Hlekweni closes – Friends of Hlekweni continue
Hlekweni Friends Rural Service Centre has closed
Hlekweni Friends Rural Service Centre (near Bulawayo, Zimbabwe) has closed. The centre was founded forty-seven years ago, but is no longer financially sustainable.
Thousands of young Zimbabweans owe their livelihoods to the training they had there. The last students graduated in mid June.
Valindre Farm, part of the centre, has been sold (by Central and Southern Africa Yearly Meeting) to the Zimbabwe Teachers’ Association, which has plans for a secondary school and continued training.
Friends of Hlekweni trustees plan to continue working in Matabeleland, particularly at Samathonga School.
‘We know the needs we have been supporting remain. We now have an opportunity to review our commitments, especially in education and peacebuilding, and to extend our reach. We hope that Friends will continue to support us in this,’ said Lee Taylor, clerk to trustees.
