Educate and Empower 18,000 Girls in Zimbabwe

Bea is 19 years old.  She comes from a very poor family and a poor community and has lived in poverty her whole life.  At the beginning of last year we were asked to take Bea into our Vocational Skills Agricultural program for teenage girls.  Despite being full and after hearing her sad story we decided to give her the opportunity to do the course.  We were told she was bright and hardworking and just needed a chance.

Bea excelled in every part of the course.  She was determined to learn as much as she could.  She knew she had a family at home that was relying on her.  She would be their escape out of poverty. 

She is now back in her community and has started vegetable farming. She  began with onions and tomatoes and both crops did exceptionally well. She started supplying the boarding school in her community and they made a contract with her.  Now she is the talk of the community and everyone envies her work. Now she grows tomatoes, onions, butternut squash and spinach.  She has plans to build a big fowl run so that she can also do broiler chickens and supply the local high school. She is a big dreamer and she says she doesn’t see herself being employed but she will employ many in her community. We are so proud of her.

Bea’s departing words were, “I refuse to let my past define my future.”

The team here at the American Foundation for Children with AIDS thanks you for supporting this project and the work we do for the children in Africa.  As you start to make decisions regarding your annual giving, please keep us in mind so we can continue our good work through 2023 and beyond. If you would like to learn even more about what we do or how you can meet some of the children you have helped, please contact Tanya Weaver at tweaver@AFCAids.org.