The Zimbabwe Voluntary Association — a mutual aid community built on Ubuntu, dignity, and the belief that no Zimbabwean should face grief alone.
ZIVA Global CIC · Company No. 17002394 · Serving the UK since 2020
ZIVA is not a charity. ZIVA is not insurance. ZIVA is not a business.
ZIVA is a village — rebuilt in the UK. It is the sound of people saying "matambudziko ndeedu tese" — we are here with you, we are here for you.
We are the modern expression of Chema — traditional support without shame or punishment, adapted for the diaspora. From Hinckley to Loughborough, Leicester to Coalville, Derby and Nottingham, ZIVA has stood beside every grieving family — collecting freely given contributions from our community and passing them on in full.
ZIVA combines traditional Zimbabwean values with modern structure. No fixed subscriptions — we use the More Hands, Less Weight principle. The larger the group, the less each person pays and the more each family receives.
Connect with your ZIVA community in Leicester, Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire — or start one in your city. Open to all aged 18+ in the UK.
Give £2 or £10 when a funeral is announced — a small amount that makes a massive difference to a family in grief.
When your family faces loss, the entire ZIVA community stands with you financially and emotionally. You are never alone.
Your tier is determined by your contribution history, not by payment. You advance to Level 1 automatically after two consecutive funeral contributions.
For members who have contributed to fewer than 2 consecutive funeral calls.
For members with a proven contribution history of 2+ consecutive funerals.
Your membership extends to direct dependants. Other relatives need their own membership.
Strike 1: One missed contribution is understandable. We reach out to check if you need support. | Strike 2: Removal from digital register, though minimum Chema support continues. | Re-Entry: Members can rejoin as Level 2. ZIVA will never completely abandon you — Ubuntu means no one is left behind.
Home is not just where you live. It's where your heart is. ZIVA Ubuntu Shield Grants was introduced in direct response to our community's needs — because many of us have parents in Harare, siblings in Johannesburg, cousins in Toronto, and friends right here in the UK of every background. When the difficult call comes, you should not face it alone or unprepared.
Built on the African philosophy of Ubuntu — "I am because we are" — this is open to Zimbabweans, every African nation, and every friend of Africa who believes in being neighbourly. It is not insurance. It is a registered Community Interest Company doing what communities do best: pooling resources and sharing the weight of life's hardest moments.
Press here to speak to someone in the case of a social or community emergency.
ZIVA Global CIC (Company No. 17002394) was founded by Richard "Makeke" Tapomwa — also the proprietor of The Black Rhino, the pub and community football club of the same name, where ZIVA's operational offices sit upstairs, and where free food is given out to those in need from the pub downstairs. ZIVA grew from that same spirit of an open door and a shared plate.
This history is the foundation Ubuntu Shield Grants are built on. We are not asking you to trust a new idea — we are asking you to extend the same trust that has already moved a quarter of a million pounds into our community's hands.
A single standing order that gives you two protections: a Social Fund for quarterly African culture events (free to attend), and a Kinship Shield — a pre-built bereavement grant for nominated loved ones anywhere in the world. Not just Zimbabwe. Not just the UK. Anywhere.
Your £1/month Social Fund contribution does two things. First, it builds a permanent budget for quarterly, fully catered, African culture-themed events — food, music, storytelling, and connection beyond times of grief. Second, it feeds a discretionary hardship reserve that ZIVA can draw on for members or community members facing sudden, non-bereavement crises — a family going without food for a week, a member made suddenly homeless, a crisis that does not fit neatly into a bereavement claim but still needs more hands and less weight.
"I am because we are." Our community cannot stand by while vulnerable people of African origin — including those facing severe mental health challenges, destitution, or homelessness on UK streets — suffer in isolation. Too often, when a vulnerable person passes away under these circumstances, they are subjected to a lonely, state-assisted public cremation with no family present.
ZIVA Global CIC is establishing direct communication channels with UK police forces, NHS trusts, mental health teams, homelessness outreach units, and local authorities. We are asking them to think of ZIVA as a first point of contact when an African-origin individual is:
If you work in policing, healthcare, social care, or outreach and would like to set up a referral pathway with ZIVA, please reach out — we actively encourage signposting and referrals from professionals working with vulnerable African-origin individuals.
Each member registration covers up to 2 nominees and is priced by the age of the eldest nominee.
