Who we are?
Shepherds Trust is a Non-Governmental Organization, Profit Making Organization that empowers young people to address challenges using their unique abilities from an early age. It helps youths to discover their natural talents and gifts; focusing more in unleashing their full potential by nurturing and supporting them as a way to transform their livelihoods through safe spaces.
We seek to create safe spaces for protection, mentorship and empowerment of youths to enhance their wellbeing, diversity, inclusion and equality.
Our Vision
We envision a society that builds on unique abilities in order to transform livelihoods.
Our Values
1. Transformation
2. Creativity and innovation
3. Inclusivity
4. Empowerment
5. Integrity
Our Broad Objectives
- To provide safe spaces for young people to explore their talents in arts and sports as a way of transforming their lives.
- To research, foster beneficiary mentorship and disseminate relevant information on Gender, Human Rights and SRHR issues.
- Partner with local and international donors to support and assist beneficiaries in furthering their education
- Promote Social Development by identifying and developing talents to transform beneficiary lives as well as cater for beneficiary welfare. We help them discover their natural talents and gifts, placing emphasis on unleashing their full potential by nurturing and supporting them to transform their livelihoods through safe spaces
What do we really do?
1. Creation of safe spaces
We create warm youth friendly spaces for young people that enable them to explore their talents together without being shunned or discriminated regardless of gender, race, religion, disability or background. We provide welcoming platforms where everyone matters
2. Education assistance programs
We believe education is important and that it is a human right. We therefore endeavor to capacitate youths in terms of behavior change. This will be achieved through partnering with donors and sponsors who should provide the needed support and resources to assist young people in furthering their education
3. Mentorship
Our model of mentorship is that of “Big brother, Big sister” , where the elderly and successful people give advice, life-skills and encouragement to the youths so that they become responsible citizens who are able to take leadership roles in advocating for the betterment of their communities. We also motivate them by instilling confidence and self-belief that they are the greatest agents of change who can develop the world to be the best it can be.
4. Empowerment
We empower young people of diverse gender by offering support and encouragement, giving them hope and ensuring that their dreams are achievable. We also encourage them to be self-assertive and to be advocates of development in their communities.
5. Dissemination
We equip young people with relevant information on issues of gender, human rights and sexual reproductive health rights which affects the wellness of young people in different communities.
6. Poverty eradication and career development
We provide practical skills, business management skills and financial resources to young entrepreneurs.We encourage young people to discover and pursue their inborn unique ability to do something exceedingly well despite their family backgrounds as way of transforming their lives and as an escape route from poverty
Our Background
Shepherds Trust was established and registered in February 2020.Shepherds Trust is the brainchild of Delight G Tongowashe, a female youth who was moved by delinquency amongst youth in Epworth, and the seemingly lack of solutions to the socio – economic challenges which they faced. Delight formed The Shepherd Club, an adolescence convergence group which positively impacted lives of its members generally between the ages of 10 and 24. The club progressed into a fully-fledged organization seeking to develop young people into assertive, self-reliant and responsible citizens.
The Trust which is based in Epworth has about 70 young people meeting every Weekend to engage in socio-economic transformation activities and to share their diverse experiences.
Our Talent development thrust has yielded positive results since our youths have been able to compose music and dances that have attracted a sizeable local and international audience. The Trust recorded various advocacy songs themed against Teen motherhood and early marriages. They have been played on various media and the Ministry of Health’s Adolescents Sexual Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) in conjunction with Overspill Clinic in Epworth.
In the endeavor to capacitate our members into self-reliance, the Trust has managed to provide youth with practical skills in Confectionery and petroleum jelly making. This has resulted in the decrease in inappropriate behaviors from our members as they have something to occupy them and also generate some small income, as we are currently using our personal savings to run the Trust and inflation is affecting our programs and activities.The Trust like any other organization has been affected by the Covid 19 Pandemic but however it responded cautiously by training a group of young people to saw face masks and reusable cloth pads some of which they distributed for free to its members.
Our Legal Status
Shepherds Trust was registered as a Trust in Zimbabwe (Registration number MA000223/2020)
Physical Address:
Email address:
1178A Makomo Epworth
shepherdstrust01@shepherdswork
