Welfare and Charity organisations
In Australia:
Zimbabwe Aid Fund
The Zimbabwe Aid Fund (ZAF) was established in Australia in 2006 for the sole purpose of raising funds to support the Pensioners in Zimbabwe. The plight of the elderly is one of the less publicized outcomes of Zimbabwe's social, economic and political collapse.
The money raised by the Zimbabwe Aid Fund (ZAF) is used to fund the purchase of food and medical supplies for the pensioners through S.O.A.P. in Harare and Bulawayo.
Zimbabwe Aid Fund Australia
The Zimbabwe Aid Fund in Australia is fully audited on an annual basis and is registered as a charity in NSW and Queensland. All work is done on a voluntary basis and there are no administration costs.
Since the first fund raising lunch held in 2008, over $350 000 has been sent to Save Our Aged People (S.O.A.P.) for the pensioners in Zimbabwe.
Fund raising
Fund raising events over the past 12 months included a Golf Day & Lunch on the Sunshine Coast, a Lunch in Mackay, a social Cricket Day at Toowoomba, and a raffle with a safari to Zimbabwe and Botswana as first prize.
Should you wish to make a donation or join ZAF’s monthly ‘Support a Pensioners’ Scheme in Australia please visit the website here.
Danny Delport Support
Danny Delport has been diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease (MND).
He was a Churchill boy "Baldy" and played scrum-half for the 1st XV around the late 1960s. He played on the wing for Natal whilst at University and then for Rhodesia upon his return. He is married to Sue, and they have three children and live in Perth, Western Australia.
Reports on his condition and how donations can be made are posted below:
Letter from Sue and Danny, July 2015. Open here.
Letter from Sue and Danny, March 2015. Open here.
Report from Danny's Support Initiative Committee, October 2015. Open here.
Update on Danny's Support Initiative, February 2016. Open here.
Update on Danny's Support Initiative, July 2016. Open here.
Update on Danny's Support Initiative, May 2017. Open here.
Update on Danny's Support Initiative, May 2018. Open here.
In South Africa:
Flame Lily Foundation
The Flame Lily Foundation is a registered non-profit organisation which has been in
existence for over 30 years and was initially the Rhodesia Association of
South Africa - RASA.
The Foundation endeavours to promote, further and secure the interests of members and former residents of Rhodesia/Zimbabwe
and their descendants living in South Africa. In pursuit of this, they
facilitate residential accommodation for persons over the age of 60
who have settled in South Africa. When called upon, they provide limited
welfare assistance to deserving former residents of Rhodesia/Zimbabwe -
in particular to the aged and the disabled. The establishment of a good working relationship with the Zimbabwe Government Pensions Office in Harare is assisting some who have had their pensions withheld.
The Foundation also endeavours to preserve the heritage of Rhodesia and to promote
interest in the country’s history and culture.
To achieve these objects, they rely on the goodwill of the South African
community as a whole, former residents of Rhodesia in general, and
dedicated volunteers in particular. About 2,000 paid up members in South Africa and overseas provide this support.
Visit the Flame Lily Foundation website for more information, and to join, click here.
'Mdalas Trust
The MT assists the aged in the Capte Province. It is a registered SA trust administered by trustees under Leon Jacobs.
SAS Association of Southern Africa
SASASA assists former Rhodesian SAS members. It is a non-registered fund administered bya committee under under George Galbraith.
Zimbabwe Pensioners Support Fund
The Zimbabwe Pensioner's Supporter Fund (ZPSF) is a registered Section 21, Non-Profit Organization, that supplies food to more than 1,650 pensioners in Zimbabwe.
Every 6 weeks more than 22 tons of food is transported in 2 trucks and distributed to 28 homes and organizations. Clothes and basic medicine is also supplied to the pensioners. The supply trip lasts 8 – 10 days and a distance of 8,500 kilometres will be travelled by the 2 trucks using more than 2,600 litres of fuel. The value of the food and the cost of delivering it to the pensioners in Zimbabwe exceed R200,000 per trip. The ZPSF relies entirely on donations to carry out this mission.
See more information on the Zimbabwe Pensioners Support Fund website.
In United Kingdom:
Air Forces Association of Zimbabwe
AFAZ assists former RhAF and AFZ members. It is a non-registered fund administered by Peter Petter-Bowyer.
Borradaile Trust
BT operates homes for the aged in Marondera. It is a registered UK and Zimbabwe charity and is administered in Marondera by Anton Lees.
BSA Police Regimental Association
The prime reason that the Association was formed over 100 years ago in the UK is to ‘provide assistance and support to members of the UK Branch of the Regimental Association and their dependants who are distressed by sickness or poverty’. The Almoner and his assistants in conjunction with the Trust, try to keep aware of members' welfare and offer assistance where necessary. The assistance ranges from just keeping in contact with members who may be sick and visiting them regularly, to financial assistance, debt counselling, assisting with funeral arrangements, providing a cap and flag for the coffin if requested and subsequently following up with widows, widowers and other family members to see if they require further help.
