History background


In 1961, Zimbabwe had a constitution that favoured the whites in power. During the 1970s there were two different nationalist organisations that carried out campaigns against the white government at this time. One of the organizations is called Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), led by Robert Mugabe. The other organisation, Zimbabwe African People’s Union (ZAPU) had the leader Joshua Nkomo. In 1979, an agreement for providing legal independence and democracy in Zimbabwe was achieved, and a new constitution was established. On 18 April 1980 Zimbabwe received its independence, after more than 25 000 people had been killed in the fight for it. The party of Robert Mugabe (ZANU) was elected in April 1980 and Mugabe became a prime minister of the Republic of Zimbabwe.

In 1982, Mugabe expelled Nkomo from the cabinet and began a campaign against the Matabeleland region, which supported strongly the party ZAPU. The campaign for the next five years included political domination and despotism, as well as abuse of human rights, mass murders and property burnings. A difficult period for the country and the government followed during the 1990s. The country faced very high rates of inflation and unemployment. More than two-thirds of the population was living in poverty, and one-forth of the population has been infected by HIV.

In 2001 Mugabe ordered almost 3 000 white farmers to leave their farms. Most of them did not obey the order, and the act was followed by arresting those who remained in their farms. Leaders from the opposition called for strikes in a protest against Mugabe and his government, who responded with arrests and violence. Even though the ruling of Mugabe weakened the economy of the country and led to shortage of basic commodities, he has been re-elected each time since the independence of the country. Every election has been accompanied by violence and restriction on the opposition, and has been widely criticised and considered as unfair even by international observers.

The elections in 2005 showed once again that the Mugabe’s early promises for democracy, peace and cooperation were replaced of strong authoritarian control and distrust of opposition. The party won the votes with a majority of two-thirds, but many people believe that this election did not show the Zimbabweans free and democratic will. During the elections, food aid has been misused; there have been “ghost voters”, a lack of equal access to media has been observed and the members of the election commission consisted of ZANU supporters. At least 10% of the voters were prevented from voting and some observers insist that the number is closer to 30%.

Salvation Army in Zimbabwe

The Salvation Army was officially recognized in Zimbabwe in 1997. Nowadays the Army has its own Officers Training College in Harare, and many volunteers from all over the world come to work in Zimbabwe side by side with over 400 Zimbabwean officers. Their goal is to improve the life of the local people, by offering them social, medical and educational services, all based upon the inspiration of the life of Jesus Christ. The country has been through a very difficult period with a two-year nflation of 1,000%, a lack of the most basic commodities and continued devastation from HIV/AIDS. Despite the difficulties, the Army has been working hard and has received even better results than previous years. Several new corps buildings were dedicated during the last year and unding has been received from the International Project Department. The new Howard Hospital construction on the core building has been completed at Phase 1. The major donations for this project have been
provided by USA Southern Territory.
n partnership with Rotary International, a series of SARTEP grants was made available to provide income-generating opportunities for communities affected by HIV/AIDS. (From “The Salvation Army Year Book, 2005”)

Hospitals

The Salvation Army has two hospitals in Zimbabwe territory - Howard Hospital and Tshelanyemba Hospital. The purpose is to meet people and their needs in a compassionate manner, and to help those people who seek medical care.

Howard Hospital
Howard Hospital has been established in 1923 and it is situated in the land of Zimbabwe. It is a Salvation Army hospital with 144 beds, serving more than 250 000 people in the region. The hospital provides different services for people in all ages. There are in- patient and out-patient departments, an operating room, pharmacy and laboratory. Furthermore, the hospital has facilities for X-rays, ultrasound and rehabilitation. There is also a training school that offers education for nurses, who can upgrade to the level of a general nurse. The Salvation Army Humanitarian Aids in Västeras has provided the hospital with equipment containing X-ray machines, diesel generators, and general medical equipment for several million Swedish crones.

