How it all began…
Rutendo Trust was founded by John and Rosemarie in 2009, who then handed it over to Tendai and Sarah in 2022. John had lived in Zimbabwe for twenty years, whilst Rosemarie was born and raised there. John and Rosemarie’s vision for Rutendo Trust was to help uplift the vulnerable and empower the marginalised people in Zimbabwe. Over the years Rutendo Trust partnered with Christian organisations in Zimbabwe to provide programs in the areas of health, sustainable agricultural development, Christian outreach and discipleship and education. Some of the projects Rutendo Trust have been involved in are shown below.
Health Care
Rutendo Trust partnered with Karanda Mission Hospital, about 200 kilometres (120 miles), from the capitol of Harare, in a remote area of northern Zimbabwe near to Mount Darwin.
With 10-20 minor and major operations, 100+ inpatients, and 100+ outpatients daily Karanda serves over 75,000 individuals annually through the hospital ministry.
Goat Project
Rutendo Trust helped support Karanda Hospital with their Goat Project:
Due to the high risk to infants of HIV infected mothers with breast feeding, Karanda Hospital provide milking goats to mothers so they can provided goats milk to their infants.
Fish for life
Living close to Karanda Hospital, Dave and Cheryl Jereb had a vision to help create new and sustainable food sources through an agricultural system called aquaponics. This is a combination of raising fish and growing produce through a system that is linked and interdependent.
The nitrogen rich water from the fish tank is circulated through raised pebble and water filled vegetable beds to produce healthy strong vegetables.
“Very little land area, water or electricity is required to operate an aquaponics system,” Dave says. “There is no need for any chemicals or pesticides, therefore both the fish and produce are healthy and organic.”
Farming
Rutendo Trust helped support the work of Foundations For Farming in bringing natural and sustainable farming practices to small-scale farmers in Zimbabwe. These farming methods have revolutionised the lives of many farmers, bringing them and their families into prosperity for the first time in their lives, and many into a new-found faith in Jesus Christ.
