Zimpapers Logo

Columbus Mabika Herald Reporter
The Turkish government yesterday donated food hampers worth thousands of dollars to a foster house, Tears of Hope, situated at Greystone compound in Mount Hampden, on Harare’s north-western boundary.

The food hampers were handed over by the Turkish Co-operation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), a government department of the Prime Ministry of Turkey founded in 1992 that is responsible for organisation of the bulk of Turkey’s official development assistance to developing countries.

Tears of Hope, which has been in dire need of food, came into being after six women realised the rising plight of orphaned children in the brick moulding area of Mount Hampden.

The founders are Ms Onai Nhiwtiwa, Ms Grace Mikioni, Mr Portia Rusere, Ms Esnath Kadangu, Ms Magaret Kawaza and Ms Fungai Kamwaza.

Presently, they are providing care and guardianship to 72 children whose parents are either dead, unable to look after them or are unknown.

The home is unregistered and operates from small-grass thatched semi-built structures in the compound.

It has no running water and proper ablution facilities.

Turkish Embassy official Mr Adam Wadi said the donation was in line with their government’s efforts to change the lives of people in the communities.

“TIKA, through the Embassy of the Turkey as part of its efforts to uplift livelihoods in communities has donated to this (foster) house, whose noble cause require a helping hand in the form of these groceries,” he said.

Mr Wadi said while the donation was relatively small, the Turkish embassy was working on modalities on how best to engage relevant authorities on how the home could be formalised into a proper orphanage. TIKA is building an orphanage centre at Lions Den in Mashonaland West Province.