About the Campaign
My name is Rosemary Ganyoufu and I am a 56 year old widow. I am a Christian woman, who takes Sunday School every Sunday, and I have to walk several miles to and from Church as I do not have funds for transport. I currently live in a village near Victoria Falls in Zimbabwe.
I was one of 10 children, born to poor parents. We moved from place to place constantly, trying to survive. We could not finish our education because our parents could not afford to send us to school. Eventually my parents and siblings passed away all except myself and young sister.
I had 4 daughters, and one son. My son became ill at the age of 19 months and became paralysed, so I carried him on my back until he passed at 12 years of age. Consequently, I have back problems and my legs also give me trouble.
My husband also passed away, leaving me homeless, as his mother then took possession of our home.
Since then, I have moved around various villages in Zimbabwe, renting a room without electricity or running water, because I could not afford the rent in a better place.
It has been extremely difficult for me, because I suffer from high blood pressure and other health issues, for which I have to pay for medication.
I have tried to create various businesses in an effort to create an income to support me and provide me with food and shelter. With some help from a friend, I rented some land, and tried to grow a crop, but the weather was too dry and so it failed.
I have studied and worked very hard in order to try and get ahead, however my failing health has not made things easy. My life is very hard.
One of my daughters suffered a stroke about a year ago, and I looked after her for some time as she was unable to walk. She is now back with her family, but I am unable to help her in any way at all, which she badly needs to help care for her children.
I always wanted to put my younger daughter through University, a dream which has faded because of lack of money. I also wanted to put my grandchildren through school. Sadly I have not been able to do those things.
Last year I moved from the village I was in because gunmen were breaking into houses near me, and thieves were always trying to get into the house. I moved to a village near Victoria Falls where I have a small handcrafts stall, selling my wares to tourists. I make cross-stitch embroidery, pumpkin cushions, and dolls, as well as other things that tourists like. But customers are hard to find, and it requires a rental in order to keep my stall, as well as rental for a room that I rent to live in.
I have to walk to and from the Market place, as I cannot afford transport, and sometimes I am afraid to walk as there are elephants and other wild animals nearby.
I would love to start a business selling dried fish, but this needs capital to start, which I do not have.
Any help that I am able to receive will be very gratefully received, and put to good use. I hope to be at last able to live in a secure place, have sufficient healthy food to eat, and have the ability to start my own business to sustain me, and enable me to help my children and grandchildren.