Naturally Madrine is of a non-violent nor-aggressive character and personality, however she realised she had a tendency to react with fits of anger for the cause of the poor. One day, she was short-changed after disembarking an emergency taxi when the taxi assistant indicated that he did not have enough change to give her. Instead of leaving him with the inadequate change he had, she took what was an available and bought oranges for an elderly woman by the terminus who seemed hungry.
She grew up with an inclination towards the less privileged and a passion for orphans, therefore she always found herself advocating for the welfare of the poor and strived towards helping achieve decent lives for them by addressing their plight in various situations.
This passion has seen Madrine foster a young boy from Matthew Rusike Children’s Home who was dumped by the mother at the Home when he was only three years. For her, it’s the emotional rehabilitation of children that moves her heart. She feels that while shelter educational, nutritional supports are essential, this alone is not enough. She feels these children also need a mother and father figures in their lives so they can share their fears, insecurities and challenges of life like any other children in a family setting. Madrine strives to provide for both physical and emotional needs thus complimenting the hardware with meeting the software issues of the heart to vulnerable children.
Madrine herself has a daughter by the name of Petra who likes to be pampered with goodies and she reports every unfair treatment she encounters with her peers of other people in general on a day to day basis. As a result, Madrine always asks herself the question `who listens to orphans and vulnerable children in their time of distress’?
In 1999, Madrine met her late husband Oliver Chiku and discovered that they shared the same passion. Therefore they identified their first orphaned child who lived in Epworth. They got married on the 26th of February 2000. Coincidentally, in the same year, their senior Pastor in Christian Assembly Fellowship Church, the late Engineer Pastor Arthur Mukasa assigned them to pastor the church’s assembly in Epworth.
It was during their tenure as Pastors in Epworth that they experienced growth for their humanitarian ministry, meeting the needs of orphaned, vulnerable and less privileged children. Madrine and her husband partnered with a number of well-wishers, friends, organizations and churches who together worked to assist in transforming the lives of these disadvantaged children.
Some of the most outstanding and rewarding partnerships were with Regina Dururu Okorafo, founder and Chairperson of Tariro House of Hope, Hands of Hope, particularly Glen Miller, Women of Destiny led by Tendai Manyonga, Capernaum Trust now Higher Life Foundation, Christian Assembly Fellowship, Christ Embassy, I AM Fellowship International, Servants of God, ZIFM Stereo and Chisipite High School Interact among many other.
In partnership with Regina Dururu Okorafo, the two ladies reached out to approximately 100 children in the Epworth Community, whom they assisted to discover and realise their potential and destiny. It always brought Madrine great joy and fulfilment to witness some success stories of these once less-privileged and vulnerable children. A number have excelled in education through to enrolling with various institutions of higher learning. One is a Pharmacist after studying Pharmacy at the University of Zimbabwe (UZ), then another is pursuing further studies in South Africa after graduating with a Bachelor of Accountancy at Vendah University, and the other one is graduated at University of Zimbabwe with Honours in Sociology in September 2014, one is in second at the University of Chinhoyi and Technology while one child who is living is with disability graduated at Danhiko Vocational Training Centre specializing in Garment and Designing in July 2014, among many other children who completed various levels of education. For the Chinhonyi University of Technology student, Madrine started fending for the double orphaned child from the time when he was in Grade 1 and now. For the Sociology and Danhiko students, much appreciation goes Capernaum Trust who funded the students’ studies towards the end of their high school until completion.
From time to time, Servants of God (comprising youths from Anglican Church Cathedral) provided food stuffs, stationery, and clothing and participated in playing recreational games with children on several occasions.
Support from churches saw I AM Fellowship International consistently providing food stuffs, clothing and blankets. On a number of occasions, I AM Fellowship International congregants cooked food, served children and played games with children.
ZIFM was the first local Radio Station to broadcast our work live on radio on two occasions. Furthermore, the radio station donated hampers, foodstuffs and clothing for the children.
On two occasions, Chisipite High School Interact Club invited children to their school where they provided meals, and entertainment. Moreover, on approximately three occasions, they visited children in Epworth and provided clothing, stationery, food and played with children.
Madrine cannot mention by name the countless number of friends that supported her vision with the wellbeing of children during the program’s implementation.
However, after an illustrious 15 years of partnership with Regina Okorafo, the two ladies ceremoniously parted ways to pursue different callings and focusing on different geographical areas within the same area. Thus, they are reaching to more children than ever before and they partner on specific events from time to time.
This call gave birth gave birth to the Esteemed Children Trust in 2014, a non-profit organization registered in Zimbabwe under the Companies and Associations Trustees Act (Chapter 24.04). Esteemed Children Trust pursues its mission on the basis of the following statements of purpose and direction stipulated on its core documents. These emphasise Madrine’s passion which she has always had in her heart as far as her concern for the poor and the less privileged is concerned. They explain the spirit behind the formation of Esteemed Children Trust.
In addition, Madrine is working with other members of the Board of Trustees of three members namely, Tinotenda Mukosi (a Business Consultant who graduated with an honours degree from the Midlands State University (MSU), Gweru, Zimbabwe), Rutendo Munetsi (A Pharmacist with a Master in Pharmacy Degree with University of Norwich in United Kingdom) and Charles Chari, now based in Australia, who holds a Masters in Business Administration.
Currently, Madrine is main benefactor of the project. However, she would like to acknowledge a special group of ladies by the name Women of Destiny who since 2018 have been providing support to ECT on a quarterly basis, collecting second hand clothing, providing school fees, cooking special meals for children and literally coming to serve and playing with the children and they have literally incorporated Esteemed Children Trust’s needs into their programmes.
Esteemed Children Trust (ECT) seeks to bring holistic transformation and to provide love, care and support to less privileged children. The aim is to instill hope into the lives of children who feel they been abandoned and do not see light at the end of the tunnel. ECT’s ultimate goal is to meet children’s immediate and long-term needs in a sustainable manner and to assist them to discover their purpose.