20 23 A N N UA L R E P O RT
Prosperity shows off his necklace made of blocks. He is receiving treatment for burn contractures, and this necklace is proof of his healing, as he made it using his new hands!
PURPOSE
VISION
MISSION
CURE provides world-class surgical care to the world’s most vulnerable children for the proclamation and demonstration of the gospel.
A world where children living with disabilities reach their full potential through God’s hope and healing.
To heal the sick and proclaim the kingdom of God. — Luke 9:2
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CONTENTS A Letter from the Executive Director..............4 2023 Overview................................................ 5
CURE Children’s Hospital of Zimbabwe
Our Network.................................................... 6 Building the Future: CURE Zimbabwe Expands to Provide World-Class Healthcare to More Children............................................. 7 A Caring Touch: Prioritizing the Patient Experience at CURE Zimbabwe.....................8 Surgery Provides Freedom to Walk: A Mother’s Joy, A Child’s Triumph................. 10 Financial Activity........................................... 12 Senior Management Team.............................13 Partnerships.................................................. 14 Join Us........................................................... 15
The numbers and statistics cited throughout this report reflect CURE’s Fiscal Year 2023 (FY23), which ran from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023.
Ayanda’s mother watches and prays for her son as the nurses and anesthetist prepare for his surgery in the operating room.
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A LETTER FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jonathan Simpson
W
hen I first tell people about the work we do at CURE Children’s Hospital of Zimbabwe (CURE Zimbabwe), I often receive confused responses. Usually, it is because it doesn’t make financial sense to offer surgeries at no cost to the children and their families. It doesn’t make sense to house and feed them during their recovery. And it doesn’t make sense to provide support and counseling through their recovery process.
It’s been a busy and full year, but this is only the beginning of what God has in store for CURE Zimbabwe. We recently finished construction on a 992-square-metre, 42-bed children’s ward, which has doubled our capacity! And while I’ve thrown a lot of numbers out here, numbers are never the goal. We’ve intentionally analyzed every part of our service to make sure the patient experience at our hospital is the most welcoming and as love-filled as possible.
To this I say, “We want to be different, and we want to do it better.” That’s what excites me about the work we do every day. We get to love those who feel unlovable and heal those whom society has said there is no hope for! Christ didn’t call us to fit inside the world’s definitions of a hospital or ministry. He called us to heal the sick and proclaim the kingdom of God (Luke 9:2). So that’s what we’ll continue doing.
I’m excited for you to read these pages and see what I see every day—that the Lord is moving in and through CURE Zimbabwe. I am proud of the work we do, and I am even prouder of the strong children who leave our doors healed and walking into a bright new future.
In the last year, we’ve had over 3,000 patients come through our doors. We’ve provided 973 surgical procedures. And we’ve crossed the threshold of 2,000 surgical procedures since we opened in 2021. We’ve also been privileged to present the gospel to over 9,000 people in the past year, resulting in over 100 people making decisions to follow Christ.
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Sincerely,
Jonathan Simpson Executive Director CURE Children’s Hospital of Zimbabwe
OVERVIEW FISCAL YEAR 2023 PROCEDURES
KEY PROGRAM STATISTICS IN FY23 PATIENT VISITS
3,285
6,176 total since inception
DECISIONS FOR CHRIST
105
161 total since inception
1,000 973 800
687
600 400 200
HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS TRAINED
316
PEOPLE REACHED WITH THE GOSPEL
45 FY21 (APR-JUN)
9,255
FY23
PATIENT VISITS
13,506 total since inception
1,068 total since inception
FY22
3,500 3,000
2,706
3,285
2,500
SURGICAL PROCEDURES 973 IN FY23 1,705 total since inception
2,000 1,500 1,000
95%
500
185 FY21 (APR-JUN)
Orthopaedics
5%
FY22
FY23
PEOPLE REACHED WITH THE GOSPEL
Reconstructive/Plastics 10,000
9,255
8,000
HOSPITAL SUMMARY
52 PATIENT BEDS 3 CLINICAL SURGEONS
3 OPERATING ROOMS 90 TOTAL STAFF
6,000 4,159
4,000 2,000 92 FY21 (APR-JUN)
FY22
FY23
Annual Report 2023 | 5
Davao City
PHILIPPINES
Niamey
Addis Ababa
NIGER
OUR NETWORK
ETHIOPIA
Mbale
UGANDA
Kijabe
KENYA
CURE Zimbabwe is part of CURE International, a Christian nonprofit organization that operates a global network of children’s hospitals pairing world-class surgical care and counseling to serve children living with treatable disabilities and their families.
