Nyaradzayi.Gumbonzvanda

Rozaria was Her Name

It is the last day of Women's Herstory Month.
Rozaria is her name and she lives. It was painful to see her transition to the afterlife in 2016. We knew we were only burying her body for her life lives in us and amongst us.

Rozaria Memorial Trust was born to continue the legacy. Her life experiences propellled us to do deep work on HIV, mental health, education and focus on girls. She was an entreprenuer and we continue to invest in agribusiness for sustainability.

Her life was that of a mentor and tete vevasikana and we have a massive social movement of girls through our community Nhanga.
Our Rozaria Centre is a bustling knowledge hub, a shelter for women and girls with broken wings to heal, and a welcoming space for counselling and learning.

A woman of faith, who is singing today Amuka Muponesi....Its Easter

We celebrate Mbuya Rozaria, the sports enthusiast.
Join us on 23-25 August for the 4th - Girls Soccer Tournament.

I celebrate my late mother, Rozaria.

Happy international Women’s Day to all

Let's walk together in 2024, for rights, justice, equality and for humanity, with women and girls.

Loice Njenge, our student telecomms engineer (in the middle) has just finished writing exams for her first semester.

Thanks to her mentorship who live with her, and those who have and are contributing to her fees.

She is blogging her experiences, and was recently published on the Global Network on Mental Health & Child Marriage.

Simba Loice is coming home with college and Harare stories🔥🎪🔥

The social injustices of crimes against children.

The little girl L barely 13, was r***d on the 17th of November. The accused was arrested and trial is underway, and will continue on 18th December 2023, High Court in Bindura. The little girl went for medical, proved she was sexually assaulted. Procedures of testing for HIV, STIs, pregnancy done by the book. PREP and all.
The referral pathway fully activated and things moving swiftly. Crime committed in Chingerengere village, Umpfurudzi kwedu kuno ku Shamva.

Revictimisatisation of the survivor is a social justice issue. Community attitudes and perspectives can cause extra trauma.

1. The accused is muramu, murume wavatete to lille L. Her aunties husband. This is the reason we should fight chiramu which is exploitative. The Shamva Bylaws on Ending Child Marriage prohibits this chiramu chemabimbiri.

2. The accused lives next door, to L's family. The two families though related are not talking to each other. They both have young children and adolescents who want to play together and are restrained by parents.

3. Little L' family are under siege, whatever the outcome of the case. If accused is found guilty and sentenced to number of years, right number of years, the big extended family (currently ganging up against L and her family), will continue to blame her. If accused for some strange reason is acquitted, he will come with anger and will little L ever be safe.
I am agonizing. Is this not a case warranting this family to be allocated land elsewhere for safety of this child.

4. School and Stigma. The while community and the school knows what happened. Thanks FAWE, RMT and others for counselling. Will this little girl ever be free from stigma, finger pointing, quiet stares. As she grows a bit old, predators may pray on her, much more. She need protection. Maybe a boarding school away from home.

Emotional cost of abuse. While we have ranged and are support counselling for L, her mother, father and siblings need accompaniment.

5. As many friends must attend court and be solid moral support to L and her family. At yesterday's trial accused had about 10 people present for him. I thank those who were able to be present and sit with L's family.

We must give practical support to survivors of violence.

As we start the 16 days of activism, RMT strongly believes and calls for economic empowerment of women and girls as key to prevention of GBV and child marriage.

Thank you all and other stakeholders for the support to our work.

A Rozaria designed bag, is handwoven with a healing heart. Proceeds support our Dendere/Shelter and is income for artisans.

Here she is Loice Njenge our TeleComms Engineering Student

We are thrilled. Coming weeks exams.first semester done.

Am grateful to all the angels out there donating to her educational fund. I know, am yet to get back to some of you.

She is brilliance!!

When girls excel, we all bloom!

I recieved a question, which made me reflect!!

Are we making progress on this effort to end child marriage, or not? or we just posting information and pictures on meetings attended.

This is a crucial accountability question, and requires our collective analysis: below are some insights...

