From 1985 to 1990 Christa Zeller and her family lived in Zimbabwe. There she started a kindergarten project with the help of local people which, for almost 30 years, had 14 facilities under its umbrella. This was a unique offering as the Zimbabwean government did not value, or support preschool child care.
Together with Tandiwe Semwayo, Christa Zeller developed a 7-step education program for child care providers. This program continued after Christa’s return to Germany.
In 2014 all our kindergartens were closed in the scope of a reform of the Zimbabwean education system. Yet since the beginning till today we continuously support families and people who are part of the project, in addition to kindergarten.
In 2016 Bongai Shamwari received a major donation from the German Christian Bürkert Trust. Hence through the foundation of a Zimbabwean Trust we were able to launch a model kindergarten for children in need. Founding members – besides Christa Zeller – were two people, Nicholas Dhibi und Theddious Chinaa, who – as children – were cared for by Christa’s kindergartens and who had meanwhile become adults wishing to give back for what they had received. Both are now fathers themselves.
Since January 2018 Bongai Shamwari is running with a capacity of 25 children. The kindergarten which is well equipped for Zimbabwean standards featuring well educated child care staff, offers space for some children from families who have an income and are able to pay fees, however most children live in very poor families, are orphans, or have disabilities. Their care is financed via donation-based scholarships from Germany which cover running costs such as rent, salaries, fees and food. Based on this mixed model children play, learn and grow into a shared future independent of their background.
To keep up with the growing need and the expansion in size, and to incorporate the project into a professional framework we founded the Trust Bongai Shamwari e.V. Christa Zeller (picture left) is chair person, and Anna Schubert is vice chairman of the German Trust.
