Vongai and her Grandfather celebrating a birthday together.

Growing up in Zimbabwe as the oldest girl-child, I knew how to step into my multiple roles of responsibility. In my last year of high school, I was the A-level student, the school prefect, the Girl's Rugby Team Captain, the lead soprano in English Choir, the supportive and occasional mischievous girlfriend, and most importantly, the older sister and mother to my younger siblings. I did it well, no questions asked. However, in April of that year, when my grandfather died and in the months that followed, I needed help and didn't even know I needed it.

At that time, counseling was unheard of in Zimbabwe. Talking about life's struggles was kept within the family and closest friends, which was met with either prayer, wise counsel, or the cultural colloquialisms "Sunga Dzisimbe" and "Hahaaaa, kuseka nhamo serugare," (roughly translated to "buckle up" and "Haha, laugh at life's struggles as if it's peace").

As such, during hard times, I confided in my closest friends, and as children whose brains were still maturing, the advice I received only went as far as, "You'll be okay, Vongai. Just hold on." So over time, I grew to BE OKAY. No matter what I was going through, I suppressed everything into, “I'LL BE OKAY!” - far from the healthiest option one could choose.

Vongai today: a confident young woman who is not afraid to seek help when she needs it so that she can continue to be a blessing to others.

Then came Mrs. Mangoma, who invited me to talk. Her grace and compassion were boundless, and I had no clue how to receive them. As I continued to meet and talk with her, I learned to open up little by little and realized that I didn't need to be okay. In the end, Mrs. Mangoma helped me find healthier ways to cope with whatever I was going through, including leaning on my Heavenly Father. To this day, I cherish those conversations because I wouldn’t be the woman I am now – whole, secure in vulnerability, and intentional in leading others to seek the help they need.

As such, I truly believe that every child is deserving of love, being understood, and having the people who make them secure enough to open up. This is why I am grateful for the counseling services that Kuda Vana provides to its children. With a full-time staff psychologist, Jotinah Vambire (you learn more about her and our team HERE).

All of Kuda Vana’s team, no matter their role, take the mental and emotional health of each child seriously and work hard to build secure attachment.

Kuda Vana provides mental health services for both its staff and the children in their care. Group counseling, workshops and one-on-one counseling are a part of every-day life at Kuda Vana, and every caregiver is trained annually in trauma-informed parenting techniques. This is just one more way Kuda Vana is “Not Your Typical Orphanage!

1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, "Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing." And so, as Kuda Vana continues to build a nurture the whole child emotionally, let each of us continue to shift the conversation towards accepting counseling, breaking the resistance, and opening more doors for Zimbabwe's future generations to build a healed nation!

Written by Vongai Chokuda, Kuda Vana’s Development and Communications Intern

The Value of Counseling: breaking cultural stigmas on mental health support in Zimbabwe.