The project’s founder, Janet Shaw (left), grew up in Zimbabwe. She has lived in the United States for 20 years, returning to Zimbabwe to visit her family. In September 2005, Janet visited the Goromonzi Rural District with her sister (Fiona Thomson, right) and mother. In the area of Rusike she met Pastor Sikiyani and his wife who were taking care of 17 orphans and vulnerable children.

Pastor Sikiyani did not have money to send the children to school. In order to feed and pay the school fees for the 17 children he rode 30 miles each day on his bicycle to Harare to visit churches, Rotary Clubs, and other organizations, asking for money to feed his children. He assisted many other orphans and vulnerable children living in the area, some who lived with a grandmother or an aunt and others who lived in child-headed households. Janet had come face to face with the AIDS epidemic.

Janet returned to the US with the intention of finding sponsors for the 17 children – which she accomplished within two weeks. Since then, she has formed a Board of Directors, incorporated The Goromonzi Project, found sponsors for nearly 100 children, and received sizeable donations to the General Fund. The project has now spread from the Rusike area of Goromonzi into the neighboring Goromonzi areas of Dudzu, Mwanza and Mrewa.