This is a text-only version of an article first published on Wednesday, 17 July 2013. Information shown on this page may no longer be current.
THE Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, has joined Oxford based Viva Network in encouraging the UK Church to support the children in Zimbabwe.
The widening gap between rich and poor gives boys like these in Harare an uncertain future.
With elections on the horizon in Zimbabwe, the international Christian charity Viva is calling on UK churches to join it in praying for peace and stability for that nation, and for the work it is doing to help vulnerable children in deprived communities. Dr Sentamu says, "The children of Zimbabwe need your prayers and giving at this critical time.
I urge you to join Viva to stand together and help bring lasting change - to give children a future and a hope. "With voting scheduled for 31 July, there is a growing apprehension about how political change might impact the country's people, especially given the problems of the last decade which saw the economy collapse and critical food shortages. With its network in Harare, Viva's concern is for the children of Zimbabwe - and what their future might look like after elections.
Jonathan Chikumbu, the Co-ordinator of Viva Network Zimbabwe (VNZ), says, "We are not ashamed to say that we need our brothers and sisters, many hundreds of miles away from Harare, to work together with us to make this nation a place of hope where children can fulfil their God-given potential". VNZ is working amongst four deprived communities in Harare, with three clear focus areas: education, safety and the family.
Learning Support Centres offer some of the city's poorest children the chance to catch up on their education.
VNZ is also offering training on child protection and seeking ways to help whole families and communities holistically support their children. The network plans to bring long-term change through the collective action of 31 organisations and 35 churches, which are already reaching 4,000 children.
Children like Farai, whose hope fled when both his parents died.
Without a mother and a father he was no longer able to go to school but with the help of a teacher at the Viva-supported Mbare Learning Support Centre in Harare, his education received a much-needed boost and after 18 months he returned to mainstream school. Zimbabwe's coalition government, formed in 2009, has brought some glimmers of hope to people.
The economy has recovered, with notable assistance from China and the adoption of the US dollar, and some health services have improved.
There is however a widening gap between rich and poor, particularly in major cities like Harare, which casts a shadow on the futures of children from poor families. Viva's Patron, The Revd Stephen Gaukroger, has this week written to supporting churches.
He says, "We are calling on UK churches to make Zimbabwe a focus for prayer at this crucial time.
It's a call to pray against violence and fear, and a call to pray for peace and stability.
We are also calling on churches to give towards Viva's projects in Zimbabwe so children there can grow up knowing they have a future and a hope. "Downloadable prayer resources are available for churches here .
For more information on Zimbabwe here.
Give to Viva here.
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