From Division to Unity: How the Celebrating Families Model Changed One Household in Buhera Zimbabwe

By Ronald Magweta (Communications Officer)

For years, Tambudzayi (54) describes her home in Buhera District — a place where family members lived under the same roof but rarely moved in the same direction.

“Before World Vision came with the Celebrating Families project, we never did things together as a family,” she recalls. “Even financial decisions — we did not plan anything together.”

Tambudzayi lives with her husband, Sakurayi, two children and five grandchildren. At the time, communication was limited, roles were unclear and tension was common. She attended church with the children alone, while her husband would escort her there and wait outside until the service ended.

At home, parenting was inconsistent. “I used to do work with the younger children only. The older one was very naughty and mischievous,” she says. At times, she assigned tasks beyond the children’s capacity. “Sometimes I would give the children work that was not at their level.”

Her son, Jeremiah, remembers this period clearly. “My mother used to give us a lot of work that we could not handle as children and we had to do it because there was nothing we could do,” he says. “Because of too much work and sometimes insults, we ended up ignoring her or not doing what she had asked because we had had enough.”

There was also emotional strain within the marriage. “There was a lot of emotional abuse,” Tambudzayi explains quietly. “I only realised later in life that this was actually abuse.”

Sakurayi reflects on this time with honesty. “Back in the day we were not a united family. As a father and a husband I used to do things and make decisions without consulting my wife,” he says.

When the Celebrating Families model was introduced in their area, Tambudzayi joined a small group of about 10 participants. The sessions, facilitated by local pastors and World Vision staff, focused on positive parenting, shared decision-making, family harmony and building safe, nurturing environments for children.

“We were taught how to take care of children and how to live in harmony,” she says.

The lessons began to reshape daily life at home. Conversations replaced assumptions. Planning replaced confusion. Tambudzayi and her husband started making decisions together.

“Things started to change when my wife enrolled in the World Vision project,” Sakurayi explains. “We sat down and addressed a lot of things that were wrong in our marriage.”

Her husband’s journey was gradual. “He did not attend church services before,” Tambudzayi says. “He used to walk me to church and wait for me outside.” Over time, influenced by the teachings and the changes within the family, he began attending services. “Now we go to church together.”

Parenting practices also shifted. One son, once considered rude and difficult, became a turning point for the entire household. “With my son, I used Bible scriptures to guide him,” Tambudzayi explains. “When he changed and started to listen, the other children also changed because they looked up to him.”

Jeremiah recalls that turning point. “My parents later sat us down after my mother had been working with World Vision and explained that things had changed — and for sure, things had changed,” he says.

Today, that same child who once struggled with discipline has become a positive influence on his younger siblings. The home environment has grown calmer and more structured.

“Now, things have changed,” Jeremiah adds. “We speak and laugh with our parents, and even the work we are given is no longer as tough as it used to be.”

Sakurayi agrees. “Now things have changed and we are doing things and making decisions as a family. Our relationship as husband and wife has improved, and even with the children, we now talk and laugh unlike before.”

Tambudzayi herself has experienced new freedom and confidence. “I was not allowed to work or do projects with other women before, but now that is a thing of the past,” she says.

The transformation did not stop within her household. As a beneficiary of Celebrating Families, she now mentors young women in her community, offering guidance on how to live peacefully and build stable homes. “We have testimonies of families I have advised who are now living happily,” she says.

Together with other community members, she participates in reading camps and Bible studies to support children’s development. Through a Savings for Transformation group, they recently donated books to a local primary school — an act of collective giving inspired by the lessons learned.

“All this is a result of the good things we were taught,” Tambudzayi reflects.

The Celebrating Families model recognises that children thrive when homes are safe, stable and nurturing. By addressing emotional abuse, strengthening communication, engaging both men and women, and promoting positive parenting, the programme helps families move from fragmentation to unity.

Tambudzayi’s story shows that when families begin to plan together, pray together and grow together, change extends beyond one household — it strengthens the entire community.