Juliet Bvekwa – The Community Guardian

My name is Juliet Bvekwa and I am 41 years old. I am the Founder of Shekinah Glory Organization, a Private Voluntary Organization (PVO) and Shekinah Glory Children’s Home and Skills Training Center located in Zvishavane District in Zimbabwe.

I am 3^rd born in a family of 10 children, I was born and grew up in Zvishavane District where I did my primary and secondary schools. I went to college in Bulawayo and later did my Masters’ Degree in Switzerland. My journey as a humanitarian worker in Logistics started with CARE International in Zimbabwe in 2001 at the age of 20 years. From 2014 to current I have worked in various countries such as South Sudan, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Bangladesh and a short stint in Afghanistan. At the age of 18 years, I lost my Mum and at the age of 24 years, I lost my Dad and became guardian to my minor siblings. My educational background and work experience have contributed immensely to the formation and growth of Shekinah Glory Organisation.

The idea of establishing Shekinah Glory Organisation came in 2016 after my work in Sierra Leonne where I was working during the Ebola response. Shekinah Glory means the manifestation of the love of God in the lives of people. Shekinah Glory was established after so many years of searching for my God-given purpose and it honestly gives me the satisfaction and fulfilment that nothing else does. After all my missions, I am so glad to be back home to the work that I relate to and that gives me purpose and desire to live. If we were a coin, I would say Shekinah and me are 2 sides of the same coin.

Shekinah Glory Organisation has been running since July 2016 with the opening of the first and only children’s Home in Zvishavane District.  We also have a number of projects that are currently being implemented such as supporting vulnerable children with access to education despite their academic performance through the support of school fees, uniforms and stationery. Shekinah is also supporting children and young people living with HIV by establishing support groups which act as a platform for networking and addressing everyday challenges including stigma and discrimination. The Skills Training Center was recently opened in February 2014 and the first group of trainees will be graduating in June 2022. The centre offers sewing, knitting, welding and carpentry courses to young people between the ages of 15-24 years from Shekinah Glory Children’s Home and other Children’s Homes that do not have skills training centres. We also recruit trainees from very vulnerable backgrounds who never accessed formal school or dropped out due to various reasons mostly financial. Because of the background of our Trainees, all courses are offered at zero cost and the training is mostly practical with little or no theory as most of the trainees cannot read or write. Shekinah also distributes clothes, sanitary pads and food packs to the communities they are serving.

Shekinah Glory Organization strives to serve the communities where it is operational even with the limited resources available.

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