I AM Kuwadzana joined I AM Zimbabwe in February 2018. We joined I AM Zimbabwe because we wanted to change the face of our community in a positive way. We recognized many environmental and social ills such as early marriage, high crime rates, drug abuse, gambling (Njuga), and sex work (prostitutes). We wanted to address these concerns by raising awareness through clean-up and educational campaigns. We also wanted to advocate and support the young people in our community by facilitating projects such as tailoring, and the breeding of chickens and rabbits. Through participation in these projects, it was our hope that the youths would avoid the pitfalls of the social ills mentioned above through nurturing our talents and learning to be self employed.
In addition to the work with the youth of our community, our main objective is to assist the elderly and the disabled in our community, as well as reduce the number of young children who live on the street, many of whom are orphaned and/or vulnerable. The children rely on picking and selling plastics and cardboard boxes, thereby not going to school. To try and alleviate this situation, it is our wish to open up a pre-school by next year that will cater to the needs of the children.
Our current activities in I AM Kuwadzana have included visits to the disabled residents in our community, awareness campaigns on boreholes, facilitation and attendance at different workshops e.g. leadership trainings, different forms of abuse, Sexual Reproductive Health and Healing, the values of being a Youth and Conflict Management. We also have an active dance group and an active soccer team. Unfortunately, we do not have the funds for our soccer team to have uniforms or balls. Additionally, in these days of COVID-19, a lack of sanitizers and masks has been a great problem.
I AM Kuwadzana has over 30 active members including the staff who have volunteered to change the face of Kuwadzana through participating and working hand in hand with various stakeholders holders such as churches, police e.t.c.
