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Welcome!
Welcome!
We are the Friends of St James Mission & School, known to all members as FSJMS, a Charity registered in February 1993.
We are the Friends of St James Mission & School, known to all members as FSJMS, a Charity registered in February 1993.
Who we are:
The Friends of St James Mission and School (FSJMS) was set up in 1993 by a group having a close association with the mission and school. Those in the group have either taught there themselves or have a relative or friend who has done so.
St James Mission and School is near Nyamandlovu, in Zimbabwe, about 50 miles from Bulawayo. It is under the auspices of the Anglican church but is not funded by it and is set in the middle of arid bush land, on the edge of the Kalahari Desert. Because of its very remote location it is a boarding school for around 700 girls, from 13 to 18 years old, who come from all around Zimbabwe.
The Mission is home to the teachers, clinic and boarding staff, as well as a community of people who maintain the infrastructure of the Mission area.
The beautiful church of St James, at the centre of the Mission, also serves the outlying subsistence farming families from a wide surrounding area.
What we do and where your donations go:
Since our foundation, FSJMS has been able to help with many different projects at the school, including the support of educational bursaries, construction of buildings and the provision of vehicles to name but a few. Our ££ went a very long way! In 2015, after the total collapse of the Zimbabwean dollar, the country adopted the US Dollar as its official currency. This meant that the UK£ bought less in Zimbabwe and we had to think very hard as to what our priorities would need to be. Which was very difficult when there were so many worthy priorities!
All secondary school education is fee-paying in Zimbabwe, and for many children it is unaffordable. Therefore, we decided that one of our two main areas of focus nowadays is the sponsorship of secondary aged girls, whose families could not otherwise afford it. Over the years, we have seen our Alumni become teachers, doctors, nurses, social workers, and many other very useful members of society.
The other vital work that we support is the supply of a cooked mid-day meal to all the 200+ children in the local primary school. In Zimbabwe, primary schools close at lunchtime, and children go home. We realised that many of these young children, some of whom walk several miles to and from school each day, were under-nourished and as such were sometimes unable to make that journey to school. We established the Feeding Scheme which provides each child with a proper cooked meal before they walk home. This has had a hugely positive effect on the number of children able to attend school.
Are you a St. James Girl?
Are you a St. James Girl?
We're always keen to hear from ex-St. James girls who may be living in the UK, or overseas. Please get in touch with our contact, Sarah.
Ways to Donate
Ways to Donate
You can help us by making a one-off donation, becoming a regular giver, or buying online through our partners via #easyfundraising.
AGMs
AGMs
To see our AGM reports, click here.
Friends of St. James Mission and School — FSJMS
Registered Charity No. 1017217
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