The grant equals the total Kinship Shield contributions accumulated over three months. Right now that is up to £600; as our membership grows toward 600 subscribers, the grant grows toward £1,800. The fund is always building — it is never empty. A Statutory Reserve from Social Fund surplus absorbs claim spikes.
Every grant is funded entirely by our own members — there is no outside underwriter. The bigger our membership, the bigger every grant becomes, the faster our reserve grows, and the more new products we can offer — from higher grant ceilings to new categories of community support. Growing the Shield is not just about more cover for you; it is about more cover for everyone, and unlocking what comes next for ZIVA as a whole.
All new ZIVA Shield members begin with a £7 annual software access fee, paid by bank transfer. This is not optional — it covers the licensing of our secure membership platform, your unique membership number, your digital membership card, nominee management tools, and our global event-notification system. It does not fund grants; it strictly funds the system that keeps your records active and secure.
£7 a year works out at less than 2 pence a day (£0.019/day) for full access to your membership records, nominee tools, and event calendar. Because the software cost is fixed, this fee is expected to reduce as our membership grows.
Leicestershire members: if you have already paid for the software as part of your existing ZIVA membership, you are exempt from this £7 fee. Your exemption will renew in December 2026.
Once your £7 payment is received and verified, you will receive an automated confirmation email with your unique membership number, followed by your digital membership card and full access to set up your standing order.
Important: the membership onboarding form can only be used once you have paid your £7 and been allocated a membership number by an admin. To pay, get your number, or ask any question, message our admin team directly:
💬 WhatsApp ZIVA Admin: +44 7352 998 917To protect every member's contribution from misuse, the Shield operates a strict, non-negotiable verification process. No grant is ever paid on the basis of an informal message alone.
Ready to protect your loved ones, anywhere in the world? Joining starts on our official membership platform — you'll register your details and nominees there, then our admin team will confirm your £7 fee and membership number before your standing order begins.
JOIN the Ubuntu Shield Grants →Do not start any standing order payments until your registration is confirmed by an admin. Questions first? WhatsApp us on +44 7352 998 917.
ZIVA currently operates three strong branches across the Midlands, each led by dedicated administrators who embody Ubuntu and servant leadership.
Our founding branch — born in 2020. Growing community of Zimbabweans supporting each other across Nottingham and surrounding areas.
Contact Notts Admin →Serving Zimbabwean families across Derby and neighbouring communities with dedication and care.
Contact Derby Admin →Largest and most established membership base. Serving Leicestershire from Hinckley to Loughborough, Leicester to Coalville.
Contact Leicester Admin →ZIVA is expanding to serve every Zimbabwean community in the UK. If you are interested in starting a branch in any of these areas, get in touch.
If you don't see your city listed and you are ready to lead, ZIVA will help you build from the ground up.
ZIVA is not only about loss. We celebrate, we connect, we build culture together. Ubuntu Shield Grants subscribers attend all quarterly events for free.
Free for Ubuntu Shield Grants subscribers. A four-times-a-year celebration of food, music, dance, and shared heritage. No collection on the night — just show up.
A full day for the ZIVA family — recognition of long-serving members, AGM, group photo, and a night to remember why we do this.
Each branch runs its own monthly meetups — coffee, catch-up, planning. Contact your local admin for the next date.
Are you an Ubuntu Shield Grants subscriber or branch admin with a venue idea? We'd love to bring a ZIVA event to your area.
Transparency is a core ZIVA value. All our governing documents are freely available. Email us to request any of these — we will send the latest version directly.
Our governing document — values, structure, member rights, financial transparency & dispute resolution
How ZIVA Global CIC (Co. 17002394) handles your personal data under UK GDPR
Complete guide: joining process, contributions, benefits & community expectations
Operational manual for branch administrators — protocols, templates & best practices
The NACS framework — Two-Strike Rule, Compassion Clause, loyalty rewards
December 2025 to March 2026 accounts, Stripe report, transparent reporting
Member-facing guide — nominees, tiers, grant structure, claim process, opt-in steps
Whether you need help, want to join, or want to start a branch — reach out. You're not talking to a call centre. You're talking to your brothers and sisters. Real people who understand what it means to be far from home but still connected to it.
We welcome partnerships with organisations who share our values of community, dignity, and mutual support.