Our History

The Nhaka Foundation is a Zimbabwean non-profit organization providing access to education and health care for the vulnerable and orphaned children in Zimbabwe. “Nhaka” is a Shona word that means “inheritance”. What inheritance are we leaving for the many children who are in difficult circumstances? Can we leaving them an inheritance of education, good stewardship of resources, psychological wellbeing and a life full of possibilities? These are the questions that influenced the name of the organization.

After a number of years of working with non profit organizations in Zimbabwe, Nhaka Foundation was established in July 2007 when Patrick Makokoro, founder and executive director, decided to play an active role in addressing the plight of orphans and vulnerable children in Zimbabwe. In 2002, Patrick worked for one month at an orphanage in Mashonaland West province of Zimbabwe. It is at this orphanage that he got to terms with the plight of many orphans who had no one to look up to in their lives as well as provision of moral, psychological and welfare support. To Patrick it was like “complaining about having no shoes until you met someone who had no feet, in life we are busy focussing on what we dont have instead of what we have in our hands to help other people grow, develop and reach their God given potential". As a result of this, different employment and life experiences Patrick formed an organization to find support for the basic needs of food, education and healthcare for orphaned and vulnerable children of Zimbabwe. While in many cases the need for shelter was being addressed at community level, the local resources were not adequate to respond to shortages in food supplies, basic health care, money to pay for basic education and no psycho social activities that would help the children develop their mental and physical wellbeing.

As a Christian, Patrick believes in the word of God and its power.His passion and inspiration is drawn from various Scriptures in the Bible but cites Isaiah 58 vs 7 “ is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter, when you see the naked, clothe him and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?” as a strong motivator. Patrick in his work is also inspired by James 1 vs 27 that says “ religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…”

"Our commitment is to support programs that are locally sustainable, environmentally sound, and respect the cultural values of the communities with which we partner. The Nhaka Foundation works in close partnership with a number of like-minded organizations in and outside Zimbabwe."

Please join us in this quest.

"A hundred years from now it will not matter what car I drove, the house I lived in nor what my bank account was, what will count is the difference I would have made in the world"

Patrick Makokoro 2008