Advocating for Education
Reading clubs will benefit rural students like these young students in Riverdale community.
Do not forsake wisdom, and she will protect you; love her, and she will watch over you. Wisdom is supreme; therefore, get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding. – Proverbs 4:6-7
Zimbabweans value education, and the country once boasted one of the highest literacy rates in Africa. Most parents in Zimbabwe aspire for their children to achieve a high school or even university education; however, students must pay for primary and secondary school, even public school, and, in a broken economy, many families struggle to afford the fees. As a result, many good students must drop out in high school. In addition, most schools struggle simply to pay teacher salaries, resulting in overcrowding and a lack of resources in many schools.
“One child, one teacher, one book, one pen can change the world.” – Malala Yousafzai
Noah’s FARM is advocating for education in several ways:
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Student Scholarships
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School Textbooks
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Reading Clubs
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Ascot Christian College
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Community Health Education
Student Scholarships
The first education goal of Noah’s FARM is to open the doors of opportunity for good students to continue their education and build their future. These students have lofty goals and dreams—to help their community and country through medicine, engineering, environmental work, teaching, and preaching, but costs of tuition and uniforms can get in the way. You can help provide a scholarship to a primary student, a secondary student, or a university student. To date, Noah’s FARM supporters have helped over 50 students.
Three members of local Nazarene churches recently completed their certifications as teachers.
One of our students lived in a simple two-room house in Gweru. After the support of Noah’s FARM through primary and secondary school, she is now a top student in medical school at the University of Zimbabwe!
School Textbooks
Zimbabwe’s state curriculum is comprehensive; however, teachers struggle to have the basic supplies to teach. In many cases, there might be only one textbook for 10 students. As Noah’s Farm serves low income rural communities, we want to come alongside teachers and help to provide supplies and in-classroom support. You can join us by becoming a member of “The Book of the Month” club!
Les Thomsen presenting textbooks to teachers at Riverdale Primary School
Even with new textbooks, learners at Riverdale Primary face many challenges, such as classroom shortages.
Reading Clubs
Reading is fundamental, but most communities in Zimbabwe have no libraries, and students are often prohibited from taking books home. In addition, students lose progress during school holidays and temporary closures. Building on the idea that rural churches can bless communities in many ways, Noah’s FARM is developing “Reading Clubs” in the communities where we are working. A library in a box will be housed in our rural parsonages, and churches will host open times when members of the congregation can work with students learning to read and preparing for exams. Your donations ear-marked for “Reading Clubs” can help us increase literacy and school success in numerous rural communities.
Children exploring books that Noah's FARM printed from the African Storybook website.
Pastor Baruka having fun preparing for a rural reading club story time at his church.
Ascot Christian College
There is a shortage of high schools in Zimbabwe, and the overcrowded schools that exist have a student to teacher ratio of 80:1. The final dream that Reverend Noah Sibanda shared with us was the vision of building a new high school in the Ascot township in Gweru. His dream was for this facility to not only offer affordable, high-quality education, but to also offer services to the community, such as adult education, a source of water and solar electricity, and a place for churches and other community groups to meet.
In 2026 ACC opened its doors to its first class of Form 1 (freshmen) students. As ACC continues to add new Form 1 classes, Noah’s FARM will continue to seek funding to build the capacity of the school to provide excellence in learning, laboratories, extracurricular activities, and Christian growth. As ACC reaches full enrollment, its goal is to be self-sustaining and ultimately generate an income that will support other ministries in the Midlands District.
Join us as we complete Pastor Noah’s dream—Ascot Christian College!
Ascot Christian College (ACC) during construction in 2025
The doors opened to these freshmen students in January 2026.
Prayer in school at ACC.
Community Health Education
Our community health education initiative seeks to improve the nutrition and health of individuals through community education. Our mission teams meet with women in various churches, locations that often lack health clinics, to empower them with knowledge and teaching resources to reach out to their congregation and neighbors.
A second initiative was launched by one of our Noah’s FARM scholarship students. McCathy Gumbo is a medical student at the University of Zimbabwe. During his senior year he launched an infant and maternal nutrition project in the impoverished neighborhood of Epworth. McCathy trained community volunteers to intervene with families to encourage breastfeeding, infant growth monitoring, vaccination, and improved household nutrition. McCathy hopes to pursue a medical career that ministers in underserved communities.
McCathy Gumbo performing a blood pressure assessment
Infant and Maternal Nutrition Project
