Gutsa-Warambwa lies in the Mashonaland Central Province of Zimbabwe. It is a hot and arid area in the country’s north. The area is underdeveloped, has experienced the country’s economic depression and political instability,  and endured HIV/AIDS and cholera epidemics.

UnitingWorld is working in partnership with the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe and their development arm, the Methodist Development and Relief Agency (MeDRA) to address the prevalence of HIV/AIDS and teach vocational skills that can be used to generate a source of income.

This income can be used to access health care, education and other vital services. The Community Livelihood initiatives involve providing the initial funding, essential materials, and skills training for income generating projects. These include carpentry workshops, sewing, bee-keeping and piggery.

These projects will provide a source of stable income and employment opportunities for the present and future generations in Warambwa and surrounding villages. School fees, uniforms and stationary supplies will be provided for orphaned children, enabling them to attend school. This will enhance future employment prospects.

The initial phase of the project aims to financially empower 195 people in Warambwa by laying the foundations of and providing training for income generating livelihood projects.

Overall, household income levels will increase, and morbidity, schools drop-out, gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS rates will decrease in the Gutsa-Warambwa village area.

July 2011 Update

• Sewing Group: The sewing group has already put profits in the joint bank account and had financially supported 5 orphans by mid year. They are hoping to be able to sponsor up to 12 for the rest of the year and into 2012. They have been particularly busy with orders from the neighbouring primary schools. During a visit in July they were working on a commission for two local primary schools. The orders were 38 arts and crafts vests for one school and 12 for another.
• Carpentry Group: The carpentry project continue to work off commissions and orders from the local community. They make small items of furniture, including the bases of beds and chairs, as well as doors. UnitingWorld funding has made a marked difference to the work that the carpentry project does in terms of both quality and quantity. With UnitingWorld funds they have been able to purchase pre-cut wood, which saves time and energy. They are using profits from the sale of their products to support several orphaned children.They are also hoping to save up to buy the parts for machinery that would make cutting and sanding local wood easier.  They group has plans to rent a retail space in the village to use as a workshop and shopfront.
• Beekeeping: UnitingWorld funds contributed to the construction of around 46 hives. The other bee-keeping project has around 58 hives. 40 hives yield around 20 Liters of honey that the group sells to a local buyer for sale at market. The group has also had contact with a hospital which has shown interest in purchasing large quantities of honey to use at the hospital.
• Piggery: This group started off as a collective rearing indigenous pigs, which tend to be smaller and leaner than non-indigenous pigs. With UnitingWorld funds the group invested in non-indigenous pigs, which grow faster and will sell for a higher profit.

Downloadable resources:

Project Sheet