2021
December update
FESTIVE FUND A FRIEND
As the pandemic of Covid-19 continues to cause distress physically, mentally and emotionally to all across the world, we are at this festive time of year hoping to support our family in Harare who are suffering with already deep levels of poverty and economic struggle combined with increasingly high rates of covid-19 infections.
We are running a Festive Fund a Friend food campaign. Our hope is to support our OWS community with grocery aid over the festive season and see out 2021 with some food security and hope for the new year.
Please, if you are able to help us, do click the donate button above and support. Fund a friend a fiver!
2021 New Year
A new year is upon us and whilst we remain grateful for the hope that such a time brings, we remain acutely aware of the challenges our community in ZImbabwe are suffering through with both health and economic challenges. Sadly, cases and deaths are rising in the nation and the instability of the national currency means many of our wider community are struggling even more with providing food for their families and maintaining their living situations.
Therefore we are appealing to you to continue to work alongside us to provide aid support to as many as we can. We hope to provide ongoing aid until the crisis has subsided and therefore we begin with a goal of $2000. This will be reviewed monthly,
Please may you help us? We are so grateful for your ongoing support and guarantee 100% of your donation goes directly to providing aid for our community.
Please take a listen to a mother and daughter who are recipients of some of the grocery and living aid explaining the situation and their thanks to you
A reminder: The reason for our appeal
As the world continues to battle a pandemic, the effects in Zimbabwe are quite catastrophic. There are increasing COVID 19 cases and deaths reported, but in a country where health resources have been stretched to breaking point and beyond for decades, testing is still extremely scarce. Meanwhile, the lockdowns have had a major impact on every person’s life. A vast majority are unable to work, and there is no effective social security system. (Read this news article for further context on Africa more broadly)
2020
Update: Wednesday 17th December 2020
We have been overwhelmed by the incredible support that has been afforded to our project in the past few months. We have now sent over $23,000 USD to our Hope for Hungry appeal and supported hundreds of people with grocery aid, including staff and children and the wider extended community.
We have one more ask for 2020! We have a dream to continue Hope for Hungry for December and need your help to get there – will you consider supporting us one more time? We will be sending funds to Harare before the year end and the local team continue to be so incredibly grateful for any assistance offered.
We have a goal to reach $25,000! – can you help us?
Update Monday 7 July – We are quite stunned that the total raised is now over $15,000 – thank you! The goal is now $20,000, and we continue to be amazed by people’s generosity – will you consider adding to the total we can send? We will be sending more of the funds to Harare this month and the local team continue to be so grateful for the partnership and support.
Below is a message from one of the school staff we received recently:
Hey Uncle Greg, Auntie Sophie and Auntie Hannah. It feels great to be remembered and loved. I collected my groceries – it means a lot to our family and makes a huge difference in these difficult times. Thank you and the team behind all these good deeds. Grateful to be part of the OWS family. Love…. Anna-Mercy
Below is a video recorded last year at the School Concert – we think it is a great song of hope at this time for the children and the nation – we hope you enjoy it.
Here is a short message from Liam, one of the pupils, on what the reality of hunger is like in Harare right now for many. One Way School is closed, and he is desperately hoping it will open again soon, but that is out of our hands.
Alongside extreme hunger and starvation, some of the other usual threats include Cholera, TB, AIDS and Malaria. Prevention and treatment for those diseases is further challenged by the current situation.
As it is impossible to fly to Harare at present, and also challenging to transfer money in to the country, it is easy to feel helpless. But, thanks to the ongoing support of people like you, the situation is far from hopeless. Here’s how you can help right now.
We do have a way to get money to the School Board and administrators, and they will be able to use it to provide food for the most needy in the school, and in the communities connected with the school in Harare. Every single penny or cent donated will go straight to the school, with no deductions.
A pound or a dollar can feed a few people for a day, given the extreme economic conditions, and the extraordinary exchange rates at present.
Some supporters in the UK, US and around the world, have decided to miss a meal, or even fast for a whole day, so they can donate what they would have spent on food for that meal or day. Will you join them?
Simply hit Donate at the top or bottom of this page, and give what you can.
We know that so many people in the UK and US are struggling themselves right now, so if you are unable to give, we totally understand – there is no pressure at all. There is still something you can do, however.
Your messages of support and concern for the staff and children in Harare are so appreciated by the children, their families and the school staff. Do drop us an email or direct message if you have time, and we will pass it on. Also, please share this appeal as widely as you can, on social media and by email etc.
Thank you!
From Greg, Sophie, Hannah, and all the wider team at OWS
Queues for Mealie Meal (Maize – staple food in Zimbabwe) 
Water Queues 
Pumping Water