Lusaka
ZAMBIA
Blantyre
MALAWI
Bulawayo
ZIMBABWE
Harare
ZIMBABWE CURE CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL OF ZIMBABWE
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Bulawayo
BUILDING THE FUTURE
CURE Zimbabwe Expands to Provide World-Class Healthcare to More Children
C
URE Zimbabwe opened in 2021 and has already reached 25 percent of its ten-year goal of serving 10,000 children. To address the hospital’s need for more space, we partnered with the Tim Tebow Foundation (TTF) to fund the construction of a new children’s ward. Groundbreaking for the new ward occurred in February 2022, and construction finished in July 2023. The ward officially opened in September. In a country where an estimated 300,000 children live with treatable disabilities like clubfoot, cleft lip and palate, knock knees,
and burn contractures—this expansion means more families can get the help their children need. The 992-square-metre addition has 42 beds (each with its own oxygen line and two beds dedicated to high-dependency patients), play spaces, a procedure room, increased storage space for general and medical supplies, workrooms, and central heating and cooling. The old children’s ward, with 18 beds, will now become a hostel where children needing longer-term stays and rehabilitation can recover comfortably. In addition to the ward expansion, CURE Zimbabwe now offers reconstructive plastics services, including cleft lip, palate, and burn contracture surgery.
Tanatswa enjoys an interactive play station in the new Timmy’s Playroom.
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A CARING TOUCH:
Prioritizing the Patient Experience at CURE Zimbabwe
A
s the gates of CURE Children’s Hospital of Zimbabwe (CURE Zimbabwe) swing open each morning, a wave of warmth and anticipation washes over the hospital grounds. The patients, eager to receive the care they need, are met with the smiling faces of staff members ready to serve. At CURE Zimbabwe, the patient experience is not merely an afterthought; it is an integral part of the healing process, prioritized in every aspect of the hospital’s operations.
A WARM WELCOME From the moment a child arrives at CURE Zimbabwe, they are enveloped in an atmosphere of compassion and care. The security guards, receptionists, nurses, and other staff members extend a friendly welcome, ensuring that each child feels comfortable and safe.
An aerial image of CURE Zimbabwe.
The hospital’s spiritual ministry department offers a listening ear and spiritual support, while a dedicated child mentor keeps the young patients engaged and ensures they don’t miss out on their education.
EXPERTISE AND COMPASSION IN THE OPERATING ROOM The operating room staff at CURE Zimbabwe is a team of highly skilled and experienced professionals dedicated to providing the best possible care for their young patients. Their compassion matches their expertise, as they take great care to ensure that each child is comfortable and pain-free throughout their surgical procedure.
The members of CURE Zimbabwe’s operating room team are experts in caring for children.
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They utilize a variety of techniques to provide the best possible patient care experience. For example, the team uses patient-targeted anesthesia to minimize the pain and discomfort children experience during surgery, as well as specialized surgical techniques to control scarring and improve cosmetic outcomes.
EDMERCY’S TRANSFORMATION The operating room staff also provides emotional support to children and their families throughout the surgical process—from the operation to recovery. They take time to explain the surgery to children and their families and answer any questions they may have.
NURTURING RECOVERY AND BEYOND CURE Zimbabwe’s commitment to the patient experience extends beyond the operating room and into the recovery process. Children are given ample time and support to heal and are encouraged to participate in activities that aid their physical rehabilitation. The hospital also offers comprehensive follow-up care, including regular check-ups, counseling, and support groups, to ensure that the child’s healing journey continues long after they’re discharged—up to a year later. Follow-up ministry care at CURE Zimbabwe supports children and their families spiritually, emotionally, and psychologically. It is designed to help children and their families cope with the challenges of surgery and recovery—and find hope and healing in the midst of difficult circumstances.
Edmercy dreamed of one day soaring through the skies, a professional pilot commanding her aircraft with grace and precision. But there was one thing in her way: her jump gait. Edmercy was born with the condition, which caused her to walk on her toes with flexed knees. This unconventional gait hindered her mobility, making even simple tasks like walking to school a daunting endeavor. Despite the challenges, Edmercy’s determination never wavered. She still envisioned herself navigating the vast expanse of the skies. Her unwavering belief in her abilities inspired those around her, particularly her loving aunt, Patricia.
Edmercy couldn’t walk properly before surgery. This limited her mobility and robbed her of some of her childhood. Thanks to CURE Zimbabwe, she is on her way to achieving her dreams.
Patricia, determined to help Edmercy reach her full potential, sought the expertise of the medical staff at CURE Zimbabwe. With the support of CURE’s generous donors, Edmercy received the surgery she needed to overcome her jump gait. The successful procedure marked a turning point in Edmercy’s life. No longer confined by her physical limitations, she now walks with newfound confidence and attends school alongside her cousins. Today, she’s one step closer to her dream of exploring the world through aviation.
