Visit to Arcadia and Epworth TCs

AGENDA: STRATEGY ENVISIONING ON THE NEW TRANSFORMATIONAL CENTER MODEL.

On the 9th of September, the ministry team visited Arcadia Transformational Center for an envisioning meeting with Pastor Cleopas Chipato. Arcadia is going to be one of the five pioneering TC projects in 2021. Pastor Cleopas Chipato was excited about the new TC model as its going to empower children, equip them with skills, create a hive of activities at the TC and reach out to the community in a massive way.

 

Below are the points that were discussed in the meeting:

  • The model will be used to minister to the whole being of a child (body, soul and spirit).

  • The bridging school will be used to bridge the educational gap that was created when a child drops out of school.

  • The Preschool will be used to offer fundamental early learning to infants.

  • Both the Bridging school and the Preschool will be using the RACHEL device.

  • An impact worker will reach out to the community creating a relationship between

    the project and the community where the children occur.

After our visit to Arcadia, the ministry team headed to Epworth Transformational Center run by our partner church, Christian Assemblies Fellowship (C.A.F). This is one of the centers that has remained functional despite Covid-19. On arrival, we found 26 children available at the center. The ministry team met with the front-line care givers who are Massi Chikuvanyanga and Siboneni Moyo. They have remained committed even in this pandemic. Below are testimonies from some of the kids:

Brenda Chadzuka (15) joined the TC with her brother Farai in 2016. Getting food from the TC was a blessing as having food on their table was a challenge. They also get spiritual input from the TC from the daily devotions they do before meals. She stays with her mother and her four siblings. Their mother can afford to send only two kids to school. Thank God Brenda is now getting school fees through the TC. Brenda is now doing form 2 and she wants to be a nurse after finishing her studies.

Sarah Timanimoto (13) is doing form 1 and she has four siblings. She started going to the Transformational Center with her sister Rutendo in 2015. She stays with her mother, but Sarah and Rutendo are now able to get regular meals on a daily basis through the TC. Sarah also wants to be a nurse after finishing her studies.

 

The two Transformational Centers continue to impact the lives of children in their respective communities despite the Covid-19 restrictions.

Compiled by Stewart Tavengwa