Bindura

Country information

The SOS Children's Village Bindura is located near a small town of the same name in the Mazove valley, which is a very fertile region. It is situated approximately 80 km north of the capital city, Harare. The Village comprises 15 Family Houses, a Village Director's house, an SOS Kindergarten and a number of SOS Youth Houses. In 1989 the SOS Primary School went into operation, followed by an SOS Secondary School, which was opened in 1992. The so-called SOS Maizeland Farm is also run by the SOS Children's Village. It is a large agricultural enterprise, covering an area of 1,400 hectares. Soy beans, cotton and maize are cultivated here, but there is also livestock, like cattle, pigs, sheep and chickens. The farm provides the SOS Children's Village with agricultural products and contributes towards its maintenance through the sale of its products. Workshops were established to carry out maintenance and repair jobs, which now provide training for the young people from Bindura and other African SOS Children's Villages, and gives them the opportunity to learn modern farming methods and receive on the job training. In 1998 a house for the retired SOS mothers was erected on the site of the SOS Children's Village Bindura. Thus, the retired mothers can stay in the Village and take over the part of grandmothers. In spring 2003 a SOS Social Centre was put into operation, offering support to HIV/AIDS affected families.