Zimkids Orphan Trust is an organization committed to combating the epidemic of more than 180,000 HIV positive children in Zimbabwe and more than a million children who are orphaned because of this crisis. They are providers of a new home in the Pumula North, Bulawayo where doctors are scarce, urban neighborhoods are without water or electricity, and unemployment averages 90%; they have created a new home for community, support, and hope for the future since 2006. These children are also empowered by the Trust through vocational training and education. The mission of Zimkids is also to get the commoner in the Western World oriented with traditional Zimbabwean charity through creative and healthy relationships with their donors.
I personally worked with Zimkids Orphan Trust in high school, directing a fashion show to raise funds during my junior and senior years. There, we were able to accrue donations from local retailers such as Becca Cosmetics, LuluLemon, LF Clothing, and Calvin Klein Inc.. This show was almost completely student-run with only one faculty member to maintain correspondence with leaders of Zimkids, President Dennis Gaboury and Executive Director Tinashe Basa, the latter himself being an alum of the Zimkids programming. Both spoke at the show and illustrated the impact of hundreds of children who would be impacted by the measly $3200 we raised. Though, that number was small to us, their budget was about $100,000 at the time, a 3.2% increase in their annual earnings! Therefore, what I believe makes this organization special is their mission to empower young people in more than just monetary fundraising. We took an idea that most organizations would only reserve for an established market with insurable gains, and placed it in the hands of a couple of teenagers. Of course, not everyone has access to donations from the aforementioned established brands, but the majority of our donations were contributions from students and families. Prom dresses were also a huge market that we tapped into at an affordable cost to both us and the student’s family. So as a young person in a class literally about youth empowerment in philanthropy, I don’t see a better example of that than Zimkids Orphan Trust.
The mission of Zimkids Orphan Trust is to provide over 300 Zimbabwean orphans with education, skills and vocational training, food, medical care, and recreation. The organization funds an early childhood education program of over 60 children, teaching in computer training, arts, reading, and mathematics. It is 100% self-funded. For older children, they pay school fees and provide scholarships to university-bound students. In addition to food and shelter, the Trust also facilitates a volunteer physician and pays for all testing and medication. Lastly, the children create handmade dolls which are sent to large donors in order to give them a personal token of gratitude along with a small biography of the child that made them. Though these dolls are also up for sale, the message of these dolls is one of humanization; it is so common to separate the monetary donation from the children that are actually benefiting. Some of these dolls were sold at our high school and they were a huge hit especially for parents who could personally empathize with the children. Zimkids showcases the talents of their children and encourages donations without any flashy advertisements.
Zimkids is also a grass-roots organization that only takes long-term workers from the Zimbabweans in the local area, thereby avoiding ethical issues concerning global influence and stimulating the local economy. On the actual grounds of the Zimkids Orphan Trust, they only staff alumni of the program who are particularly attuned to the needs of the children. This created the slogan, “Built by Orphans. Run by Orphans. For Orphans.” All of these go to say, I support their efforts not because they support the children like all orphanages do, but because they are specific in their mission and activities. They aren’t a huge company spread out across 20 different countries with hundreds of schools. They are but one orphanage in Zimbabwe, but with connections all over the globe, the opposite path of influence as the aforementioned.
Others should support the organization because they are committed to local, self-sufficient, and creative solutions to a global epidemic like orphans wrought by HIV/AIDS. I, as a young person, was incredibly empowered to get involved in larger-scale charity and philanthropy. The best part is, I’m not the only one. Dennis and Tinashe tour developed nations like the U.S., giving seminars about giving and the value of the honesty of Zimkids at schools, religious organizations, and nonprofits. I implore you, support innovation in the nonprofit industry as well as an orphanage that impacts the lives of over 300 children every day.
