Answering the Plight of Bulawayo's Child-Headed Families and Vendors Through Self-Help Projects

Rafamoyo now boasts of equipping more than twenty child headed families in Bulawayo's Nkulumane high density neighbourhood. The children are now embarking on self-help projects that include poultry and gardening for the upkeep of their siblings, while vendors are now resorting to legal vending sites without incurring the wrath of the authorities.

Vendors, who were always playing cat and mouse with the local authority’s security officers and the police, have also been extricated from the dilemma by the honourable councillor, after he educated them on the benefits of operating legally.

Most of these children were orphaned after their parents succumbed to the deadly AIDS virus, leaving them in the predicament of fending for the family.

Above: Councillor Ernest Rafamoyo of Bulawayo’s Ward 20.

The orphans' living conditions have been talk of the villages and townships, and girls have been the most vulnerable because of merciless men who take advantage of their situation.
 
The children, who are aged between 12 and 19, had their plight partly answered after their local councillor Earnest Rafamoyo, who attended ZDDT’s leadership skills workshops covering Conflict Management, Self Reliance, to mention but a few, chipped in with facilitation of self-help projects that include sourcing funding for schooling.

The Councillor inspired the orphans through teaching themselves-help projects, among them, sack potato farming, poultry and gardening, just to mention some which earned a quick return.

Some of the children recounted their ordeal to ZDDT News and have been ecstatic about securing customers for their produce. Gift Khumalo, who is 14 years and a child head, is looking after his two siblings who are in Grade 4 and 6 respectively. He has been fending for his dependents from money he has acquired from selling airtime recharge cards and other menial jobs.

Above: A chicken project has been implemented to boost the situation of disadvantaged children.

Nokubonga Moyo, 17 years (child head), described to ZDDT News how she has been abused by men who have assisted her with money for food and upkeep.
"Several older men, of my late father's age, have been proposing love and even offer me with marriage even if they are married. Some have been offering me to be their second wife and I have been turning them down for fear of the same thing that took my parents' life,” said Nokubonga tearfully.

Alice, 17yrs (child head), echoed the same sentiments and described the same scenario of abuse.

ZDDT News also captured some of the orphans cleaning their makeshift chicken run after school and some watering their vegetable garden, their other source of income that was made possible by Councillor Rafamoyo.

The councillor, who is also the facilitator of child headed projects in Nkulumane, applauded the work being done by the orphans and is also seeking more ideas to add value to easing the plight of these child headed families.

Above: Some of Bulawayo's child vendors.

Bulawayo's Council for Women’s League chairperson, Roseline Mathuthu, told ZDDT News that the girls are the most vulnerable to abuse from men who take advantage of the minors and she appealed to organisations that can fund these children to encourage them to learn skills and lead a better life.

In an interview with Padare/Enkundleni Men’s Forum on gender based violence, programmes director Nakai Nengomasha said, “My heart bleeds to hear cases of this magnitude, as this is the programme which we are carrying on in Matabeleland. We have been carrying out workshops to reduce this situation and I am positive we are going to win as many men, including young ones, are attending.”

Ms Debra Mukasa, Chairperson of Women Zimbabwe Chamber of Informal Economy Associations, told ZDDT News that her organisation is also embarking on following up on these orphans to help them out of this predicament.

Bulawayo’ communities have been flooded with under aged girls falling pregnant without any responsible fathers claiming liability for fear of prosecution.