Star Profile : Alayika Bhasikolo
People are crying over the escalating prices of basic commodities day in and day out and others no longer afford to feed their children due to economic hardships. Now, imagine a single mother of one taking care of several abandoned children who are dumped by young mothers in the community. How does she obtain sufficient money to buy that expensive baby milk, the nappies and so forth for babies who are not hers?

Such is life for Alayika Bhasikolo who takes care of abandoned babies as young as four days old at her home in Highfield before they are taken to their “respective homes” at different children’s homes in around the country. She is a caregiver out of passion of wanting to help the disadvantaged children and people in the society. Born 42 years ago, Alayika grew up in Highfield and moved to Malawi after getting married to her first husband, Abraham Bhasikolo.

They stayed together in Malawi for three years, from 1995-1998. Unfortunately, Abraham died when they were still staying in Malawi. They never had children together. She came back to Zimbabwe and ventured into cross border trading traveling to Zambia, South Africa, and Botswana buying and selling goods in order to sustain herself since she had become a widow and had no one to look after her.

Alayika afterward got married to her second husband Nevison Sharukai Mahuni. They stayed together happily for two years until things drastically changed. A fight erupted over money problems in the house since Nevison did not want to spend his money on anything. Alayika confronted her husband over the issue and told him that she was leaving him. Alayika was severely beaten and was hospitalized for three months in an intensive care unit at a local hospital in Harare. She at one time thought of committing suicide because of the scars which she now possesses on her arms and the forehead but she quickly received counseling from the Musasa Project. The physical abuse has left her with difficulties in cooking her food and she is on medication for persistent headaches.

“Right now I take tablets almost everyday for the persistent headaches resulting from the beatings l suffered in my second marriage. Also, I no longer wear sleeveless blouses and dresses as l used to in public because of the deep scars l now possess on my arms. I have to wear long sleeves to conceal the deep scars and I also take tablets for me to stay alive”, she said.

Nevison Sharukai Mahuni was arrested and put in jail. Alayika then went to seek legal advice seeking compensation for her injuries but unfortunately her husband died before anything was taken further. The case was then dismissed since the accused had died and she moved on with her life.

Alayika joined the Zimbabwe Civil Education Trust (ZCET) together with the Musasa Project which worked with victim friendly and Public Relations officers from Highfield police station. ZCET advocated for peace in the communities especially amongst the youths. Alayika went around with other group members including the policemen and policewomen telling people in the community of the dangers of violence in the community.

From these organizations, Alayika learned a great deal about domestic violence, how to work with law enforcement agencies and how to work with youths in the Highfield community. This work improved her self esteem and helped her assert her self identity. During her daily routine of working with the community a problem surfaced in the Highfield area were the police discovered an increase in the rate of baby dumping.

Alayika volunteered to the police to become a foster parent of the abandoned babies before they are taken to orphanages. The police understood her desire of taking care of the babies and approved her work. She has since taken care of four abandoned babies, one destitute and one abused child. She has given all the abandoned babies names which she chose but the surnames were later given by authorities at the orphanage homes. She has also included the children she has taken care of on her Will as they are part of her big family.

In 2005 Alayika named the first child she took to her care, Tonderai Leeroy and the sisters at the Mother of Peace children’s home in Mutoko gave him the surname Famba. Alayika took Tonderai to her care when he was a premature baby and still 34 days old. What caused Tonderai to be dumped was that his mother died after giving birth to him. His relatives refused to become his guardians and they dumped him at his mother’s grave in Mt Darwin. One of the relatives then brought the child to Harare to give it to one of the relatives who stayed in Highfield who in turn refused to take responsibility. Tonderai was then brought to Highfield Police station were constable Madanha informed Alayika of Tonderai’s predicament. Alayika took Tonderai to her custody and stayed with him for three months before taking him to the Mother of Peace Children’s home. At the moment Tonderai is two years old.

During the same year a baby was found dumped at the Zimbabwe Grounds in Highfield soon after Jenaguru celebrations and Officer in Charge at Machipisa Police Station, Mr. Hove notified Alayika of the dumped baby. Alayika took the baby when he was still four days old and named him Kumbirai Aron who was later given Musiki as his surname by the sisters at the Shungu Dzevana children’s home. Mrs. Bhasikolo stayed with Kumbirai for two weeks before taking him to Shungu Dzevana children’s home which is based in Highfield. He is almost one year five months now.