Michael Tang
Great pitch! I believe that as a global power, the United States has a responsibility to assist those in need around the world. When we support organizations like Zimkids Orphan Trust, we promote global unity. As philanthropists, we must hold on to core values of travel, unity, sharing, community, and collaboration. All of these values are recognizable in your pitch. Often times Americans do not want to send their money overseas. Perhaps this because they want to focus their efforts inside of their own country. However, we must recognize that other communities have issues that are more pressing than our own. Children with HIV who do not have education or a support system certainly need our help, perhaps more than other nonprofit organizations do. When deciding to support a local or international organization, we must think selflessly and generously, as you do here.
ReplyDeleteZimkids sounds like an amazing organization with a powerful mission! They represent many of the values that I think philanthropy should encompass. Teaching early education and life skills is an invaluable gift that monetary donations alone could never come close to touching. One reason I am so in favor of this method of philanthropy is that it removes some of the inherent obligation that we must "help the poor because they cannot help themselves". Sometimes, even if we are trying to do the right thing, our efforts can seem almost patronizing to the people we think we are helping. Education allows children to take control of their own lives. In addition, the fact that Zimkids only staffs long time Zimbabweans and alumni of the program is incredibly thoughtful. Thanks to the sense of community this creates, the children are even more likely to lead happy and full lives that they almost certainly would not have been able to achieve without the help of this big-hearted organization.
ReplyDeleteWonderful pitch and presentation! The fashion show seems to have had a positive impact on your experience with philanthropy and congrats on raising so much money! This organization truly exemplifies what a grassroots organization is. I love how the people who are working with the children are alumni from the program itself. It’s a beautiful testament to how one changed life can influence a want to change another person’s life. Alumni can connect more with the children as well. Having the kids see someone like them do great work empowers them to want to do meaningful and good work as well. A question I do have though is how are they specifically working toward addressing the HIV/AIDS issue in Zimbabwe? Do they provide medical treatment if needed? Do they also provide education about the HIV/AIDS epidemic so that this orphan cycle can possibly close?
ReplyDeleteSkylar Lai
Micheal, after the presentations today I was especially drawn to your organization ZimKids Orphan Trust. It took some time for me to understand what was so enticing about your presentation and what made it tempting to donate towards Zimkids. It could've been the pictures that appealed to emotions of empathy or compassion or the visibility of unity within the orphanage through those images. Nonetheless, the organization spoke powerfully through its motto that essentially amplified the values of transparency and accountability, “Built by Orphans. Run by Orphans. For Orphans.” The slogan also eliminated any worries of the donations being divided to cover overhead expenditures.
ReplyDeleteMoreover, the conversation of national vs international organizations has been brought up time and time again. What made the case of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Zimbabwe more urgent than that of U.S’? To that question, I believe it's the scale of the impact of 1 dollar in Zimbabwe compared to 1 dollar in the United States. In a country so developed like the United States, our donations would not make much of a difference to a life here as they would to a life in Africa. Organizations like Zimkids assist in raising the quality of life of kids to one that can be barely comparable to kids in other countries. And that's where the urgency arises. The fact that these kids do not even have parents and are set back even more by HIV/AIDS means that they are way behind the starting line for kids around the world.
I like that Zimkids allowed you to run a fundraiser for their cause, which gives you transparency as to where the money is coming from, which I think is important to consider as a donor and philanthropist. It also compels you to remain dedicated to and engaged in their cause.
ReplyDeleteI also appreciate that Zimkids is a grassroots organization, because it is important for the local economy to gain financial and economic stability and independence. Learning in political science that foreign aid contributes to a country's stability/independence allows me to consider this aspect as a philanthropist; Is it better to work through an organization in the United States that donates time, money, and/or resources to Zimbabwe, or directly give to an organization within Zimbabwe? Why? How can we do "good" well? It is also important to consider as a philanthropist: Are we giving those living these experiences the agency to live a better quality life? How beneficial is that for the people in these situations? The core values of autonomy, efficiency, and collaboration are extremely evident.