Executive Summary
Shanduko Yeupenyu Child Care (SYCC) is a Community Based Organisation based in Epworth district in Harare Metropolitan province. The organization was established in March 2010 as a trust under the Trust Deed number MA449/10 and later registered as Private Voluntary Organization in 2015 under registration number 20/ 2015. The organisation has been operating since 2010 empowering marginalised children from resource poor communities by promoting their access to basic social services contributing to SDG 4 and SDG 5 through its programming not limited to Girls Education Support Program (GESP) and Spotlight Initiative’s strengthening movement building to end violence against women and girls. Shanduko Yeupenyu Child Care ensures that the empowerment of the disadvantaged children is achieved through five thematic areas; psychosocial support and mental health, Gender Based Violence, Education, Sexual Reproductive Health and Economic Empowerment. The organisation’s programming targets children particularly girls and young women from 10 – 24 years as the primary beneficiaries. Engagement, Dialogues, Capacity enhancement and Managing supply and demand are some of the strategies being used to achieve the intended results.
Vision
“Communities in which all children are empowered and their rights realized in Zimbabwe.
Mission Statement
Shanduko Yeupenyu Child Care is committed to promote access to social basic needs and Children rights especially girls and empowering them throughout in Zimbabwe.
Objectives
- To improve and provide educational opportunities for orphans, children and child marriage survivors.
- To increase protection; welfare; access and utilization of quality basic social services including SRH among vulnerable girls and young women.
- To promote economic empowerment and enable delivery of multi-sectorial services including in humanitarian services.
- To Increase district capacity to prevent GBV.
Geographical Coverage
Geographically, Shanduko Yeupenyu Child Care current activities are focused in Epworth District, in Harare Metropolitan province in Zimbabwe. The organisation offices are situated about 15 km East of Harare province. The organization can expand its activities to other areas when funding is available. Shanduko builds its sustainability by working with already existing local structures.
Area of Focus
Shanduko Yeupenyu Child Care’s programming in Epworth focuses on protecting women and girls through five thematic areas: psychosocial support and mental health, Gender Based Violence, Education, Sexual Reproductive Health and Economic Empowerment.
Programmes Beneficiaries
The organisation’s programming targets children particularly girls and young women from the age of 10 – 24 years.
Programme Activities
The organisation has 2 programs that at are currently running namely Girl Education Support Program and Strengthening movement building to end violence against women and girls.
Strengthening movement building to end violence against women and girls
Under this program, Shanduko Yeupenyu Child Care as a member of a Spotlight Initiative Consortium supported by UN Women is implementing this program with the aim of empowering women who have experienced GBV during the COVID-19 induced lockdown. The humanitarian project also focuses at capacitating and building resilient communities so as to prevent abuse at grassroots level in 7 wards of Epworth. This is being achieved though awareness campaigns, meetings, dialogues with women, men and youths( every sector represented). Financial literacy among women and girls is being boosted through workshops. Income generating projects for GBV survivors are being made available.
Girls education support program (GESP)
Under the GESP, Shanduko Yeupenyu child care has set up a scholarship fund targeting adolescent girls from disadvantaged backgrounds that have shown ambition to develop themselves and their countries, aiming to enter secondary school. It is indisputable that children suffer violent attacks on their safety, education, and livelihoods. In Epworth, girls are taken out of school to be married off for dowry as a sacrifice for the rest of the family’s benefit. This arrangement gives up the girl child’s protection rights to the assumed husband, which often results in increased acts of abuse, early pregnancy, and extreme health risks. Through the GESP, girls’ practical needs are being met by the provision of school going costs, school & exam fees, hygiene packs and stationery while transformation of the discriminatory gendered social norms will be addressed through a range of strategies, including a wrap-around social support system for girls and young women to create an enabling environment for their development.
Through the GESP, Natasha Chimuti (not real name) hails from an economically disadvantaged family which consists of 5 members including her mother, grandmother and 2 siblings. Her parents separated when she was in grade 1. Since then, fees and school going costs have been under the care of her grandmother; a professional guard. When she was in grade 5, her grandmother was forced to retire from her job due to advanced age. The whole family had to survive on the meagre income of her mother’s market gardening. Natasha persevered: she had to wash clothes for other people and run errands for them in order to get school fees and ongoing school costs. She completed her early schooling and attained 7 units and also sought admission at Domboramwari high school. Going to school for Natasha was like a race with incessant hurdles. Economic pressure continued to threaten her educational journey as her mother found it difficult to pay for her daily travel to school, notebooks and other incidental expenses. Proposals for marriage from interested parties within the community often made the relatives see it as a profitable option. SYCC GESP came forward to provide not just material but also academic and psychosocial support to the girl. Natasha had this to say:
“… Proceeding with my Secondary level studies was a nightmare until Shanduko stepped in paying my fees and offering psychosocial support session during weekends. I achieved my goal of finishing my Advanced Level passing with 15 points. The Psychosocial support sessions helped me in boosting my confidence and leadership skills and were able to participate in Junior MP Competitions in Epworth and become Junior MP in Epworth Constituency. I also won numerous prizes through my participation in extra-curricular activities including first prizes in poetry recitation competition and slogan writing competition among others. Through Shanduko’s girl education scholarship support program and PSS sessions, I also gained knowledge on the consequences of drug abuse and early marriages for me to achieve these results…”
Social Media Handles
Website: www.shandukochildcare.org.zw
LinkedIn: Shanduko Yeupenyu childcare
Facebook: Shanduko Yeupenyu Child Care
Instagram: ShandukoC
Twitter:@sycctrust
Contact details
Contact Person: Cosmas Rongoti
Contact Number: +263 734 608 062
+263 772 657 424
Email address: info@shandukoyeupenyuchildcare.org.zw
Source: SYCC
