Adverse childhood experience inspires Chitungwiza woman
Chipo Mahamba (37) is one of the people who had a traumatising childhood experience, but what could make her different from others is that the pain she suffered inspired her to found, Vana Vedu Trust to support the less privileged children in Chitungwiza.
Hopping from step-mother, stepgrandmother to another stepmother, life was never easy for Mahamba since her parents separated when she was two years old.
Only one step-mother was good, but their time together was very short as her father married another abusive woman.
“Life wasn’t easy I tell you as two of my step mothers had one thing in common that they didn’t want me to go to school,” Mahamba said.
“At one point, when I was in Grade 2, I arrived home soaked by the rain and I was forced to stand in the rains as the then step-mother claimed that I would make the house dirty.
“When my father, an ex-soldier, arrived the step-mother alleged that I was late from school and I was beaten severely despite that I was just Grade 2.
“I am the only father’s child who couldn’t call him dad as I was forced to call him baba.
“Getting sanitary ware depended on his mood and I ended up using newspapers and not sharing my problems.” Mahamba said she was not allowed to visit her biological mother and she never knew her whereabouts.
“At Grade Five I turned to the streets of Mbare Musika from 9am to 4pm,” she said.
“I then met a Good Samaritan who knew me by my name and took me to my mother.
“That was the life and I realised that there are some children out there experiencing what I experienced and don’t have anyone or anywhere to talk to.”
Vana Vedu Trust, which was founded in 2019 is a home for children and youths aged between zero and 35 years. Rape survivors, children with disabilities, child parents, child prostitutes, child parents, school dropouts, drug and substance abusers are catered for.
Part of its niche is to promote children’s rights, sexual and reproductive health, fight drug abuse and empowering the young through life skills trainings. “Every child needs parental support, that’s why I founded the trust,” Mahamba said.
“I chose to stand for vulnerable kids.
“There are some that came from very poor families so we assist them with food, clothes and sanitary ware when it comes to females.
“Every Saturday we feed children.
“To date we have assisted over 300 kids in Seke area.”
She added: “We also offer surviving skills trainings.”
“At the moment we are focusing on carpentry and baking.
“It’s because I am so pained by what unemployed kids end up doing.
“They indulge in theft and prostitution.”
Mahamba said there was a child who told her that he was forced into theft because of hunger.
“Domestic violence is also making some children develop wayward behaviour,” she said.
Speaking during a visit to Vana Vedu Trust in Unit L organized by the Zimbabwe Union of Journalists (ZUJ) recently, three of the trust’s beneficiaries Mitchell Nyani (19), Sheila Zuze and Delight Ayana (21) testified that the organisation indeed transformed their lives.
“I came from Nzvimbo, Chiweshe and I was introduced to Mahamba by my councillor Israel Nyanhi who told me that there was somewhere I could learn carpentry,” said Nyani.
“I had turned into an illegal gold miner which introduced me to drugs and it wasn’t giving me income.
“Doing capentry is very sustainable and safe.
“My appeal to well-wishers is for support to buy my own tools and safety clothes so that when I receive enough training I can start my own thing.”
Zuze, a 35-year-old single the mother of four, gets assistance in form of food to look after her children.
Junior Justice minister and junior Zengeza West MP Wesley Jayden Dhliwayo commended Vana Vedu Trust for doing a “great job”.
“It has been doing a great job since it started operating in 2020,” Dhliwayo said.
“Awareness campaigns are not really working against drug abuse.
“So we thank Vana Vedu Trust for having one on one engagement with kids.
“An adage, which says where there is a problem there is a solution speaks very well here.
“The trust identified a problem and it is empowering kids through projects aimed at taking them out of their problems.”
The junior MP said they were doing projects that empower vulnerable people.
“Without youths or children we are not going anywhere as a nation,” Dhliwayo said.
“I thank you Vana Vedu Trust and I agree that if kids don't get enough support they end up indulging in criminal activities.”
Mahamba’s husband Progressive supports her philanthropy work and he is currently the Vana Vedu Trust programmes officer.
“I understand the way Chipo grew up and thought I should support her dream,” she said.
“The little we get we channel to the trust.
“If we empower the kids, we would have shaped the future of the nation.
“Our minds will be at peace if we assist the vulnerable.”
The Zimbabwe Youth Council provincial manager and an administrative officer for the Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation ministry in Chitungwiza Memory Kanyati said government supports Vana Vedu Trust’s vision.
The Trust took part in an SNV program that would see the children being assisted to start projects.