We are delighted to be at the end of our first full year of operations with the Mushunga Community Project, and we wanted to share some of the high points that we have experienced this year.
At the start of 2023, after some small delays, it was with great pride that we were finally able to take in our first children to the Mushunga Orphanage and Victorious Community School. To be able to provide a safe place to live, regular meals, education and wonderful pastoral care to our beloved children has been such a positive experience. With the generous support of our sponsors around the world, and the commitment of our volunteer Board, we have focused on stability, sustainability, and excellence in all we do. We may be small now, but we have huge ambition to make a big difference to the children and wider community in Mushunga.
Our school building was constructed as a four-classroom block, with the support of generous funding from the Carpe Vitam project. On the completion of the building, our Programme Director, Tonny, and his team on the ground worked miracles to quickly get the school operational and within the first quarter of 2023 we had started the education programme.
Our staff worked night and day to build relationships and trust with the orphans in their care. Many of the children came to us in a broken state, and we knew that while their education was of paramount importance to break the cycle of poverty, their childhood traumas would also have to be addressed. This part of our work is ongoing. All we can do is continually show up for them and prove that we are here to support them in the long run. With this dedicated support, many of the children in our care are starting to dare to rebuild their childhoods with a much more positive narrative.
We have been overwhelmed with the continuing generosity and creativity of our sponsors. Two particularly noteworthy events included the food stand that was hosted at a busy market, by our UK-based sponsor, Ray. The efforts of Ray and his team enabled us to procure a sports field, directly next to the orphanage and school, giving our children a super opportunity to practice their sports.
Another event was organized by our friends in Spain, when they hosted a stand to give visibility to Mushunga, at a big sporting event. Enough funds were raised from this venture to decorate our classrooms with educational map and learning materials.
Finally, we were excited in October to receive our first overseas visitor – our Board Chairperson Martyn Crespel. He visited the project and experienced life at Mushunga. The bond he created with the children was extremely touching to witness.
Martyn learned so much from his visit, especially the day-to-day practical challenges faced by the project. He has been able to report back to the Board with practical suggestions based on his first-hand experiences of living with us here in Mushunga. In addition, his visit enabled him to give a compelling presentation to the social development and education foundation, Carpe Vitam, who sponsored the initial building of the school. This presentation has resulted in more funding to guarantee the salaries of our teaching staff for the next three years.
It has been a good year for the children and everyone at the Mushunga Community Project. We thank you for you continued support and encourage you to act as ambassadors for the project, by spreading the word of the work we do. We send Christmas blessings to our community around the world, and we look forward to your joining us in achieving more in 2024.
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