When the HIV/AIDS pandemic swept through Zimbabwe, it left behind a generation of children without parents, security or a clear future. For many of these children, daily life became a struggle for food, education and even a safe place to sleep.
Shuva Foundation was created to stand in that gap.
The heart behind Shuva Foundation
Shuva Foundation is an Australian not-for-profit organisation established to support children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe. The vision began when founder Andries Bredell first travelled to Zimbabwe and encountered the harsh reality facing AIDS orphans. What started as a personal encounter grew into a lifelong commitment to make a practical, lasting difference.
To ensure that support really reaches the children who need it most, Shuva Foundation partners with a trusted local organisation in Zimbabwe called Youth With a Vision.
Partnering with local leaders on the ground
Effective help in another country depends on strong, local leadership. That’s why Shuva Foundation’s work is built around its partnership with Youth With a Vision, a humanitarian organisation led by Rev Bonface Mutudza.
For more than two decades, Rev Mutudza and his team have been caring for youth orphaned by HIV/AIDS through a community-based orphan care program. Rather than removing children from their communities, this model supports them where they are—strengthening local structures rather than replacing them.
Through Youth With a Vision, Shuva Foundation currently helps support orphan care centres in communities around:
- Harare
- Mazowe
- Chivhu
- Mutare
Across these centres, around 1,000–1,500 children rely on the program at any given time, depending on available resources.
What support do the children receive?
Children in the program depend on Youth With a Vision, and therefore on Shuva’s supporters, for essentials such as:
- Food relief and nutrition support
- Assistance with school fees and education
- Basic clothing and essentials
- Help with accommodation arrangements where possible
This combination of immediate aid and longer-term support gives vulnerable children a chance to stay in school, stay in their communities and begin to dream again about their future.
From donations to practical projects
Shuva Foundation focuses on practical, community-based projects that create real change:
- Feeding programs such as corn, fish and chicken farming
- Running water projects using boreholes and solar pumps
- Education infrastructure, including simple school buildings in rural areas
- Basic medical clinics so families can access visiting doctors and humanitarian aid
These initiatives not only feed children today but also help build stronger, more resilient communities for tomorrow.
Funded by everyday generosity
Most of Shuva’s support so far has come from a small number of families making regular monthly contributions, along with additional one-off gifts. As the foundation grows its supporter base, the goal is simple: to reach more children, more consistently, with the help they urgently need.
How you can get involved
You can be part of this story in several ways:
- Become a regular monthly donor
- Make a one-off donation towards a specific project
- Partner as a business or organisation to fund major infrastructure like a borehole, school block or clinic
- Share Shuva Foundation’s work with your networks
Every contribution—large or small—helps ensure that children orphaned by HIV/AIDS in Zimbabwe are not forgotten.
Want to help?
Your generosity today can translate into food, education and hope for a child in Zimbabwe. Reach out to Shuva Foundation to learn how you or your organisation can partner with us.
