Ruva Foundation sign at golden sunset
Empowering Rural Zimbabwe

Every Child Deserves a Chance to Learn

Ruva Foundation provides full tuition, uniforms, supplies, and food support to primary school children in rural Zimbabwe — removing every barrier between a child and their education.

Children joyfully holding flower drawings in a field
100%
Tuition Covered
3×
Supplies Per Year
50Children Year 1
100%Tuition Covered
3×Terms of Supplies
$50+Monthly Food Vouchers
6Programs
ZimbabweRural Districts
50Children Year 1
100%Tuition Covered
3×Terms of Supplies
$50+Monthly Food Vouchers
6Programs
ZimbabweRural Districts
What We Do

Transforming Lives Through Education

Explore the work, the mission, and the people behind Ruva Foundation.

Children reading under tree
Our Story

About Ruva Foundation

"Ruva" means flower in Shona. We believe every child is a seed waiting to bloom. Learn who we are and why we exist.

Read More
Engaged classroom of students
Programs

A Holistic Approach to Empowerment

From full tuition coverage to monthly food vouchers and family livelihood projects — we remove every barrier.

See Programs
Student holding Certificate of Achievement
Impact

Changing Lives, Building Futures

When you invest in a child's education, you transform an entire community for generations to come.

See Impact
50
Children Targeted Year 1
100%
Fees Fully Covered
$50+
Monthly Food Per Family
6
Active Programs

Ready to Plant a Seed?

Every dollar you give goes directly to a child's education — their fees, uniform, supplies, and meals. No child left behind.

  
Children reading outdoors
Our Story

About Ruva Foundation

We are a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring every child in rural Zimbabwe has access to quality primary education — regardless of what their family can afford.

Children celebrating with flower drawings

Removing Every Barrier Between a Child and Their Future

"Ruva" means flower in Shona. We believe every child is a seed waiting to bloom. In rural Zimbabwe, thousands of bright, capable children are denied an education not because they lack potential — but simply because their families cannot afford school fees, uniforms, or a meal.

Ruva Foundation was founded by Gilbert Chidarikire, a finance professional with an MS from George Washington University and a lifelong passion for mission-driven work. Ruva Foundation is the culmination of that calling — rooted in a deep belief that access to education changes everything.

We provide comprehensive primary school sponsorship — covering 100% of what stands between a child and their classroom: school fees, uniforms, shoes, bags, stationery, and monthly food vouchers for the family.

Our Year 1 Goal

Enroll 50 children across rural districts in Zimbabwe, deliver full support for the entire school year, and build the foundation to expand every year until no child is left behind.

Full Tuition Coverage

100% of school fees, exam fees, and levies paid directly to the school.

Uniforms, Shoes & Bags

Every sponsored child receives a complete uniform kit each term.

Complete Stationery Kits

Exercise books, pens, pencils, rulers — everything a learner needs.

Monthly Food Vouchers

$50+ redeemable at TM Supermarkets and Pick n Pay for family nutrition.

 
Ruva Foundation sign at sunset
Mission & Values

Our Purpose

We exist because education is not a privilege — it is a right. Every child, regardless of where they are born, deserves a genuine chance at life.

"Education is not a privilege. It is a right. Every child — regardless of where they are born or what their family can afford — deserves a genuine chance at life. That is the promise of Ruva Foundation." — Gilbert Chidarikire, Founder & Executive Director

Our Vision

A Zimbabwe where every child, regardless of economic background, has access to quality primary education and the opportunity to reach their full potential. A Zimbabwe where poverty is not a life sentence — and where a classroom becomes a doorway to a better future.

Our Mission

To provide primary school sponsorships, learning materials, nutrition support, and family livelihood projects to vulnerable children across Zimbabwe — enabling them to complete their primary education with dignity and hope.

Our Core Values
🌻

Dignity

Every child and family is treated with deep respect. We walk alongside communities — we do not hand down to them. Our work empowers, never patronizes.

📊

Accountability

Full transparency in how every dollar is used. Donors receive termly progress reports with academic results, photos, and detailed financial breakdowns.

🌱

Sustainability

We don't create dependency — we build capacity. Livelihood projects give families the tools to sustain themselves long after our support ends.

