Background
Northcot Training Institute is an institution which falls under the Department of Social Welfare and admits children up to the age of 18 years (girls and boys) who are primarily undergoing rehabilitation after committing various small criminal acts but are given a chance for rehabilitation due to their young age. The children are referred to as “children in conflict with the law.” The children are admitted through referrals from the Department of Social Welfare after a careful selection process.
The institution is located about 20km from Harare’s Central Business District in Mount Hampden. The institution has boarders as well as a few day scholars from the surrounding communities who are “normal” children but come from disadvantaged families. The idea behind integration with kids from the surrounding community is to allow the boarders to live a normal life during the rehabilitation process. The students engage in various small projects like chicken farming, and academic education.
The institution’s premises were once used as an army barrack and a remand prison during the colonial era but were transformed to cater for the plight of the young offenders during their reformation process.
The CSR Project
As a Division that focuses on property related activities, the Mortgage Finance Division made a decision to embark on an activity that relates its line of business and opted for the renovation of ablution facilities at the institution. The project would enhance the hygienic environment for the children and help prevent health risks that were potentially to emanate from the disturbing state of this basic necessity.
The renovation works included:
- The replacement of 7 complete toilet sets, i.e. new pans, toilet seats and cisterns.
- Installation of new water pipes to connect running water.
NB: The old toilet system was operating without running water and the children had to clean the toilets after use.
Conclusion
“With Malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds.” – Abraham Lincoln This is the wound which the CBZ Mortgage Finance team decided to help heal. “As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself and the other for helping others.”- Sam Levinson.