About
Our Story
Our founder, Florence Kayungwa, hails from a small village in Hurungwe, Zimbabwe, where she faced early challenges, losing her parents at the age of 6. Raised by her grandparents, the struggle to provide basic necessities intensified as they aged. In Form 2, Florence encountered the harsh reality of period poverty, resorting to makeshift solutions like socks and cloth to manage menstruation due to financial constraints.
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The turning point came in Form 3 when a uniform mishap at school led to humiliation. Classmates ridiculed her, and the teacher, perpetuating stigmas, instructed boys to discard the soiled desk, equating periods with dirtiness and curses. Unable to bear the humiliation, Florence moved to live with her Aunt in Matau during Form 4.
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Inspired by the transformative story of Tererai Trent, Florence's vision crystallized during a meeting in Form 6. Tererai posed a profound question, "What breaks your heart? And what are you doing about it?" This catalyst fueled Florence's determination to address period poverty.
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Supported by Tererai Trent International (TTI), Florence pursued university studies, and this year she initiated efforts against period poverty. Starting with odd jobs to purchase pads for those in need, she later launched fundraising campaigns to amplify impact.
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Last year, during a TTI exchange program with Oklahoma State University students, Florence shared her story. Bryanna Nickel and Parker Perry from OSU, moved by her cause, joined forces, giving birth to the establishment of Living Dreams International Foundation.
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Florence is resolute in leading her team, envisioning a future where periods end sentences, not dreams. Committed to ensuring every girl is in the classroom, she pledges to persevere until this goal is achieved.
Our Team
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#1 Commitment
We keep our promise, and we don't over promise our stakeholders. We uphold Ubuntu (or Unhu): you are because we are. Consistency, honesty, and accuracy are key to our promises in serving disadvantaged women and children.
#2 Respect
We treat every individual with equal respect. We communicate courteously and attentively at all times, avoiding jargon responses. Our role is to inform and to serve, not to condescend.
#3 Excellence
We provide something “extra” whenever possible. We strive to exceed our own and others’ expectations. We seek financial or material aid while listening attentively to learn how to respond to specific needs or improve performance.
#4 Respect
We treat every individual with equal respect. We communicate courteously and attentively at all times, avoiding jargon responses. Our role is to inform and to serve, not to condescend.
#5 Honour
We honour and value our donors and well-wisher's time, especially when they grant us any form of aid, fundraising or time commitment. We respect any stakeholder and work to provide information they will need to resolve issues.
#6 Inclusivity
We value difference. We communicate gratitude and patience to people of all cultural backgrounds, ages, dispositions, and gender levels of ability or financial understanding, and we will prioritize accommodations and requests as if they were our own.
#7 Responsibility
We take full responsibility for our actions. We express full accountability for member dissatisfaction and for negative behaviour among our team. Any discontented member should be given courtesy, names of any associates involved and individuals who can help, and assurance of follow up and resolution.
Our Core Values
Living Dreams International is driven by a set of core values that reach across the globe and into the most rural areas of Hurungwe. These values define who we are and guide our actions, big and small.