Around 75% of the medical work in the hospital is concentrated on HIV and AIDS cases. HIV care is a main priority. Only in this area there are ple infected with HIV, and 10 people die each week at the hospital, as a result of the sickness. A main goal for the hospital is AIDS prevention. An education team goes to schools, churches and communities to inform about AIDS prevention. Worship services are held in schools and chapels, spreading the message of prevention, a healthy life and hope. Different youth clubs have also been established for this purpose. In order to decrease the transmission of HIV from mother to child, Howard Hospital witnessed the introduction of new drugs, AZT and nevirapine, to prevent infant infection. There are plans for establishing a HIV counselling and treatment centre.

Different programs have been established to help people with different
problems.

A home care program for chronic and palliative care is being carried by registered nurses. A supplemental feeding program has also been formed in order to help children and adults with malnutrition. In Zimbabwe, there are 1 million orphans and the Salvation Army has established a child sponsorship program for orphans whose parents have died as a result of AIDS. Because of this program, such children get the possibility to go to school, which otherwise they would not be able to afford. Among the villages there are different support groups for people living with HIV. Sick or dying people, as well as their healthy friends or relatives can receive care and education at Howard Hospital. Spiritual care and counselling are provided by two chaplains with support of the local Salvation Army corps.

Tshelanyemba Hospital
Tshelanyemba Hospital was established in 1954, after a clinic in Mbembeswana was started in 1934. The hospital is situated near the South African borders, 155 km south of Bulawayo (Zimbabwe’s second largest city). It has 103 beds and is serving 43 000 people in this community.

The population in this area is among the poorest in Zimbabwe, and the income and nutrition levels of the people are very low. With a staff of 75 people, the hospital has a purpose to help patients with different needs, and to serve the community spiritually, physically and socially.

Different teams provide mother and child health care services, as well as family planning. Such kind of services is very important for the people who live far away, since the distance to the nearest health facilities in the area is very long. Since 1990, voluntary counselling and testing for HIV has been offered. Rapid HIV testing can be carried out at the hospital. In 2003, a new program was introduced, called Prevention of Mother to Child Transmission, and two members from the staff of the hospital have been trained in this service.

The hospital provides both in-patient and out- patient departments. Consultations about HIV/AIDS are carried to patients from both departments, as well as to pregnant women who stay in the waiting mothers’ shelter. Counselling the relatives of the patients is also included in the service. There are more than 400 volunteer home-based care givers in the area where the hospital is located. They
on people’s problems and meet together once every two years for a refresher course.

The hospital aims to serve the society in this area, by helping the patients, > as well as their friends and relatives. To achieve its purposes, the hospital is providing different services and programs, including Home Based Care, mobile Extended Program of Immunisation clinics, Community Based Rehabilitation, School Support, Environmental involvement, orphan care and support, a base for vocational training, and other appropriate community services. In 2003 began a Primary Care Nurse training for 18 months, which accepts 20 pupils every six months. Advice on family planning is provided to all patient groups.

Eldery care
The Salvation Army has several complexes and homes for elderly people in Zimbabwe. In Harare, there is a complex established 25 years ago, which gives shelter to 35 elderly patients. Additionally, there are houses that provide accommodation for older people. Also in Harare, there is a ludes 20 apartments for older women, as well as a hostel for men with psychiatric problems or men without homes. In 1980, a Hospital Home for older people was completed in Bumhudzo. It was the first hospital of its kind in Zimbabwe and it serves 110 people who have lost a connection with their families and tribal homes. In Bulawayo, where two homes are established, older people can find a good place and safety environment to live in.

Schools
The Salvation Army has established four secondary schools in Zimbabwe Territory. In 1926 Bradley Secondary School was started, named to honour Lt Frank Bradley who was an influential officer in the pioneering days of the Salvation Army in Zimbabwe. A Secondary School named after James Usher was also established. In 1933, a class was started, including five boys and one girl. By the year 1935, the number of the pupils had grown to 34, which could show the need for a formalized school. In 1939 the students became 101 and a new classroom block was opened. Howard High School was started in 1923 and it was named after Commissioner Henry Howard, who was the International Secretary for Africa at the Salvation Army’s International Headquarters. Since 1928 the school has also been a teacher training centre. The first tract of land given to the Salvation Army was used in 1903 to establish educational work. This first work was closed in 1923 but in 1959, the current Mazowe High School was opened. The total number of students in all of the schools is estimated to be 2654.

