Meet Samantha Murozoki: Founder of Kuchengetana Trust
Samantha Murozoki is a lawyer by profession and the founder of Kuchengetana Trust, currently running a relief kitchen in Chitungwiza – Zimbabwe.
She remarks, “Kuchengetana Trust came up in the most unexpected and unplanned ways in April 2020. I wanted to help a few individuals that I knew from Chitungwiza with a guaranteed plate of food for the duration of the 3-week lockdown that had been announced. There were a few surprises, not only did the number turn from 15 to 4000, but the lockdown stretched way beyond 3 weeks. We have been in operation for over a year now.
We have downsized the recipients. We feed 0 to 16 years and 60 and above. We now average 2100 people per day. We have a team of 10 volunteers, 2 interns from our local universities.”
The pandemic has had its challenges, “It has taken a lot of pre planning to be able to tackle our possible challenges (weekly). We have a shorter focus in planning because we are incapacitated to plan over long periods of time. Our resources cannot have us planning beyond a maximum of a week.
Secondly, the donors are literally the foundation of the relief kitchen. We are dependent on every single donation that comes our way, food, or money. We have put in place a set of mechanisms to enhance our working environment. Team spirit is what has kept us going.”
The relief kitchen has measures to ensure everyone is fed and stays safe. “We have a team of volunteers who are responsible for cleaning the kitchen before and after we finish serving, pots and utensils.
We have a water point outside so that those who don’t have access to water and soap can wash and rinse their pots and lunch boxes before we dish out food for them. Before they enter the premises, we check temperature and sanitize their hands. We have a quick turnaround time per recipient and ask them to come in batches per time slot.”
To sustain the relief kitchen, “We are currently working with 3 gentlemen who have volunteered to assist us with a strategic plan that will help us map a more defined way forward. Our aim is gain self-sustenance and empower the families that frequent the kitchen. That way we will not need to necessarily cook for them daily, but only when need arises. We aspire to own or rent a farming space where we can carry out a fully-fledged piggery and fish project.”
The lessons Samantha has learnt from the past year, “I have learnt that we live in a world with great disparities. I speak in line with the rich and poor. I am far from rich, but I feel that if more people adopted a similar culture of catering for those in need, the bridge will not be as narrow and long between the two groups.
I have learnt that patience is a virtue. Through my interactions with the recipients I realised not everyone who is struggling is lazy. People are riddled with psychological and emotional issues that they don’t even know about. Some people go through life in ways they cannot explain, but try to break out of it. It’s hard.
I have learnt that passion alone is not enough to run a organisation or trust. I have had to deal with the technical side of things and it’s not so warm and spontaneous as Philanthropy can be.”
The songs that Samantha plays the most:
Coldplay- Magic
Lucy Pearl- Dance tonight
Erykah Badu- Love of.my life
Talib Kweli ft Mary J Blige- I try
Biggie Smalls- Beef
Etana- Blessing
On what she is most proud of about being Zimbabwean, “I love how we can easily switch into different settings and blend in so well. We are a happy people with our shortcomings, but the sense of humour is par excellence.”
Samantha wants to be remembered for all the good that she did. “How I overcame adversity and still woke up to smile. I don’t want a fake memory. I am not perfect nor near a saint, but I want what I am to be a breath of fresh air when I am gone. A smile when someone thinks of Sammy.”
The final words she wants to share are, “That no matter the challenge, there will always be a solution. It just might not be the one you want or find conventional enough. Try and make a difference, chances are it just might do more for the next person than you think it can. Love a little harder.”
If people want to contribute, get in touch via
Calls or WhatsApp +263786701002 Email: smurozoki@yahoo.com Twitter: @semalho
To donate via World Remit or Western Union send to Samantha Shingirai Murozoki
Just giving page: https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/kuchengatena
Thank you for reading, please donate if you can and share with others. Feel free to leave a comment/like. Browse through the blog and get to know other inspirational people I have interviewed.
