Featured Programs
Zimbabwe: Marirangwe Primary School
Zimbabwe, 2009
In 2008, when the nation of Zimbabwe was experiencing food shortages Marirangwe Pre-school Center was founded. Child Resource Institute (CRIZ)* saw the necessity in implementing a pre-school program in poverty stricken communities where many children were not receiving the required amounts of nutrition. The pre-school would provide early childhood education opportunities and ensure that each child receive proper meals during the day.
With support from Save Africa’s Children (SAC), the organization developed Marirangwe Primary School. CRIZ hired teachers for the vulnerable children enrolled in the program. At the time, the school was housed in a barn and sometimes in the homes of caretakers. SAC provided a grant of $5,000.00 to assist with the construction of a pre-school center. The building was completed in 2010 and officially opened in March of 2011.
In August of 2011, on the annual delegation trip to Africa, Bishop Blake donated an additional $3,000.00 to the program which was used to install a toilet (bathroom) and to install security bars on the windows and doors.
Marirangwe has been recognized by the Ministry of Education as the most developing school in the Mashonaland East Province of Zimbabwe. Although the preschool was initially created only for orphaned and vulnerable children, its reputation for high academic standards allowed the school to open its door to children from all economic backgrounds.
*CRIZ (Child Resource Institute Zimbabwe is a non-governmental organization which operates pre-school sites that serve orphans and vulnerable children with quality childcare based on six best practices from around the world.
