By Panashe Divine Karidzagundi
The Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) Goodwill Trust Fund in Matabeleland South is providing support for education, welfare, and long-term empowerment projects across the province.
This has been viewed as positively impacting the lives of vulnerable children in the area under spotlight.
Speaking at the fundraising gala held at Beitbridge Prison on Saturday, Theresa Bakili, Provincial Welfare Officer, said the trust is currently assisting 13 children and noted that, since it began operations in the province in 2016, a total of 26 children have benefited.
“Out of the 26 children we have supported, six have gone on to become Correspondence Officers within ZPCS, while one is now a qualified teacher,” she said.
“These success stories show that our interventions are not temporary relief, they transform lives,” she said.
Established nationally in 2011, the Goodwill Trust Fund initially focused on helping children who had lost parents within the ZPCS family.
However, the Matabeleland South chapter has expanded its reach to assist disadvantaged and vulnerable children throughout the broader community who need educational support.
Bakili said the programme strengthens each year, guided by a commitment to supporting young people who might otherwise be left behind.
“We believe in giving children a chance. Once we identify a child in need, we do not only provide school fees, we walk with them until they are able to stand on their own,” she said.
One beneficiary, Agnes Mukaradzi, spoke about the life-changing support she continues to receive through the programme.
The Matabeleland South ZPCS, via the Goodwill Trust Fund, is still covering school fees for her two children following the death of her husband, Abel Chiteura, a Correspondence Officer at Beitbridge Prisons.
The province is calling on partners, communities, and well-wishers to join the initiative, reinforcing the message: #iHondoMuchengeteVana, emphasizing the importance of protecting and empowering less privileged children.
As the programme marks nine years of operation in Matabeleland South, its influence continues to spread across families, communities, and the nation, showing that focused support can break cycles of poverty and open doors to a brighter future.