About

Sunshine Kids – Musha Vana (SKMV) is a not-for-profit charity organisation registered with the Australian Charities and Not-For-Profit Commission (ACNC). It exists with the goal of advancing health and education to upkeep and improve disadvantaged communities. It’s operations are in Australia and Africa. It humbly came about in 2017 by the CEO Lina Matenda. Lina had the prospect of a fair and inclusive community, while enforcing the belief that every child deserves a healthy and happy life. In Australia, the primary focus is on refugees, people living with a disability and other disadvantaged communities. In Zimbabwe, the focus is mainly on improving the environment of disadvantaged children who don’t have close access to education and nutrition, both which are known to be vital for health and wellbeing.

Our two main focuses:

Charity

Disability Support

Mission

SKMV is involved in providing respite accommodation supporting and supporting delinquent youth in and of prisons and different regions in Australia. Some of the activities include fundraising initiatives that can be used sustainably by child headed households, single young mothers, orphans and disadvantaged children in the rural remote areas, peri-urban and urban centers of SADC countries in order that they can meet the basic needs of their children. Within these communities, just one exercise book or text book can make a difference to a child by increasing the child’s literacy skills and or knowledge building, which enrich and equip that child with sustained positive achievements.

Vision

MushaVana is the vision of Lina Matenda and Farai Maringazuva, who identified a vulnerable group of children and took action to make a positive difference in their lives. Lina is a qualified Social Worker with front-line social sciences experience in the UK and Australia and having been born and bred in Zimbabwe (Africa), Lina witnessed the devastating adverse impacts of disadvantaged children and history repeating itself through generations if action is not taken. Lina believed that it was possible to bring about positive change to the lives of these children. Through her insight, passion and experience, she has raised awareness of this vulnerable group of children, with the support of numerous other supporters to including the co-founders

Meet Our Executives

Lina Matenda

Co-Founder

Lina Matenda is the Head Operations, Internal Audit & Risk, and Compliance Executive of Mushavana Not-For Profit organization. She has over 10 years’ experience in Child Protection and extensive exposure in the Social Care Services.

Lina has led various Social Care projects in the UK as the Lead Officer for Audits, Risk Management, Human Resources & Governance, held Senior Management positions within the Social Care sector and remains an active member of Voluntary Projects in support of disadvantaged communities. She holds a Bachelor of Science, BSc (Hons)Social Work from the University of Bedfordshire (United Kingdom), Master of Business Administration from the University of Portsmouth, Graduate Certificate in Remote Health from Flinders University (Australia), Master of Mental Health with Latrobe University, Australia (2018- current).

Farai Maringazuva

Co-Founder

Farai is Social Scientist and has worked in communities as a Socio-Economic Researcher and has advised organisation as a management consultant for PwC and thereafter for his own firm. He has been involved community related interventions related to health, education, agriculture. The plight of the underprivileged on the impact of economic recession on family unit and lack if copying mechanisms brought led to the Musha Vana initiative.