Rose of Charity Orphanage-Let's Build Scott Joye's Classroom

Please join us in supporting the Rose of Charity Orphanage in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe.

The Rose of Charity began in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe in 2008. Robert first visited the orphanage in 2018. Since that time, Robert purchased a used truck and irrigation equipment for the Rose of Charity’s farm that was under construction. By the end of 2019, the five-acre farm was producing fresh vegetables for the children who now had a guaranteed local source of healthy food. Robert then arranged for a local contractor to replace the leaking asbestos roof on the orphanage. And finally, he committed to build a preschool and kindergarten on the grounds of the Rose of Charity. That school — much to his embarrassment named the Robert Schiffner Elementary School by the Rose of Charity — opened its doors in January of 2020 to forty-five students. It charges one-fifth the tuition of government schools while at the same time having the highest standardized test scores in the region.

In December of 2021, Robert committed to building a complete kindergarten through 12th grade school in a small village just south of Victoria Falls in the village of Sizinda (“sah-zin-dah”). Robert and Sima picked this location because the children of Sizinda were forced to walk 7 miles one way to school in a neighboring village. Children as young as five years old were waking up in the early dawn to make sure they got to school on time. To make matters worse, they placed their shoes into their backpacks and walked barefoot to school because their parents could not afford to replace their school shoes if they became worn out.

After acquiring the land necessary for the school from the government in March of 2022, Robert hired an architect to draw plans. Once those plans were completed and approved by the government, Robert sunk a well, punched in an access road, strung power lines, and set a massive transformer to distribute electricity to the various buildings that would be built.

In January of 2023, construction began on the first three classrooms. The school officially opened five months later. There are now a total of twelve classrooms open. Eventually, the school — called the Moses Lake Academy at Victoria Falls — will house fifteen classrooms, a vocational education center, a cafeteria, dining room, computer center, and soccer pitches. The school’s recent commemoration ceremony attracted politicians from all over Zimbabwe, including Richard Moyo, the Minister of State for Provincial Affairs, as the guest speaker.

In addition to the construction of the two schools, Robert has financially supported another Rose of Charity project called the New Dawn Girl’s and Boy’s Club. This organization brings together the children living in rural areas south of Victoria Falls once a month for socialization and educational programs. The Rose of Charity also distributes food, personal hygiene products, and school supplies to the children.

Robert’s most recent commitment is to open a medical clinic in the village of Sizinda by the end of the year. Right now, mothers must carry their children 15 miles or more one way to see the doctor in Victoria Falls. This is a heartbreaking sight Robert wants to eradicate as soon as possible. He has teamed with a local doctor who has committed to open the clinic twice a week to patients. Eventually, Robert hopes to locate a doctor who will staff the clinic on a continuous basis.