Good Shepherd Centre is only allowed to keep the children up to the age of 18 so we have to make the most with the children early on. We are glad to share some of the successes we have had with children who have left.
One of these children is John Mtetwa. John came to us as an orphaned 14 year old. He struggled with the basics which would otherwise be known by children his age, both academically and socially. However, within the four years he was at Good Shepherd Centre, he learnt enough to help him secure a university place at Midlands State University. He is also part of their first team in basketball!
Another example of a success story is Julies Willies. She came from an abusive background and during the first days of her stay, she was very reserved and would not engage with the other children. Now she is very active and ranked second in her last exams at school.
Running Good Shepherd Centre is a daily challenge and, with the resources that we have, we try and provide the basics. There is a will required from the child to change and believe in a better future for themselves. To help the children in this area, we also engage external psychologists and other specialists.
In spite of receiving no support from local organisations or embassies, the intention to build an orphanage in Chikonohono was realised through the sponsorship of the Southern Baptist church and the Round Table in USA who helped acquire land in 1994. In 1996, Colin Harper, accompanied by 12 undergraduates from Nottingham University, with the help of local builders built the girls dormitory and the Admin block.