CURE Zimbabwe’s dedication to the patient experience is evident in the stories of countless children like Edmercy. Our commitment to providing comprehensive care that encompasses the physical, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing of our patients has transformed countless lives. The spiritual ministry team during a visit to Palmson (aka Willy) at home to check on his healing progress and cheer him up! These routine visits show our commitment to supporting kids and their families through the healing process. Read his story on page 10.
CURE Zimbabwe stands as a beacon of hope, demonstrating that exceptional medical care can be delivered hand in hand with a compassionate and patient-centered approach. The hospital’s unwavering commitment to prioritizing the patient experience ensures that every child who walks through our doors receives not only surgical treatment but also a transformative healing journey. Edmercy after surgery Annual Report 2023 | 9
SURGERY PROVIDES FREEDOM TO WALK A Mother’s Joy, A Child’s Triumph
P
Willy’s bowed legs were severe and walking was a challenge. This made it difficult for Willy to participate in activities with other children, and it made him feel self-conscious.
But today, Nondlela’s story is one of hope and triumph. Her son, Palmson, commonly known as Willy, is walking and playing like other children his age—thanks to the help of CURE Children’s Hospital of Zimbabwe (CURE Zimbabwe).
FINDING HOPE AT CURE
eople blamed Nondlela for her son’s condition. Palmson was born with a congenital condition called bowed legs. “They often said it was my fault! I would carry him everywhere because he could not walk. I never thought I would see him walk alone one day,” Nondlela explained.
WILLY’S JOURNEY Willy’s legs curved outward at the knees. Bowed legs are very common in babies and young children, and they can straighten out as the child grows. However, in some cases, the bowed legs do not straighten out on their own, and surgery may be necessary.
“
Willy’s mother took him to a local hospital, but the doctors there could not help him. They said the only way to fix Willy’s legs was through surgery, which would be very expensive. Nondlela was devastated, as she did not have the money to pay for surgery.
When Nondlela heard about CURE Zimbabwe, she was relieved. Willy could receive world-class surgical care to correct his bowed legs at no cost to his family. Nondlela took Willy to CURE, and the doctors there were able to straighten his legs with surgery.
I was on the verge of giving up. I had no idea what to do. I thought he would remain like this forever. But I am so grateful and relieved for Willy’s legs to be fixed.” —Willy’s mom, Nondlela A before and after picture of Palmson, aka “Willy.”
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Through surgery at CURE Zimbabwe, surgeons straightened Willy’s legs, giving him better mobility.
After surgery to correct his bowed legs at CURE Zimbabwe, Willy can now run and keep up with his classmates.
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CURE Children’s Hospital of Zimbabwe
FY23 FINANCIAL SUMMARY
INCOME TYPE
INCOME
%
USD
CURE International Contribution (Cash)
61%
1,655,380
Other Contributions
4%
97,440
GIK (CURE & others)
34%
933,513
1%
20,803
Exchange Gains & Interest Total Income
EXPENSE TYPE
EXPENSE
%
MK
Payroll Expenses
42%
910,137
Depreciation
18%
397,960
Patient Supplies Expenses
12%
266,401
Other Operating Expenses
27%
593,701
Total Expenses
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$2,707,136
$2,168,199
SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM Jonathan Simpson Executive Director
Dr. Collen Msasanure Doctor in Charge
Martin Chipimo Programs Manager
Dr. Sarah Hodges Lead for Anesthesia and Critical Care
Grace Mangwende Spiritual Director
Wilson Kakumura Quality and Patient Safety Manager
Jacob Mguni Facilities Manager
Edith Mutsatsa Nurse Manager
Faith Gondwe Human Resources Manager
Terrence Kandiado Finance Manager
CURE Zimbabwe staff gathered in front of the hospital.
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PARTNERSHIPS
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JOIN US REFER A CHILD If you know of a child who could benefit from the services offered by CURE Zimbabwe, please contact us or bring the child to our clinic during planned hours. Our contact information and clinic hours are listed on the back cover.
GIVE All medical care is provided through the generous contributions of CURE donors, our nonprofit partners, and insurance programs. Children will be treated by our clinical team without charge or debt created. Please let us know if you are interested in sponsoring a child’s surgery.
PRAY We believe that God alone is the source of changed lives and transformed communities. Please join us in asking for God’s healing for the children we serve.
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Address Old Esigodini Rd and Kenwood Rd Bulawayo, Zimbabwe Admin +263-8677211855 Outpatients +263-8677192320 Email zw.info@cureinternational.org Website cure.org/zimbabwe Socials @curezimbabwe facebook.com/curezimbabwe @curezimbabwe 16 | Annual Report 2023