Margaret's Reflections
Looking back over the past 10 years now has us looking forward to the next 10 (and many more decades to come). Our current chair of Trustees, Margaret, shares her thoughts on past and our future.
As a research scientist I travelled and worked in Africa (and took many holidays there) which raised my awareness of the challenges of the lives of people on that continent. Whilst supervising one of several Zimbabwean PhD students, who knew of my love of World Music and dance, I was introduced to Anna. In 2013, when Anna and Val invited me to join the board of trustees of the Mudeka Foundation, I jumped at the opportunity to help to make a difference to the lives of disadvantaged children in Zimbabwe . This was the start of my journey with the Mudeka Foundation which has culminated in my taking over (from Val) as chair of the Foundation in 2019. Big shoes that were very difficult to fill!
What has the Foundation achieved in the last ten years? First and foremost, it has allowed our beneficiaries to “be children” and to obtain an education to enable them to fulfil their potential. Having basic literacy and numeracy skills provides them with some control over their lives and livelihoods. After ten years, some of our beneficiaries have finished their secondary education. A few have started further education courses or vocational training; some of them will tell their stories on this site in the coming months.
The last two years have been challenging, with multiple lockdowns and school closures in both Zimbabwe and the UK. The successes of our sponsored pupils are a tribute to their resilience and to the enthusiasm and commitment of all of our beneficiaries, volunteers and supporters. The upside of the pause required by the lockdown is that it has allowed time for the trustees and lead volunteers to review and improve our operations and to update the website.
It is a privilege to be a part of this incredible community and I very much look forward to the continued success of the Foundation in the future.
Thank you to everyone who has helped us to reach this 10 year milestone, there are too many to mention by name, but we hold you close to our hearts and dreams. We hope you will all raise a glass in celebration of the past 10 years and to toast the years to come…….
To the next 10 years
Anniversary Appeal
As we look back over 10 brilliant years of the Mudeka Foundation, we also look forward to the future. To celebrate our anniversary we want to offer 10 scholarships to pupils in Zimbabwe, which would include school fees, uniform, books, exam fees and mentorship. Anything you can give to support this would be greatly appreciated.
