Zimbabwe Aids-orphans Society will now be called the Children of Zimbabwe Society. Our name will officially change from the 1st of July 2021. We are called Barn i Zimbabwe in Swedish, and Zimbabwen lapset in Finnish.

The organization has been called the Zimbabwe Aids-orphans Society since it’s founding.

“We established a trust in Zimbabwe and a nonprofit organization in Finland in the early 2000s. The HIV / AIDS epidemic had been very severe in Zimbabwe in the 1990s, with a prevalence of over 25% in the adult population, ”say Seppo Ainamo and Oili Wuolle, the organization’s founders.

“In the worst years, the number of orphans grew strongly and about 1.3 million children were orphaned. At that time, it was natural to establish a nonprofit organization with a name that referred to the main cause of orphanhood, ”Seppo and Oili say.

Since then, the situation in the country has been improved. For example, with the development of education and treatments, HIV prevalence has now been reduced to 12.8% of the adult population. New infections have greatly decreased and mother-to-child -infections have been brought under control. It is now estimated that Zimbabwe can achieve the UNAIDS goal of ending the AIDS epidemic by 2030.

The name change of the organization recognizes the change that has taken place in the country.

“However, the need for children’s support is still great,” reminds Kaisa Leikola, chairman of the Zimbabwe Children’s Association.

“The UN estimates that more than 70% of Zimbabwe’s population lives below the poverty line. The SARS-CoV2 crisis is having a long-term impact on children’s access to education, especially in developing countries, and the continuation of working to reduce this learning gap is extremely important.”

In connection with the name change, the organization’s logo will also be renewed. The logo was designed by Julia Alakulju.

“The logo reflects a child’s growth from small to big. The activities of the organization show, how children can feel safe and be happy when growing up and having an opportunity to attend school with other children. There are also children of different ages and sizes. This logo is born from the idea that the organization supports the child’s development and well-being, ”says Julia.

For almost 30 years, the Children of Zimbabwe Society has invested in the education of talented children, especially girls at risk of exclusion and of being marginalized. Join us in supporting these children!