To create an impact in someone’s life doesn’t mean to go out of our way to make it happen. The mark we leave on people’s lives can come from a simple gesture of kindness such as donating our time to help others, or in most cases, supporting charity organizations. A mission to leave a trace and the hope of a better future for their people and the woman and children of Zimbabwe is a task that Tina has taken very seriously. Tina Makuku came to Beijing in 2014 to learn about the Chinese culture, the educational system and to find work to finance her charitable project. Tina is the creator and founder of Chariots, an organization that makes African-themed jewelry. The proceeds from the sale of the jewelry go to sponsoring all of the different programs Tina supports through her foundation People at Heart. This foundation was created to help improve the lives of women and children in Zimbabwe. Tina had a mission in mind, she wanted to bring hope and help carry out the dreams of women and children from marginalized backgrounds in her country, Zimbabwe.
Both Chariots and People at Heart base their vision on spreading the love of God by bringing hope to these families. People at Heart has already enrolled 6 orphaned children to receive their early years' education in their preschool program. The organization is also working alongside the local schools to support these children with ongoing education once they graduate from their preschool. Some of the programs organized by People at Heart are Women in Business, Women in Projects, Early Childhood Education Center, Orphanage visits, Elderly home visits, Prison visits, etc. Chariots and People at Heart not only have made education possible for some children but have supported women by providing the necessary life skills to become self-sustainable. Recently, the organization bought a Maize Mill for one of the town's Chariots supports. This Maize Mill will contribute to the employment of women as well as the creation of revenues that will be directed to continue sponsoring their programs.
Who benefits from these programs? Tina comes from a small town in Zimbabwe and although her vision is to reach as many women and children as possible she has started to work in her town providing opportunities to those in extreme necessity. Her foundation channels their help to orphaned children, children of single mothers, living only with grandparents, from broken families, or those that are referred by the local community, churches, or the social welfare.
A major part of Tina’s purpose is to empower women by educating them, giving them vocational training and life skills to shape a better life for themselves and their community. Some women have been sponsored to start their farming projects. Others have been trained in business or leadership roles for their community.
Tina has devoted her time to bringing change to these group of people. They believe that by educating women the lives of future generations will be better. She has made an impact in her homeland simply through her talent for making jewelry. In addition to her jewelry craft, Tina is also spreading African culture when selling these unique creations here in China. She actively works to have her business produce revenues for the foundation, and it’s through her faith and conviction, the support of the foreign and local community in Beijing, and the wish of giving hope to the most unfortunate, that these visions are being accomplished.
The future for Chariots and People at Heart is to continue the improvement of livelihood for people in Zimbabwe. Tina will eventually move back to her country sometime in the future but while she is in China, she will be working on her jewelry business or providing workshops regarding her craft. New plans for a more unique African jewelry that will include semi-precious stones are in the making.
Tina Makuku has won the Asia Pacific Pride of Africa Community Champion Award in 2019 hosted by Appreciate Africa Award. Her community in Zimbabwe knows she is a champion, running lots of marathons to help women and children live a higher quality of life. To learn more about Tina’s mission and organizations please visit her website www.peopleatheart.org and chariots-lionbay.org
