After more than twenty years of high unemployment and inflation in Zimbabwe, many children living with disabilities are among the most marginalized, due to the cyclical relationship between disability and poverty.
Facing discrimination and a lack of support systems, they are more likely to be out of school and excluded from participating fully in their communities.
They are also much more vulnerable to violence and abuse than their peers.
The Ngwenya family from Bulawayo have 7 children. The 3 middle children – Anaishe, Mudiwa and Vimbo - have a congenital disability which means they are unable to walk.
Mrs Ngwenya begins their story.
“We struggled to provide for the family. My husband does not have a steady job and has to go to Namibia to find work.”
“What he brings home is not enough for our basic needs like food and clothing.”
“Our three disabled children had to be carried to school as we could not afford wheelchairs.”
“We did this for a while but, as they grew older and heavier, the girls had to drop out of school.”
Our partners, the Nehemiah Project, met the Ngwenya family when they were visiting the homes of children attending their Kids’ and Youth clubs for orphaned and vulnerable children.
The team discovered that Anaishe, Mudiwa and Vimbo were not in school, as the schools in their area did not have inclusive curriculums and were too far for them to be carried to. The project helped Mrs Ngwenya access social and health services. The three girls had medical assessments and were diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta.
They were given wheelchairs and enrolled at a a secondary education facility for disabled and deaf children as boarders.
Mrs Ngwenya continues, “Vimbo is now in Grade 6 at King George School and she brings home better results every term. She is a much happier teenager! Anaishe and Mudiwa finished their Secondary Education at King George School and have now enrolled at Jairos Jiri Centre where they are receiving vocational training. Anaishe is studying clothing manufacturing and Mudiwa is studying catering. Both girls are so excited for the future and are very happy to associate with other successful people living with disabilities, who make up part of their teachers and students at Jairos Jiri Centre.”
“The Nehemiah Project also helped me to get our two older able-bodied daughters enrolled at hairdressing school, and they have given me business skills training and access to a grant to start a small business of buying and selling household commodities in our neighbourhood.”
“The Nehemiah Project was a gift that God sent to us in our most needful time. The older girls are now able to help with family upkeep from the money they earn through hairdressing, and all our younger children are at school. I do not even want to imagine where we would be if it hadn’t been for Nehemiah Project - we have seen the goodness of the Lord through their work.”
Zendaya's story
Zendaya is one of the Nehemiah Project’s peer educators in the 2024-2025 Shining Stars Programme. Sadly, Zendaya was disabled in a car accident and now permanently relies on crutches for mobility.
The Nehemiah Project helped her with hospital bills and provided her with business and vocational skills training: she learnt how to make detergents and peanut butter.
They also helped her register her company to get the necessary clearances so she could access a business loan from the Social Welfare Services department. She is now successfully running a small business.
“If it had not been for the Nehemiah project, I would not have been able to leave sex work after my car accident injuries. Nehemiah helped me find a better way to earn a living.”
