LOCATION OVERVIEW OF ZIMPETO
Children’s Centre

The Zimpeto base of Iris Ministries is situated on the northern outskirts of Maputo, on the main road heading to northern Mozambique. The base was established in 1998 by Rolland and Heidi Baker, Iris’ founding directors. Initially the ministry here grew out of the desperate needs of the street kids, orphans and other vulnerable children of Maputo, but over the years developed into much, much more than this. Zimpeto Children’s Centre is home to around 200 children, 15 missionaries and 150 full and part-time staff. The base serves not only the needs of our resident children but also the poorest of the poor from the surrounding areas. Here, the impossible happens!

The base has grown into a large, busy and diverse centre that provides both practically and spiritually for the community, bringing hope to the people and vision for the future to this area of Mozambique. Rolland and Heidi’s passionate hearts to “stop for the one” underlies all that we do here as we meet the needs of the poor and the broken, walking in God’s love and giving it away.

Ministry Areas:

• Community school: primary school grades 1-7: 700 children, secondary school grades 8-12 : 900 youth
• Library
• Computer room
• Bible school, teaching and discipling students from the southern provinces
• Registered medical clinic that serves the children, community, bible school, workers and their families free of charge
• Replacement feeding programme for malnourished babies under 12 months
• Baby House
• Six large dormitories (age and gender-segregated)
• One small family unit home for younger children
• One house for older youth
• Community assistance programmes - emergency food donations, clothing distribution, house building, funeral assistance
• Small farm providing food for the kitchen and skills training for the youth
• Sewing programme – including opportunities to sell products in the Hospitality gift shop
• Carpentry workshop
• Outreach and evangelism to the community
• Special needs house
• Children and Youth discipleship programmes
• Visitors’ programme
• Social welfare/reintegration team