- there has been so much awareness on the issue at all levels but awareness is not enough without behavior changes.
- in many communities there has been protection of girls at risk, increased support to survivors etc. But still we do not have enough social protection or social security measures.
- governments have changes laws, developed policies,launched campaigns. These have not been followed with sufficient national budget allocation for social services, education health etc
- we still have a huge gap on access to justice, we have impunity, withdrawal of charges, very lenient sentences, and again not enough social protection for girls to prosecute.
- we are just scratching the surface on issues of mental health, psychosocial support. Girls are dying (maternal mortality), committing su***de, abortions, depression etc.
- there are range of governments, donors and organisations who have supported the work over time, but we need sustainability and a clear sense that protecting our children from abuse should not be extra Budgetary

So yes, we can see some progress, but we must role up our sleeves....

Everywhere I go around the world, I meet these angels without wings and with big hearts at airports and other public spaces.

The young man who assisted in Harare was just so courteous. He could sense my fear with those steep bridges. The gradient must be adjusted honestly.

Arriving at my destination, was this great team. I was tired, had not been well and had walked down the 15 stairs down. Then walked to the bus (I can walk actually), with one crutch now.

They had brought this new wheelchair. It was small, like sitting on little chair of kids at ecd.
I smiled, seeing humor in it all. They quickly found and brought this big comfortable one, the right size for big African women with our hips!!!

Aaah, we chatted and laughed all the way to my transport. My travel mate had one task at hand before taking off into the night ...take that picture!!

Guess who I want to share it with?
. He worries when I travel. yes sekuru humanity exist and universe cares!

Gratitude

The Annual Forum by the Zimbabwe Gender Forum is a significant event for monitoring progress on co commitments on gender equality in the Constitution.

Rozaria Memorial Trust is participating in this year's gathering being held in Bindura. The theme is taking audit of the recently concluded harmonised elections.

Nokutenda Nellia Magama Samantha Chidodo representing.

This is us Rozaria Memorial Trust .

We eat what we grow as we run our Dendere/emergency shelter, host you for our special events and contribute to social protection through food security for those at highest risk and most vulnerable.

Meet us half way, support our efforts. sustainanility is more that just a word for us at Rozaria.

Thank you for the solid support over the years.

Gratitude.

⚡ Are you an African Girl or Young woman passionate about or ? Then, don't miss your chance to be part of
Register Now
🔗 https://bit.ly/471K5HE
📅 10th November 2023
⌛ 1900-2100 Hours EAT

An important week it is as we continue to advocate for at the African Union as Committee on Rights & Welfare of the Child holds its session. Vimbiso Deka, my research assistant met with Sandra Stella Issa of AU Harmful Practices Unit today..

Critical issues

2018, I was on some research kwaChivi. We took time to visit tezvara vangu sekuru Sharara nambuya. They are special people. They birthed my muroora Jennifer Mugaragumbo who is my amai.

On arrival, my travel mate Farirai, immediately fell for ...They enjoyed a photo session together, and a day to remember.

I took time to the go visit naMaiguru Mai Abhy. When I was growing up and going to school in Zhishavane, maiguru was there for me. She used to live kuna SQ, kumaGlass. I would go through her place on way from school. Torha sadza, and then up past motors on the way to Birthday and then Ad Valorem.

The mine was still functioning, with an active community.

Anyway, this visit kwana Sekuru, reminded me that we are a sum total of many influences, and there are many good people out there who have warmed our hearts or brought a smile.

Life...

Today, Mrs Juliet Kupara Muchena, Village Health Worker for Magaya and Chimusoro visited us at Rozaria Educational and Counselling Centre. Great sharing about health issues in our community, and how to collaborate more.

Health concerns stressed are Malaria, Bharazia, mumphs/Mahumunya, Bilhazia, immunizations and adolescent health. We explored further how RMT is a resource and can support health prevention, availability for immunizations blitz etc.

Tabva tazochekwa BP as staff. We value our own health and wellbeing.

It did take us many years and we are now here!

