The Goromonzi Project, Inc. - Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Goromonzi Project support an orphanage?
The Goromonzi Project does not support an orphanage. Pastor Sikiyani originally called his home The God Help Us Orphanage. He and his wife care for 17 orphans and vulnerable children at his homestead. Some of these children are his grandchildren. Most of the orphans and vulnerable children in the area live with their grandparents, aunties and other relatives. Some children live in child-headed households. They walk to Pastor Sikiyani’s home to get food twice a month, often a journey of more than 7 miles each way.

How many children are sponsored by The Goromonzi Project?
There are 91 children sponsored in the Goromonzi District as of May 30, 2007.

Can I choose the child I sponsor?
Yes. We have photos and short biographies available to help you choose a child to sponsor. Just click on Sponsor, Children in Need.

How long will my sponsored child be eligible for support?
We support children through high school – Ordinary or “O” levels, (O levels are public examinations written at the end of sophomore year in High School) and Advanced, or “A” levels (A levels are public examinations written at the end of senior year in High School). We ask that sponsors commit to sponsoring their child throughout his or her education. We also sponsor a few young adults with vocational training. We do not sponsor young adults through university studies.

How can I communicate with my sponsored child?
Write to The Goromonzi Project, P.O. Box 791, Placitas, New Mexico 87043. Your letter will be hand delivered by a friend of The Goromonzi Project. You will receive up to two letters from your child per year. These letters are hand-written by your child, often accompanied by drawings, and they are both humorous and moving to read.

Can I send gifts or money for special occasions?
Gifts to individual children are not encouraged. We request that you do not send individual gifts. However, you are welcome to contribute money for items that all the children can use. Click on Sponsor, Wish List for ideas.

Can I visit my sponsored child?
Our focus is currently on feeding, education and providing basic health care to the children.

Where do the orphans and vulnerable children live?
Seventeen children reside at Rusike homestead with Pastor Sikiyani and his wife. Many other children live in outlying homes up to 15 miles from Pastor Sikiyani’s homestead. It is traditional for children in Zimbabwe to be taken in by extended family. Since the AIDS epidemic, one adult may care for 10 or more children. A few children live in families where the head of the household is as young as 12 year-old.

Where is Goromonzi?
Goromonzi is a rural district about 35 square miles in size. It is about 45 minutes by car from Harare, the capital and largest city in Zimbabwe. Harare is located in the northeast part of the country. Zimbabwe is located in southeastern Africa, bordered by Zambia, Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa. Click on Background, Map for more information.

Is The Goromonzi Project a non-profit organization?
The organization was registered as a non-profit 501C3 corporation in 2006 in the state of New Mexico. All contributions are tax-deductible.

Is The Goromonzi Project a religiously affiliated organization?
We are not a religious organization; however, we do respect the religious beliefs of the people in the Goromonzi area.

Are all the children supported by The Goromonzi Project orphans?
Most of the children we support are orphans. 78% of these children have been orphaned as a result of the AIDS epidemic. Some children have lost a single parent and are caring for the other parent, who is ill. Others are vulnerable due to the deteriorating state of the economy in Zimbabwe. All of the children we support have been in dire need of improved nutrition, health care and access to education.

Are the orphans HIV positive, or do they have AIDS?
A small percent of the children are HIV positive although the exact number is unknown and there is no routine testing. Sometimes their relatives resist having them tested. Eleanor Alfred and Isdore Magodhi, two of our caregivers, have taken it upon themselves to talk to relatives and to get permission for testing and treatment for the children.

How does The Goromonzi Project support the health of the children?
The Goromonzi Project pays a stipend for two local community caregivers, Eleanor Alfred and Isdore Magodhi. Eleanor and Isdore work as a man/woman team, visiting the homes of orphans and vulnerable children to check on their general well-being. They work with the City of Harare for HIV testing and treatment. They work with the local Rusike and Mwanza clinics for other medical problems. They are also able to provide the children with basic health care lessons and such things as analgesics for fevers, treatment of scabies, and other minor ailments. Isdore Magodhi is a nurse aid and also a herbalist. He uses blackjacks and makoni tea and other natural remedies in addition to western medicine.

How do we know that the schools are preparing the children to become self-sufficient?
The children we sponsor highly value their educational opportunities. Schools are government sponsored. We do not interfere with the curriculum, government standards, or graduation requirements. We have the support of local headmasters and teachers representing the ten schools in Goromonzi. God Help Us Children’s Organization is working with other non-profit organizations to put libraries and computers in the schools.

The children express great pride in what they are accomplishing. As one student wrote to his sponsor, “I pray that God will make me the head and not the tail in my studies.” Click on Successes, Children’s Letters to see the gains in writing skills from one year to the next, and the gratitude the children express for their education.

How do sponsors know the money they give will reach the children?
Accountability is a high priority for the Goromonzi Project. The Goromonzi Project directs all its funding through a local organization founded by Pastor Sikiyani, the God Help Us Children’s Organization (GHUCO). This group consists of 12 leaders in the community who are committed to the long-term success and sustainability of Goromonzi. GHUCO members are aware that to continue receiving funds from The Goromonzi Project they must produce accounts and books on a weekly basis. Receipts are required for all school fees, food purchases, and other expenditures.

How do you allocate of the $350 per year sponsorship?
The greatest needs of the orphans and vulnerable children are education, food and health care. Sponsorship of an individual child provides for these needs to be met. Contribution to the General Fund can provide for community needs such as wells, and for administrative costs. The breakdown of your yearly sponsorship is distributed approximately as follows:
Food $200
Tuition, fees, uniforms, books, supplies $100
Healthcare $10
Other expenses $40

How much of the money donated is used directly for the children?
All of the child sponsorship money and the program sponsorship money is used to support programs in the community that benefit your sponsored child through feeding programs, school fees and tuition, and healthcare.

How does the Goromonzi Project pay for administrative costs?
Contributions to the General Fund support some administrative costs in the United States such as website development, expert advice, graphic design, printing and supplies. Board members donate their time, money and expertise. Janet Shaw donates her time as executive director and pays for her own airfares to Zimbabwe. She also donates office space and equipment. We contract with experts on an as-needed basis. There is no paid staff in the US. We recognize the need for an administrator in Zimbabwe and we are investigating this on our ability to cover costs. Carrie Lapham donates office space in Harare.

Why should I contribute to The Goromonzi Project vs. other organizations like World Vision or Save the Children?
The need is great throughout sub-Saharan Africa. Contributions to any reputable, non-profit organization that supports vulnerable children are important. The Goromonzi Project places a high priority on accountability and keeping overhead down. Your contribution to The Goromonzi Project will make a huge difference to the children of Zimbabwe.