⚖️

Equity

No discrimination on the basis of gender, religion, tribe, region, or politics. Every selection decision is made purely on need and potential.

🤝

Community

We work with communities, not just in them. Schools, teachers, families, and local leaders are partners in every decision we make.

🔬

Evidence

We track outcomes rigorously. Academic results, attendance rates, and family wellbeing are monitored every term to ensure our model works.

What We Stand Against

01

Children dropping out due to unpaid fees

In rural Zimbabwe, school fee debt is one of the leading causes of dropout. We eliminate this entirely for sponsored children.

02

Hunger as a barrier to learning

A child who hasn't eaten cannot learn. Our food vouchers ensure families have nutrition stability throughout the school year.

03

The cycle of intergenerational poverty

Education is the single most powerful tool for breaking poverty. Every child we keep in school is a cycle we help break.

Vibrant classroom with students
Our Programs

A Holistic Approach to Empowerment

Education alone is not enough. We address the full ecosystem — the child, the family, and the community — so that learning can truly take root and last.

Our six interlocking programs work together to ensure no single barrier remains between a child and their education. From the moment a child is enrolled, we cover everything — and we stay involved throughout their entire primary school journey.

🎓

Full Tuition Sponsorship

We cover 100% of annual school fees, exam fees, and all school levies — paid directly to the school on behalf of each sponsored child. No debt, no embarrassment, no disruption to learning.

Who benefits: Primary school children aged 6–13 from households that cannot afford school fees.

Annual FeesExam FeesLeviesPaid Direct
📚

Termly School Kit Program

Three times per year — at the start of each school term — every sponsored child receives a complete school kit: uniform, shoes, school bag, exercise books, pens, pencils, rulers, and stationery.

Items are sourced locally where possible to support Zimbabwean businesses while minimising cost.

3× Per YearFull UniformAll StationeryLocal Sourcing
🛒

Family Food Voucher Program

Every sponsored child's family receives a monthly food voucher worth $50 USD or more, redeemable at TM Supermarkets and Pick n Pay. This addresses household food security so children come to school nourished and ready to learn.

$50+/MonthTM SupermarketsPick n Pay
📋

Performance Monitoring

Each term, our team conducts in-person school visits, reviews report cards, meets with teachers, and assesses the child's overall wellbeing. Donors receive a full termly report with their sponsored child's academic results.

Termly VisitsTeacher MeetingsDonor Reports
👨‍👩‍👧

Family Livelihood Projects

We provide families with seed funding and training for income-generating projects: poultry farming, market gardening, goat rearing, sewing cooperatives, and more — building economic resilience that outlasts our direct support.

7+ Project TypesSeed FundingSkills Training
🏗️

Community Development

We invest in the environments where children learn — supporting infrastructure improvements at partner schools, advocating for clean water access, and working with local government to create safe, dignified learning environments.

InfrastructureClean WaterAdvocacy

Want to Sponsor a Child?

$50/month covers a child's food. $100/month covers fees + supplies. Every dollar goes directly to the child.

Children walking toward their future
How It Works

From Your Donation to a Transformed Life

A transparent, rigorous, and accountable process — from identifying a child in need all the way through to your termly donor report.

We believe donors deserve to know exactly how their money works. Below is our full process — from community identification to annual impact reporting. Every step is documented, every dollar accounted for.

1

Community Identification

Our Director of Operations works alongside rural school headmasters, teachers, and community leaders to identify children who cannot afford basic school necessities. Referrals come from trusted local partners who know the families personally.

2

Application & Assessment

Shortlisted families complete a structured needs assessment. We assess household income, number of dependents, food security, existing school attendance, and the child's academic history. All assessments are documented and stored securely.

3

Enrollment & Equipping

Selected children are formally enrolled. Tuition is paid directly to the school — never through the family. Each child receives their complete school kit and the family is registered for monthly food vouchers. Everything is provided before the term begins.

4

Monitoring & Support

Throughout each school term, our team makes in-person visits to verify attendance, review academic progress, and assess family wellbeing. Children who are struggling receive additional tutoring support. Families are assessed for livelihood projects and provided training and seed funding.

5

Termly Donor Reporting

At the end of every school term, donors receive a detailed report including their sponsored child's academic results and attendance, a narrative update, financial breakdown of expenditure, and a summary of community impact.