New fellowships with different purposes are also formed and organized. A fellowship, called Mephiboseth is a support group for the disabled. Another one, Ezekiel, is a fellowship for men who have lost their wives. The Young Women’s Fellowship is a program that is very strong in some divisions. Their purpose is to organize meetings and discuss important topics such as sexual abuse and preventing rape, children abuse and abortion, choosing good friends, as well as HIV/AIDS. The young women’s groups are helping the communities in different ways. Some of the members are taking part in service at hospitals, where they clean rooms and grounds. Some groups are involved in helping older people; and others are devoted in helping orphans, by supporting them with the school fees, uniforms and food.

There are still many challenges for the Women’s Ministries in Zimbabwe. The growing number of HIV/AIDS cases continues to be a main problem. People affected by HIV/AIDS are not able to take part in some programs, and their sickness affects the people around them both practically and emotionally. Another challenge for the ministries is the problem with the transportation and the limited availability of fuel.

Project works:

The Salvation Army undertakes a variety of different projects in Zimbabwe. The purpose of the work in Zimbabwe is to create communities which are economically and socially empowered and to enable these communities to use their potential in order to be self-sustainable. Another, and not less important issue for the Army, is to seek and work for a spiritual growth among the population.

Water and Sanitation
During the rain season in 1999/2000, Southern Africa was hit by the Cyclone Eline. Zimbabwe was mostly affected in its eastern and southern districts. As a result, a lot of damages were caused to the region. Toilets have been destroyed and water points have become inaccessible. Roads and villages were washed away and many people lost their homes. The livestock and infrastructure were also greatly damaged. Nowadays, some of the communities in the affected area are still suffering as a result of the damages caused by the cyclone. Zimbabwe’s economical situation has just made the problem worse, since the country is not capable of developing basic infrastructure such as water and sanitation. The Salvation Army’s project for water and sanitation includes supplying boreholes and Blair toilets in four provinces of Zimbabwe. Three of those provinces have been affected by the Cyclone Eline, and the forth one is an under-served area in terms of development resources.


Masiye Camp
Masiye Camp is an organisation that operates under the Salvation Army Development Services Department. The department has the goal to spread the religious purposes of the Salvation Army in Zimbabwe, as well as to work for social development in the country by helping people in need. Other purposes of the department are connected with working on the education and developing the charity activities in Zimbabwe. In general, the Salvation Army Masiye Camp is an organisation that has a mission to facilitate and provide psychosocial support to orphans, vulnerable children and youth in this part of Africa.

Since the number of children affected by HIV/AIDS is constantly growing, the Salvation Army responded to that problem by creating Masiye Camp. The idea for establishing this organisation occurred in 1994, when the Salvation Army already had several community programs concerned with orphan care. The problem was that most of the organisations at this time, including the Salvation Army, were mainly concentrating on material support, monitoring and school fees.

The Army understood that the psychosocial impact and support were not less important factors for helping people, but much less attention was paid on them. Therefore, in 1994 the Masiye Camp developed its concept for learning and facilitation of practically applied psychosocial support through camps based on experiential learning methodologies. In 1995 The Salvation Army received a permission to establish a life skills camp in the Vulindlela Ward of Matopo District. During 1995 and 1997 the Army was involved in planning and fundraising, and at the end of this period, the design of the organisation was completed. The work of the Army was facilitated by help from volunteers and local workers. The Architecture planning was provided by a professional architect who participated voluntarily for helping the Army. The construction of the facilities was carried out by local workers from the surrounding communities. As a result, the first life skills camp started in May 1998 in a tented camp.

When the Camp started its work, many activities were initiated with the purpose to develop the infrastructure. By the end of 1998, two dormitories, two staff houses, a toilet and shower block, meeting hall, generator house, kitchen and volunteer quarters were constructed. Other activities such as child counselling, experiential learning, skill building and life skills camp leadership were also initiated and developed. During the first year, more that 60 youths were trained through training courses. Some of the youth volunteers were accepted as Masiye staff members.

