Project 127
MISSION STATEMENT
Rooted in James 1:27, Project127 exists to embody God’s heart for orphans by creating spaces of belonging, joy, and spiritual encouragement.
Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. James 1 vs 27
ACTIVITIES
Every August and December, during Zimbabwe’s public holidays, Northside Community Church brings life, laughter, and love to Ruwange through Project127—a transformative camp experience for orphans and vulnerable children. Rooted in the call of James 1:27—“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress…”—Project127 is more than a camp. It’s a living expression of faith in action.
Set in Nyanga North, the camp offers a safe, joy-filled environment where children are embraced with dignity, spiritual encouragement, and holistic care. From games and worship to mentorship and meals, every moment is designed to affirm each child’s worth and ignite hope for their future.
Whether you’re a volunteer, donor, or prayer partner, Project127 invites you to be part of a movement that restores identity, builds community, and reflects the heart of God.
PHOTOS
ACTIVITIES
Twice a year, we visit Ruwange to encourage and meet with orphans from the area.
Project127 was founded in 1993
History
Project 127 was started in 1993 by Northside Community Church, with the support of Elim Pentecostal Church, with the aim of assisting Elim Hospital with the care of orphans in the Nyanga North, Rwangwe district. In the early years, 270 orphan families with 900 children were registered at Elim Hospital.
It takes its name from James 1:27 – his exhortation ‘to look after widows and orphans in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world’.
Orphan families had arisen from parental deaths, notably and increasingly from AIDS related deaths and, in many cases, children were left in the care of grandmothers or the extended family. The Project aimed to help orphan families meet their needs in their own environment through the provision of financial assistance, guidance and counselling in health, farming methods and education while promoting Christian discipleship. Efforts were made to assist caregivers and orphans to become self-supporting. Over the years, some of the children finished high school successfully and were assisted to do well in tertiary education.
20 needy families initially, increasing up to 56 families with 200 dependent orphans were given regular financial support with school fees paid, agricultural advice and inputs. These families were sponsored by members of Northside, later with a monthly grant from Elim Pentecostal Church in Ireland and donations from the UK. Clothing distributions, basic farming courses, seed & fertiliser loans and discipleship became part of the programme. A Project 127 staff worker was employed at Elim. The project was administered by Northside with regular visits until 2006, when the administration was taken over by Elim Pentecostal Church in Mutare.
Since then, an active Northside Ministry has continued to be involved in raising funds and running holiday and Christmas camps for the orphans, with counselling and discipleship. Recently, funds donated by a partnering church in the USA were used to put in a borehole with solar equipment. This is maintained by Northside.