Formation of Shamwari International

After running the Murwira Orphanage in the district of Marange in Zimbabwe for about 20 years, Paula Leen, now residing in Walla Walla, WA, retired, so she thought. However, the attachment she had with the kids was so much so that she could not just retire and relax. Instead, a chance encounter with Joanie Lucarelli, who was walking her dog in a park in Walla Walla led to the formation of Shamwari International (https://www.shamwari-international.org), a non-profit that continues to assist the orphanage. Paula and Joanie, strangers at that time, talked about Paula's work and agreed to continue that work from the USA. Joanie contacted Frank Millar, her former workmate at Wilbur Ellis who got hooked on to the idea right away. The group reeled in Bob Shanks who was also a former Wilbur Ellis workmate who in turn brought in his wife, Carolyn Shanks. Paula informed the newly formed group about Stephen Machado, a native of Zimbabwe who works for Oregon State University's research station near Pendleton, Oregon who had worked with Paula 10 years ago. The group decided to form a non-profit to continue helping the orphanage in Zimbabwe, now called Kudavana (http://kudavana.org/) in the following areas: Agriculture, Education, Health Care, and Orphan Care.