Batanai Muyamure Organization is a recognized local non-profit group, designed to aid the needs of the sick, elderly, orphaned, and underprivileged. The group started on the 11th of May, 2007. The inspiration for the group came when I, Amena Mohamedi Saidy, joined “Home Based Care” at St. Patrick’s Mission Clinic in 2003. There, a number of us were taught how to have compassion for orphans and the elderly, to share with them what resources we had, and to assist them with their basic needs, ie: food, clothes, etc.
During that time I discussed, with my peers, the idea of creating a group to help the orphans and the underprivileged children in our villages, for we had seen the dire circumstances that they had to endure. We were fully aware of their needs (food, clothing, and school fees) and we wanted to help as many as possible.
The longer we discussed the issues, the larger our group grew, as we found other people with the same concerns. The group was formed by eleven members, made up of: A midwife; an animal health worker; two Home Based Care workers; a teacher; a disabled man; a traditional healer; and four other women who shared the same concerns. I was elected as the first Chairperson and have held the position to date. We agreed that I hold the position of the Chair Lady and we proceeded to discuss the future for our group. We decided to meet monthly and the sum of ($2) two dollars a month was set as a membership fee.
In 2004 I joined the “Heifer Project”. A few women, including myself, were given two female cows each and we took care of them until they had offspring. Once they had given birth, we returned the calves to other people in the village who wished to take part in the project. This fueled my desire to give to the needy and the members of Batanai were agreeable.
That same year, word went around of what we were doing and I was invited by the Vungu Rural Council in Gweru to be part of a meeting to explain what our group was doing in the village. Our group attended the monthly meetings at Vungu Rural Council and they allowed us to operate officially in the Chiwundura area.
In September 2007 we raised funds and began paying school fees at Gambiza Primary school for some of the children. We raised ZWD 120.00 for the third term. Each child’s fees were ZWD 12.00 at the time and therefore we paid for ten children to attend school.
In 2008 we continued to raise funds and we managed to pay for six children to attend primary school. We, therefore, raised $72 for the first term of 2008 and and we also bought 50 exercise books, which we then distributed amongst the children who were in need.
In 2010 the Vungu Rural Council contacted us once more and referred us to the social welfare, suggesting to us that we register as a non-profit organization. This was initially unsuccessful, however, despite our best efforts.
In 2013 we found it hard to pay the school fees for the children, and we went to meet with the headmaster of Gambiza Primary School. He took heed of our situation and told us that we could pay with whatever resources we had at the time. We discussed this amongst ourselves and decided to give a 20L bucket of maize each, which came to 220L of maize grain. Our group took this to the school and the headmaster sold the maize, making USD 200.00 US which paid the school fees for 13 children. In September of the same year, the school held a prize-giving day and we donated 7 pairs of sandals, 13 exercise books, and 12 pens to the school for the orphans.
In our group we share the same vision; we want the children to have an education and we do whatever is in our power to help them. To this day we are still paying school fees, buying exercise books and stationery for the orphaned and underprivileged children in the village of Gambiza, Ward 10. We also give clothes and food to the elderly and the sick in the surrounding areas from our own personal resources.
We wish to help those in need and give whatever we can to improve the lives of our community. We will not stand aside and watch when we are able to do something to help.
By Amena Mohamedi Saidy
Chair Lady, Batanai Muyamure Organization
15 December 2014
Batanai Muyamure Organization 