Support of Teenage Mothers
There are many young girls in our communities, aged 17 and below who are expecting babies. Some of these girls live in extreme poverty and lack the necessary resources to sustain their own health let alone adequately care for the health of their impending arrivals. I AM Zimbabwe community members assist these young girls through the provision of ongoing mental and emotional support, essential caregiving items for the babies and access to health services. This support is all in a bid to help these young girls prepare for motherhood while attempting to mitigate the harmful impact of poverty, shame, and fear. I AM Zimbabwe has been supported in this effort through partnership with Turbo Baby Wear, a local shop that sells items for babies.
Storytelling
We have great reverence and respect for the elders in our communities and strongly believe that we cannot move forward unless we know our history. We also believe that the elders in our communities can help to guide the children, youth and young adults, offering advice and sharing their support and wisdom. We often invite the elders in our communities to gather with our youth to share the history of that community and respond to any questions. We feel very blessed by our elders each time we engage in these sessions with them.
Visiting Community Members Who Have Disabilities
We feel that every person is a valued member of our communities and we therefore those who have disabilities to share songs, fellowship, friendship and food. Having a disability sometimes creates a stigma in society and we want to ensure that we play a role in dispelling this notion.
Home Visits
We engage in home visits to those in our communities who are vulnerable on a regular basis. We conduct home visits to check on the welfare of the families in the home, to assess their living situation, to distribute food or household items, to check on any medical needs and to offer companionship and support.
*please note that images on this page were taken both pre and post-COVID19*