During 1999 the activities of the organisation increased even more. Over 450 children and youths participated in ten orphan life skills camps. During the same year, training courses in psychosocial support for the children were also started. On the 18 of August 1999 the Camp was officially opened by Mrs Joyce Mujuru who is one of Salvation Army Home League members, and who in December 2004 has been made a Vice- President of Zimbabwe. In April 2003, Masiye Camp received the Auxillia Chimusoro Award for excellence in responding to the psychosocial needs of children affected by AIDS.

Mission
Nowadays the Salvation Army Masiye Camp occupies an area of 750 hectares and has established clear objectives and purposes. Some of them are concerned with allowing the members and participants to discover and develop their potential by direct experiences and challenges. The Camp tries to develop practical and low cost psychosocial support interventions, which can have a high impact on helping children affected by AIDS. The restore and strengthen children’s self-esteem, and to develop their values and hope for the future. The Camp aims to achieve development of goal settings, decision making and negotiation skills, as well as achieving a > healthy sense of responsibility for one’s life.

The results of the Life Skills Camps show that the program has received success in building children’s confidence and developing their coping skills. Most of the children have been encouraged to show their feelings and emotions after taking part in the Camps.

There are still some issues that need to be developed and adjusted in order to receive better results in helping children. The Camp program needs to find an adequate way to cope with stress, hopelessness and anxiety. Furthermore, the program should be complimented by a follow-up system which should take care of the children after leaving the Camp. Otherwise, a negative result can be received if the children become even more distressed when they go back to their communities and real life. Another issue that should be concerned is the length of the camp, since ten days may not be a long enough period to perform a comprehensive counselling. One of the objectives for the Life Skills Camp is all the time to develop and innovative new methodologies for helping vulnerable children.

The Camp
The Camps continue for 8-10 days. Children attending the camps are divided into three different age groups, 6-11, 12-16 and 16-20. The third group is for Children Heading Households, and except for the main camp program, their camps include a teen parenting and household management courses. Camps for children with disabilities are also hold. Each counsellor in the camp works with five children and involves them in quality programs and activities. During the days, children are gathered for breakfast, exercises, and talks about topics and issues that affect children. The counsellors involve the children in different activities such as arts and
crafts, canoeing, rafting, etc. The whole training is based on the use of experiential adventure based learning.

Community Camps
The difference between the Community Camp and Masiye Camp is that the Community Camp takes place in the child’s community, while Masiye Camp is at a long distance. The Community Camps provide many > advantages. Through them it is easier to reach a higher number of children and at the same time to reduce the cost for transportation. It is also easier to observe different issues and cases that concern children. To a great extend, the community camps are a replication of Masiye Camps but at a community level. The communities use their local resources to involve children in different games and activities, but the final mission and goals are the same as the Masiye Camp’s. In general, the community> camps are less expensive and have the possibility to involve more children.

Kids Clubs
The idea for organizing kids clubs occurred at the organization Youth for a Child in Christ (YOCIC). Many kids clubs were started as a result of the collaboration between the Youth for a Child in Christ and Masiye Camp, where the YOCIC has been doing the planning and the implementation and Masiye Camp has been providing administrative and technical support. The concept for running kids clubs was widely accepted from many communities and organisations. Kids Clubs is a very effective way of providing children with psychosocial support. Mostly children and youths between 6 and 20 years old attend the clubs and their meetings happen every week.

Kids Clubs are organised by youths and their goal is to concentrate on issues related to children’s health and how to improve their health and development. These clubs are open for every child from the community, but their main focus is on orphans and other children and youths affected by HIV/AIDS. The purpose is to create an enabling environment for the integration of children and youth affected by HIV/AIDS into the society. The goal of the kids clubs is to achieve increased safety environment for children and youths in their community by providing psychosocial support. The clubs aim to encourage vulnerable children, both external and internal, in order to strengthen their coping mechanisms. Moreover, through the activities in the clubs, which include arts, dance, music, etc, children are encouraged to express themselves and to develop their creativity.

One of the main benefits for children and youths attending the kids clubs is that they receive the opportunity to meet and interact with other children and youths in a safe environment. This is one way of providing psychosocial support regularly and in a long term.

Photos from Zimbabwe:

A trip to Zimbabwe

Howard Hospital