Kufunda Learning Village

Welcome to Kufunda Village, a resource for the World! We are an inspired community living in our village on the outskirts of Harare, the capital of Zimbabwe. Our mission is to inspire the co-creation of strong life affirming communities in Zimbabwe and beyond by demonstrating and sharing the necessary ideas, skills and practices that are required for community sustainability and nourishment.
Click here to read more About Us

Kufunda as Host

Kufunda Village practices the Art of Hosting as an operating system. We offer our village and ourselves as hosts not only to our partner communities but also to other individuals and organisations as a place of reflection, retreat and healing.

Changing tides in 2010

For Kufunda 2010 will most certainly be a 'new year' in many respects. Not only have our operational structures changed, but the way in which projects are being supported will also change drastically. This year we are bravely working at supplementing our income while demonstrating sustainable projects.

What's in the pipeline for 2010

Herb team
This year our herb team hope to step up production of herbal products and remedies, not only to supply our partner communities (whom we treat for free) but also to sell to the general public. Eventually the team hope to open a Herbal shop. They will also run several herbal processing workshops, not only for our rural partners, but also for local companies and individuals who are keen to learn this valuable knowledge (at a small cost of course). With much gratitude to the Columbus Medical Association Foundation, a Herb Lab was built over 2009 and is practically near completion.

Cleaner Earth
Our Cleaner Earth team will first and formest sensitize youth and community members on being 'green'. Through this forum they hope to host 'converstions that matter', as well as explore 'renewable energy' solutions. This year we will begin building our own solar battery chargers and even panels, as we work toward solarizing Kufunda in the future.

Preschool Team
The Preschool department will continue to support Orphans and Vulnerable Children (OVC) children in our partner communities. This support is includes free preschool education and one nutritious meal a day through our 9 partner preschools.

Centre Management Hosting Team.
For those of you who have been here, you will most certainly agree that Kufunda is one of the most beautiful places on earth!! Our Hosting team plan to offer Kufunda as a venue, not just to our learning communities, but also to different paying Organizations. Our holistic approach to sustainable nutrition and sustainable living will be showcased to all who grace us. The team will also offer tours of our unique demonstration centre to schools and other interested groups and individuals.

Permaculture Team
Our permaculture team are geared to grow enough healthy produce to supply our kitchen (while hosting workshops), our resident preschool and more. They will also run many permaculture workshops throuought the year as well as give tours of their demo garden which includes vermiculture, composting, water harvesting beds, natural habitats, chicken tractors and more.

Bicycle project for orphans
Inspired to help orphans who leave school only to find nothing to do, Admire - our Permaculture expert - will be embarking on a Bicycle project for orphans. The plan is to collect old bicycles in Denmark, ship them to Zimbabwe and train orphans and young kids in how to repair them and sell them in order to fundraise for other practical projects.

The Building Team
The Building Team would like to focus on eco-building. They will run workshops on techniques such as cob-bulding and rammed earth building.

Mushroom Team
Thanks to the assistance of ZERI a mushroom lab was built at Kufunda in 2009 (final touches will be done in 2010). This year the team are aiming to produce one tonne of oyster mushrooms per month. They will also run training workshops for partner communities as well as for paying customers. The workshops will not only include how to grow the mushrooms but also how to produce the seed, thus ensuring a lifetime of sustainable mushroom farming.

Children at our Centre
This year we hope to host 10 youth from our various rural partner communities for 9 months. During this period the children will learn - hands on - all of the life sustaining practices that are being demonstrated at Kufunda. The children will also learn various life skills and community leadership tools. Thereafter they will return to their communities empowered with new knowledge and wisdom toward a sustainable livelihood.

Art of Hosting.
This year our Art of Hosting Team plans to bring the wisdom of hosting successful workshops to Organizations around Zimbabwe, be it for team building, planning or other purposes. Our aim is to make this world renouned technique well known on our own soil. In addition, we plan to host a MEGA Art of Hosting Learning Journey in June (open to anyone who has practiced AoH). Watch this space for more details.

Other courses on offer
Apart from all of the above, Kufunda also offer courses in compost toilet building, jengeta huni stove building, food processing, nutritous cooking, akido & youth camps.

If you would like to attend any of the above workshops kindly contact Lorraine.

Supporting Kufunda in 2010

If you would like to support any of the above initiatives please contact Jackie.