In May 2006 Alayika named the third child she fostered Florence Mutsawashe who was later given Bhasikolo as her surname by sisters at the Mt Gomeri children’s home in respect of Mrs. Bhasikiolo’s good works. Florence was found dumped at the Zimbabwe Grounds and Alayika took her when she was only three days old. Alayika stayed with her for three weeks and later took her to Mt Gomeri children’s home in Mvurwi where she is currently staying.

Alayika also helped Malcom Matadi escape from his mother’s abuse. Malcom was abused by his mother because he is an albino. His mother used to lock him up in the house and sometimes would leave him hungry for the whole day when she went our drinking at the beerhall and when she went practicing commercial sex work. She resided in Highfield. The neighbors informed Alayika of Malcom’s situation. Alayika took the boy and stayed with him while his mother was arrested for abusing him. Malcom was taken to Chiredzi children’s home where he stayed when his mother was in jail. Malcom’s mother was later given back her son after having learnt a lesson in jail. Now Malcom is no longer being abused by his mother and they are staying happily together. Thanks to Alayika.

Not only did Alayika help disadvantaged children but she also helped Augustine who was a destitute and stayed at the Mukuvisi River. Augustine knew where he came from, the address of his home in Mozambique but did not know how to get there because he was crippled. Alayika was informed of Augustine’s situation by the police through the social welfare and helped Augustine to get through to the Mozambique embassy to get assistance. Augustine was helped by his embassy and got treatment from Harare hospital before leaving for Mozambique. He managed to walk again and went to his country where he is currently staying with his relatives.

Ruwarashe Leosa Huni is the fourth child that Alayika is currently looking after. Alayika took Leosa when she was only five days old on 17 March 2007 and is still living with her. The Highfield Social Welfare is still looking for a suitable home for Leosa.

One person might ask, “Does she do all the work for the sake of helping or she is paid some money”. Well Alayika is getting nothing from the work she is doing and she is doing it out of passion.
“I do not get any money from the work l do because l does it out of passion only,” she said smiling.

But one might ask why she volunteers to take care of dumped babies and not her family? Alayika cited so many reasons why she chose to help disadvantaged children.
“I chose to help disadvantaged people because of the experiences l have gone through in my life. When I got beaten by my second husband and got hospitalized for three months in the intensive care unit, l did not think that l would come from there alive. So I did not know how to thank my God for keeping me alive except to praise him by helping other disadvantaged people from the little l get from selling vegetables”, Alayika said. “The other reason is that in the family that l grew up in we stayed with so many orphans who were looked after by my parents, so l really empathize with these children,” she added.

Moreover, the National Aids Council and ZCET workshops which she attended motivated her to help other disadvantaged people in the society. “The workshops which l attended at National Aids Council and ZCET really helped me a lot because they enlightened me on the things l did not know and they changed my life for the better and made me help other disadvantaged people although I received criticisms from the neighbors but I kept on holding to what I knew best,” said Alayika.

Alayika’s family members support her work by giving her soap, baby milk and other food stuffs for the up keep of the children. “Well, l do not go around begging for food from people but l care for the children from the little money l get from selling vegetables and that goes a long way in feeding the children. My family also assists me a lot by giving me baby milk, soap for the nappies and every thing else for the upkeep of the children,” chuckled Alayika.

Mrs. Bhasikolo advised people to know that only God provides for everything and that every child belongs to everyone. “God is the one who provides for everything and that people need not to worry about many things but should be grateful in any circumstance,” she said.

Alayika Bhasikolo thanks EKOWISA for giving her the knowledge and the platform to share her experiences with everyone on the internet. “l thank EKOWISA for helping me know the advantages of using Information and Communication Technology tools such as the internet , the e-mail including many other tools because they have really helped me to interact with other people from around the world while receiving helpful advice from them,” said Alayika.

Currently, Alayika mobilizes community members when there are workshops, meetings and other social gatherings organized by EKOWISA at community level. She is a cross border trader involved in selling clay pots in Botswana, South Africa and she also supplies catering services to different church organizations during functions. These income generating activities sustain her and her family in this harsh economic crisis that the country is currently facing.