Our Transparency Promise

We will never spend more than 15% of total funds on administration. At least 85 cents of every dollar goes directly to program delivery — children's fees, kits, food, and livelihood projects.

If at any time a donor wishes to see our financial records, meeting minutes, or beneficiary reports, we will provide them within 7 business days.

Student with Certificate of Achievement
Our Impact

Changing Lives, Building Futures

Every child kept in school is a cycle of poverty interrupted. Every family stabilised is a community strengthened.

Ruva Foundation is in its founding phase, building the systems, partnerships, and funding base to launch our first cohort of 50 children. Below is the impact we are designed to create — and the evidence behind why it matters.

Children engaged in learning in a Zimbabwean classroom

Breaking the Poverty Cycle

Research consistently shows that primary education is the single most effective investment in human development. Every additional year of schooling increases an individual's earning potential by 8–10%.

In rural Zimbabwe, where the poverty rate remains among the highest in the region, keeping a child in primary school changes not just their trajectory — but their children's, and their children's children.

When we sponsor a child through primary school, we are investing in a future teacher, nurse, farmer, or entrepreneur who will reinvest in their community for decades.

Strengthening Families & Communities

Our food voucher and livelihood programs address a critical reality: a child cannot learn if their family is in crisis. When parents have food on the table and income from a livelihood project, they don't pull children out of school to work.

We also invest directly in school infrastructure and clean water access in the communities we serve — because the environment where children learn matters just as much as what they learn.

Our community development work ensures that when Ruva Foundation eventually moves on, the communities we've served are better equipped to sustain educational progress on their own.

50
Children — Year 1 Target
85%+
Funds Direct to Children
3
School Terms Covered
$0
Executive Salaries (Founding Phase)
Children in a flower field
Our Team

The People Behind the Mission

A small, dedicated team united by an unshakeable belief that every child deserves a chance — and the drive to do something about it.

Ruva Foundation is led by people who bring both professional expertise and personal conviction to this work. Many of us grew up in Zimbabwe and understand firsthand what access to education — or the lack of it — means for a child's life.

GC

Gilbert Chidarikire

Founder & Executive Director
A finance professional with an MS in Applied Finance from George Washington University and a lifelong passion for mission-driven work. Ruva Foundation is the culmination of that calling — rooted in a deep belief that access to education changes everything.
DM

Daphine Mapuranga

Director of Operations
Zimbabwe-based operations lead with deep roots in the communities we serve. Manages student enrollment, school partnerships, supply distribution, and family assessments. The backbone of day-to-day program delivery on the ground.
JH

Jemitias Hamandishe

Programs Director
Oversees program design, delivery, monitoring, and evaluation. Ensures quality standards and rigorous impact measurement across all initiatives.
EM

Edwin Matanhire

Treasurer & Finance Officer
Manages all financial controls, budgeting, donor reporting, and compliance. Ensures rigorous accountability so that every dollar is tracked and directed to where it matters most — the children.
CM

Clement Matsika

Director, Community Outreach
Builds and maintains relationships with schools, community leaders, traditional authorities, and local government. Leads identification of communities in greatest need.
KC

Kudakwashe Chidarikire

Partnerships & Development Lead
Drives grant applications, corporate partnerships, diaspora engagement, and fundraising campaigns. Builds the external relationships that sustain Ruva Foundation's growth.

Join Our Team

We are always looking for passionate individuals who want to contribute their skills to this mission — as volunteers, advisors, or future staff members.

Ruva Foundation sunset sign
Make a Difference

Sponsor a Child's Future

Every dollar goes directly to keeping a child in school — paying their fees, clothing them, and feeding their family.

Children reading under a tree
Get In Touch

Let's Build Something Beautiful Together

Whether you want to donate, volunteer, partner, or simply learn more — we would love to hear from you.

We'd Love to Hear From You

We welcome donors, volunteers, grant partners, corporate sponsors, and anyone who shares our belief that every child deserves an education.

Emailinfo@ruvafoundation.org
Phone(571) 579-9924
US OfficeAlexandria, Virginia, USA
Zimbabwe OperationsHarare & Rural Districts

Send Us a Message