Our Programs and Services

Zara's Center provides comprehensive support to children and families in Emganwini Township. From education and nutrition to agriculture and access to healthcare, our programs address essential needs while building skills, confidence, and community resilience.

Explore how we're creating lasting change through holistic care and empowerment:

  • Close-up of green leafy kale plants growing in a garden.

    Computer Literacy Training

    We believe technology is key to unlocking opportunity. Through our partnership with Uncommon, children gain access to digital training. We use the Akello Smart Learning platform – an interactive digital learning solution that provides age‑appropriate curriculum support, coding tools and reading resources.

  • Two young children wearing hair nets and preparing food in a kitchen, chopping vegetables and rolling dough.

    Food & Nutrition

    Each year, we provide more than 30,000 nutritious meals to 130 children. We serve two healthy meals daily and share any surplus for them to take home to their families. We know that food is a basic human need – without it, it’s hard to focus and learn.

  • Children sitting on chairs, smiling, and giving thumbs up. One child in the foreground showing a bright smile and wearing a gray shirt with colorful stripes, while another child in the background wearing a face mask and a Lol sticker.

    School Fees & Tutoring

    By covering school fees, Zara’s Center ensures that every child can continue their education without interruption. With dedicated tutoring, homework support, and mentoring, our students consistently perform above national averages. Education remains at the heart of everything we do.

  • A group of young children dancing or exercising in a classroom, with colorful drawings on the wall behind them.

    Health & Wellness

    Founded in response to the HIV/AIDS epidemic, Zara’s Center has always placed health at the core of its mission. Today, we continue that legacy through regular doctor’s visits, vaccinations, and preventive health screenings for every child. By promoting nutrition, wellness education, and access to care, we’re breaking down barriers to health equity.

  • A rural scene with solar panels and a green water tank elevated on a wooden structure, surrounded by trees and dry grass.

    Clean Water Provision

    Our borehole and water system provide a reliable source of clean water for our children and the surrounding community. The system supports daily activities, including kitchens, toilets, and our gardens. Families in Emganwini can easily access this water, reducing the time and effort spent collecting it each day.

  • Three children, two boys and a girl, planting or tending to small plants in a garden under a clear blue sky.

    Lalela – Art Therapy & Mental Health Support

    Mental health is as important as academic learning. Our staff trains with Lalela on art-based therapies and creative learning techniques. Through this, children engage in arts workshops that double as therapeutic tools, allowing them to express themselves, process emotions, and build resilience. This program helps our team understand what children are experiencing, ensuring that every child receives holistic care and support.

  • Sewing and Beadwork

    Our Sewing and Beadwork program teaches children practical skills while fostering creativity and patience. Students learn to create clothing, accessories, and intricate bead designs, developing. The program encourages entrepreneurial thinking and teamwork, as children collaborate on projects and explore how their creations can support themselves and their community.

  • A woman stands in front of a painted brick wall with a sign for Zara Center Trust. She is wearing a black t-shirt with a graphic design, blue jeans, and flip-flops, looking slightly to her right with her hands behind her back.

    Alumni Support

    We continue to invest in our students even after they graduate. We provide financial support for college tuition and fees, helping alumni pursue higher education and achieve their career goals. Many of our alumni also return to Zara’s Center as tutors, mentors, and staff, sharing their skills and experiences. By fostering education, employment, and mentorship, we create a cycle of opportunity to strengthens our alumni and the community they come from.

Agricultural Programming

Our Agricultural Program stands out as a powerful example of learning in action.


At the heart of this initiative, children grow fresh produce while gaining hands-on skills in farming, nutrition, and sustainability. The food they cultivate helps feed the Center, while surplus vegetables support their families and the wider community.

Each week, guardians join the children in the gardens – working side by side to produce food. This shared effort strengthens family bonds and reinforces the connection between learning, self-reliance, and daily life.

Our Agricultural Center features multiple cultivation areas and diverse projects, including:

  • Vegetables: carrots, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, green peppers, green beans, peas, spinach, sweet potatoes, green millies, cabbage, beetroot, broccoli, cauliflower

  • Fruits: oranges, lemons, avocados, mangoes, pomegranates, pawpaws

  • Other projects: chicken farming, sugar cane, and nut trees