Today we had our first day with all staff of Rozaria Memorial Trust working from HQ.

This multipurpose empowerment centre, deep in Magaya village in Murewa is the essence of being community rooted and globally impact.

We thank many partners including Japanese Government for construction, ELMA Philantropies and ConnectHer for Water resources and UN Women for the ICT services.

Huge thanks to many others whose program support over the years have made us grow and deliver for women and girls.

Feeling grateful.

Am still bubbling at national launch of the Dura reruZivo-Ulwazi at Rozaria Memorial Trust Educational and Counselling Centre on 28 September by Hon Senator Monica Mutsvangwa, Minister of Women, Community and SMEs Development. The initiative supported by UN Women under the EU funded Spotlight Initiative is ground breaking for us. Ms Fatou Aminata Lo, UN Women Representative graced the ocassion.

Thank you Zimbabwe Gender Commission, elected and traditional leaders, our community and the young people. Kana patina ngoma Joro/Jerusarema hapana function. We danced.

Thank you RMT Board and staff.

Thanks Lovejoy LJay Mtongwiza for the photos.

*Tips to Learners & Guardians - Grade 7 exams*

RMT runs community with tusii sii (5-9year olds) and zvimokoto (10-13 year old), and hangaiwa (14-19 year olds). We reach over 2,000 girls.

Among the activities last month was *preparations for exams*. Tomorrow Grade 7s are writing. Let's prepare for tomorrow:

1. Today, make sure school uniform is washed and ironed, so that mangwana you are focused.

2. Parents, have food ready and in place tonight, manhuchu, mbambaira, maheu, bread. Mwana anofanira kubuda mumba adya. Nutrition is important.

3. Make sure the essentials are ready today, a pen or pencil, inonyora plus ye spare. Small things make kids nervous. Do not have to run around asking for pen.

4. The child should wake up early, bath, feed and then leave.

5. Arrive on time, at least 20 minutes before.

6. Go the toilet to p*e. Do not be under pressure during exams. Some vanozviwetera ne nervousness.

7. Know that what you asked is what you learnt. Relax, do not be fraud.

8. Parents, when child comes back, ask without pressuring, affirm the child, ask when is next paper. Support the child.

9. If you are a praying family, pray loudly for God to be with you during exam times. Fortification inokusha.

10. Remove negative talk ye-mweya yerima, mweya yemadzinza etc. Shine a positive light and energy of support.

We thank all Nhanga who held ma preparatory sessions and contributed to above ideas.👏🏻👏🏻

We invite you all to share any other tips you may have to our exams classes and their parents.

Thank you.

Dr Nyaradzayi Gumbonzvanda
Executive Director
Rozaria Memorial Trust.

~~Handigone kukutendai zvakakwanaaaa. ♡♡

This time last week "Engineer" Loice Njenge had gotten a place at TelOne for a Diploma in telecommunications engineering.

We had no clue where to get tuition from. She had saved a little from her bags and vaseline sales to cover registration. Many of you stepped forward to help. It's now a week, and our Loice is settling well. Thank you all so much. You give meaning to the essence of humanity.

Today, I give a very very special thanks to colleagues who have donated books to us at Rozaria Memorial Trust . Our library is also going digital, and it is accompanied by an ICT Hub.

It has been more than a decade of dreaming and then working on this, one step at a time.

We are so so grateful.

Decades to come, we will tell every little detail about Rozaria Memorial Trust, how fixed the gate, how we chose the design, who worked on the site, who funded the works.

I remain so grateful to the many individuals and organisations who stand with us at RMT.

Mme Fatou, UN Women, am looking forward to your visit one of the coming days.

Aaaaah tinotenda Mbuya Mai John and Sabhuku Vharazipi for visiting with us at Rozaria Memorial Trust.

Maita basa moyo, maita sekuru

A huge thanks to all who have extended their hand.

Loice arrived in Harare this morning. A new long awaited chapter in life opens for her tomorrow, at as she starts her studies in Telecommunication Engineering.

Thanks to many friends and people of good will. We made it together!!