Makaza Village Project

Introducing Makaza village counity project for rural development

Hi everyone!

We are Allan, Julie, Silvia and Freedom, a couple of old Brits and our two Zimbabwean friends living in Johannesburg where we work. We recently went together to Northern Matabeleland on the sad business of taking home the body of a brother for repatriation and burial in his home village. To cut a long story short, we were adopted and are now honorary citizens of Makaza village and as such we need to help and support them, hence our project.

Unlike many organisations who ask for your help, we have been there, lived there, talked to them and experienced first-hand what their hardships are. We are able to offer our expertise and experience in solar power, Internet by satellite, engineering and education to them for free  and the village community are happy to put their backs into building, labouring and more importantly, learning for a sustainable future.

If you are able to donate anything, you will be contributing to the success of a project which will be a model for rural development in Africa. 100% of all donations will go to the cause, so name me a charity who can say that!

You will be contributing to the following:

• Solar pumps at 6 boreholes to supply clean water to the clinic, school and for community drinking water.
• In the face of growing drought, water for irrigation to grow food crops and initiate a programme of cash crops for income.
• Solar powered Internet by satellite for Health, Education and Communication.
• 25 Computers for the school, clinic and Internet hub
• 2 solar arrays, one for the school, one for the Internet hub
• The building of a kraal to provide accommodation for volunteers who wish to support the project by bringing their hard work and expertise to Northern Matabeleland (yes, I'm talking to you).
• Networking: please spread our word.

What you will get in return: Let me start by telling you how we were rewarded. 'Only one white man has ever been to this village. There was once a doctor in Bulawayo who helped us bring home the bones of one of our men from the city where he was buried. You are the second to come here and we are grateful'......and they showed it!

• The villagers need to know that many more will come to their community, perhaps not in person but by their deeds. Every contributor will be remembered in village history by being included with their photograph at the kraal.
• You will be regularly updated on the progress at the village. Freedom has just put himself on Facebook which is a mighty feat as his first experience of Internet was last week! (make him your friend, tapson nkululeko, he has great comedy value). With a bit more experience he will be doing the updates himself.
• Volunteer to come out and the rewards of this experience will stay with you lifelong.
• We have some very nice beaded geckos and other handmade items from a variety of animals to "lollypop" lamps we can send you (supporting local handicraft workers). No household should be without at least one! 

What we need:

We are looking to raise £ 25,000. This will buy all of the equipment needed and the materials for the buildings. The community will provide most of the labour free. If we were lucky enough to raise more than needed the extra would be put to good use, more computers, books, medical supplies and equipment for the clinic etc.

If we are not successful in raising all of the fund what we do raise will be used to provide as much as we can, in order of priority that would be: 1. Solar pumps 2. Solar array for the school 3. Computers for the school and clinic 4. Internet services

How else can you contribute:

If you are in the UK and have a desktop PC or laptop you no longer need, please talk to Computers4Africa as it could end up on this project but if not it will always help a child somewhere.

Please spread the word of what we are trying to achieve.

Come and join us on the project once it's underway, there is a lot to do.