Chiedza

Providing second chance informal education for children who have dropped out of school and equipping their caregivers with business skills to support their education for the long term.

Chiedza works in the South District of Harare where just under half of all secondary school-age children do not attend school, either because they are engaged in a form of child labour or because their care givers cannot afford the school fees. Although these fees may be relatively small, the poverty and lack of economic opportunities that persist in the Zimbabwean capital have made it impossible for many families to send all of their children to school.

Chiedza provide second chance informal education for primary and secondary-age orphans and vulnerable children, operating an accelerated learning programme focussed on improving their literacy and numeracy skills. The aim is to reintegrate as many as possible into mainstream education.

Children who have failed to complete secondary school are supported to finish their education and sit their end of school exams at Chiedza, without being reintegrated, while Chiedza also offers vocational skills training for out-of-work youth, enabling them to find employment.

To provide these children and young people with a more stable homelife and enable their caregivers to support their children's education in the long term, Chiedza also provides training for caregivers in financial literacy and business skills and works with them to identify new potential sources of income, aiming to significantly improve their livelihoods.