelessness but she never gave up.
“It is not easy having a child depend on you, let alone many of them. Sometimes you do not know what they will eat, or how they will get to school. It is not an easy calling, it is filled with tears and pain but I owe it to the Zvishavane community, well-wishers always come through with assistance in different forms. Some donate money, food, clothes, and even volunteering to do chores at the children’s home”, she said.
“I always teach all my children that family goes beyond blood. We have become a very big united family,” Bvekwa added.
Bvekwa, who works abroad used her personal funds to start the children’s home, which has since grown and extended to also include a skills training centre where young girls and boys from the communities including Chirere and Chedope among others get skills training in sewing, carpentry and welding free of charge.
The skills training centre which usually harbors 25 students per intake is set to increase to 75 students in January 2024, signifying the impact Shekinah Glory Organisation is making in rural communities.
“We don’t have any international donor and sometimes because use my own earnings, they tend to fail to meet all the needs of the children. I just thank God that people from the community keep on supporting us, some even do it anonymously,” she said.
Bvekwa is also assisting a number of children at primary, secondary and tertiary education level.
What is striking about her work is her passion in disability inclusion.
She always talks passionately about one of the children with disability she is taking to school, Wish Kuguma who is currently attending school in Bulawayo. Wish had never been to school because his caregivers could not afford to take him to special needs institutions.
Another success story of how she is uplifting children with disabilities is that of Oscar Rusere, who reently graduated from the skills training centre. Rusere had struggled to finish his primary school for years due to speech impairment but he finished his course in one sitting.
The community (churches, businesses, and various stakeholders) also attest to the impact Shekinah Glory is making.
“Women used to be undermined in the community but Juliet Bvekwa has changed the narrative. She played a major role in uplifting the community with practical skills,” said village head Hove.
The church community represented by Pastor Mazumba also said, “When Juliet shared her vision seven years ago it seemed impossible to achieve. We are happy she has come this far and we pledge to continue supporting her in any way we can.”
One village Health Worker from Chedope shared a touching story of how an elderly villager got assistance from the home, even though he later on passed away.
“Shekinah Glory donated a wheel chair to the old man when he was not well, and when he passed on we got a coffin from the skills training centre to give him a dignified burial,” she said.
The organization, through the skills training centre, also donates school uniforms to various pupils in need.
Shekinah Glory is also anchored by The Big Five, a group of community members who pledged to assist the home with anything they may need, and also offer parental guidance to the children under the home’s care.
Chief Masunda also commended the work being done by Shekinah Glory Organization.
“This was supposed to be the Chief’s burden of taking care of all these homeless children but Bvekwa made it easier for us. These children could have been street kids but now they have a home. Shekinah Glory is the only children’s home in the Midlands province and this means a lot to us as the Chirere community. I only urge the community to continue supporting this cause because these are our children and they are our collective responsibility,” he said, adding that it takes the whole village to take care of the children especially during the festive season.
“They also want to eat and be happy like everyone else so let’s make sure they also have a merry Christmas,” Chief Masunda said.