This is the story of how one man from a small Northwestern Ontario town decided to personally fund a fence around a school in Zimbabwe to prevent slave trading. Yes, I said “slave trading”. It is difficult for Canadians to believe that in this day and age such a thing still occurs.

The story begins with this innocuous email from Zimbabwe Gecko Society’s Susan Janetti, to MEMO a Thunder Bay humanitarian organization that sends 40’ ocean containers of humanitarian supplies to Zimbabwe.

“We visited another school that is not recognized by the government because it lacks several basic requirements, including a proper fence and adequate lighting. As a result, the school remains unaccredited, and the students are not provided with any textbooks – the teachers write each lesson on the blackboard for the students to copy into their notebooks. Because of the schools uncertified status, the teachers are not paid. Yet teachers and students both continue to show up each day – teachers without a wage, and children in uniform – bound together by hope, commitment and a shared determination.”

To help address these issues, we (Zimbabwe Gecko Society) are planning to fund the installation of fencing and solar-powered lighting so the school can meet government requirements. Apparently, what is not said is that the security fence is required to prevent school children being kidnapped by human traffickers and sold as slaves in neighbouring African countries. Once the school has fencing and solar electricity the government will fund teachers, school books, and security guards.

When this man read the story in an email from MEMO he sent me this note:

“Good morning Dr. Harvey,

I was almost in tears reading about the unaccredited school that just needs fencing and lighting. I will be in town on the 6th; maybe you can let me know how much money is involved for this project. “

We met and he agreed to fund $12,000 required to fence the school. I asked where he got the money and he laughed saying it was from his retirement fund and seeing that he couldn’t take it with him he wanted to spend it before he went!

This is a beautiful example of how just one person’s generosity can make a huge difference in the lives of “neighbours far away”. We have no idea how this one donation will save scores of children from horrible lives of slavery away from family and loved ones.

If you would like to be part of this, perhaps not as directly, you can help by donating to the shipping costs ($27,000) of a 40’ ocean container of humanitarian and school supplies being sent by MEMO to the Zimbabwe Gecko Society in October. Go to memoministry.org for information on how to donate.

MEMO receives no government or corporate funding. We have no paid employees so every cent goes to the purpose it was for which it was donated. We are totally dependent on people like this generous man to help our neighbours far away.

Thank you,

Jerome Harvey

Chugutu school fence funded by MEMO donor