By lasentinel.net

Zara’s Center is on a mission to broaden the vision and deepen the skillsets of the children of Bulawayo.

Founded by Lesley Goldwasser – a native of Bulawayo herself, currently based in the United States – Zara’s Center (ZC) was created in 2007 as an urgent response to the children affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic, and has transformed and adapted into a comprehensive after-school programme for nearly 150 at-risk youth.

“I have always considered it a great privilege to have been born and raised in one of the most beautiful places in the world,” Goldwasser remarked of Zimbabwe.

“Too often, conversations about Africa focus on deficits rather than strengths … I was often approached to raise funds for ‘Africa’ under a broad, generalized umbrella, but I noticed that Zimbabwe was rarely included, despite the immense and urgent need for support on the ground.

“This omission sparked a clarity of purpose within me; I did not want to support an abstract idea of Africa. I wanted to invest in a place I knew intimately, in communities I loved, and in young people whose futures deserved the same possibilities I had been afforded,” Goldwasser said.

While the origin of the Center focused on decreasing the impact of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, the needs of the community began to shift.

For nearly 20 years, the Center has been a beacon of support and hope for the children by offering school fee coverage and tutoring, food and nutrition classes, computer literacy training, art therapy, mental health support, sewing and beadwork, and alumni support.

“We realized that even as the epidemic subsided, many vulnerable children continued to face significant barriers to success. They lacked the mentorship, academic support and encouragement needed to stay in school and reach their full potential,” Goldwasser explained.

ZC was the answer, and the evidence is in its expansion. The Center has recently become a 5-acre expanse, providing state-of-the-art classrooms, vocational workshops, updated agricultural facilities, a playground, soccer field, cricket pitch, basketball court, running track, and Wi-Fi, which is difficult to find in the area.

The fruits and vegetables grown in the campus garden, including leafy greens, tomatoes, onions, beans, okra—plus a chicken coop—support the children’s knowledge of and experience with animal husbandry, food production, and small-scale agricultural management. Additionally, many of the amenities will be available to the nearby community on the weekends.

As the founder, Goldwasser has had the immense privilege of seeing the tangible impact of ZC over the course of a child’s journey into adulthood. Students are encouraged to decide and pursue their dreams—and many have achieved them.

Peacemaker is living proof. “The third of seven children and orphaned at age 10, Peacemaker found more than programs at Zara’s Center — he found a sanctuary of life-changing mentorship,” Goldwasser recalled.

“This vital support fuelled his journey through college in Zimbabwe and onward to the United States, where he graduated this May with a scholarship-funded MBA from Clark University,” said Goldwasser.

“His success is not remarkable because he overcame hardship. It is remarkable because, when given access to opportunity, mentorship and support, he was able to demonstrate what had always been there: talent, determination and ambition.”

His story is accompanied by many more, because Zara’s Center is a place where children are met with the truth that they are special, capable, and deserving.

“When you visit Zara’s Center, what you feel is joy. You hear it in the laughter of children, in song, in play, and in the unspoken familial bonds that connect our community.

“Beyond the programmes and the buildings, there is an overwhelming sense that every child is known, valued and deeply cared for,” Goldwasser remarked.

Support the mission and expansion of Zara’s Center www.zarascenter.org/donate