The UK Branch performs this though the Almoner service and the BSAP Trust, a registered Charity which has disbursed thousands of pounds.
Rhodesian Christian Group
RCG assists victims of communism/political violence from Rhodesia/Zimbabwe. It is a private organisation in the UK administered by Denis Walker.
Rhodesians Worldwide Assistance Fund
RWAF assists Rhodesians/Zimbabweans domiciled in the UK. It is a registered UK charity administered by Stuart Sawyers.
Zimbabwe A National Emergency
ZANE assists Zimbabwe pensioners, and individual pensioners who served the Crown. It is a registered UK charity administered by Tom Benyon.
Zimbabwe Aid Fund UK
The Zimbabwe Aid Fund UK was established to raise money and source medical equipment and consumables to support the pensioners in Zimbabwe. There are a number of facilities for the aged spread throughout Zimbabwe, but most of the medical facilities in Zimbabwe are run down so are dependent on various levels of external funding to survive. There is a lack of trained staff, a shortage of funds for medicines and consumables and most of the equipment is extremely old with many items being unserviceable as there are not the funds, skills or spare parts to repair them.
The elderly are supported in Zimbabwe through the raising of money for medical consumables and equipment, transportation of donated items, food and other items to support the welfare of the elderly.
The Zimbabwe Aid Fund UK does not support individual requests but liaises closely with other aid and assistance organisations such as Zimbabwe Aid Fund Australia, S.O.A.P., Homes in Zimbabwe and funds are deployed on a needs basis. The following service providers are supported: Edith Duly Care Home, Senior Citizen Service, Mater Dei Hospital, Verity Amm Soup Kitchen, S.O.A.P. and individual homes directly.
The Zimbabwe Aid Fund is proud to sponsor the much needed services of Winifred Sipiwe, a very experienced rehabilitation officer at Edith Duly Nursing Home.
All donations are gratefully received. If you are able to make a small donation on a monthly basis through direct debit that would be greatly appreciated. A gift of $10 can make a huge difference in the life of a pensioner.
Visit the Zimbabwe Aid Fund UK website here for more information.
In Zimbabwe:
Borradaile Trust
BT operates homes for the aged in Marondera. It is a registered UK and Zimbabwe charity and is administered in Marondera by Anton Lees.
Pensioners Fund
PF assists about 20 established homes for the aged and needy pesnioners in Zimbabwe.
In the past abandoned elderly people and children were a rarity. Due to the current political and economic uncertainty prevailing throughout Zimbabwe this is no longer the case. The number of individuals affected is soaring daily. Many motivated and well subscribed charity organisations focus on the burgeoning street kid population. International Aid organisations have a longstanding focus on the plight of our rural people. Many well-respected groups assist the ever-increasing needs required by various orphanages. More recently elderly people in our community on limited pensions are unable to sustain themselves effectively and a number of horrific situations have come to light. A group of local businessmen formed an alliance with a view to channelling assistance to these elderly people and so the Pensioner’s Fund was formed.
PF is a non-registered Zimbabwe fund administered by trustees under John Legat.
Rotary Club of Harare Central
RCHC assists registered homes for the aged in Zimbabwe through Adopt a Grandparent programme (AaG). It is a registered Zimbabwe charity, AaG is administered by Ian Helby.
Save Our Aged People
S.O.A.P. assists individual pensioners in Zimbabwe with food parcels. It is a non-registered fund administered by Louise Campbell. They receive significent contributions and support from the Zimbabwe Aid Funds.
S.O.A.P. Bulawayo
S.O.A.P. Bulawayo supply to some of the pensioners in the following homes: Coronation Cottages, Garden Park Boarding House, Moths complex and Kinghaven in Esigodini. They also supply to people living in homes, cottages or in domestic quarters in and around Bulawayo. These houses are mostly derelict with broken window panes, leaking roofs and broken strip flooring. Two of the homes in the suburbs house three families each.
Volunteer’s co-ordinate the sourcing, packing and delivery of the parcels. Each parcel costs US$90.00 and 130 pensioners are supplied with food parcels a month.
S.O.A.P. Harare
S.O.A.P. Harare supplies to some of the pensioners in the following homes: Masonic Lodge Homes, M.O.T.H Cottages, Fairways, Westreign, Flame Lily Lodge, Salvation Army Braeside, Muus Lodge at Shurugwe, Greenways Chegutu, Borradaile Trust, Marondera and Ruwa Trust. In addition they supply to people living in houses and units around Harare.
Support, by way of donor’s funds, no matter how little, is crucial to the survival of these elderly pensioners. The parcels are delivered by volunteers each month. Each parcel costs around US$45 and 270 pensioners are supplied with food parcels.