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Former Midlands provincial governor, Cde Cephas Msipa, established the Scholarship Trust in 1999 soon after retiring but it had not been officially launched.
The trust is meant to assist the less privileged but intellectually gifted young Zimbabweans to pursue their studies.
The launch was well-attended with many companies from the Midlands Province and beyond represented.
The business community, representatives of universities from different corners of the country, the political leadership from across the political divide, senior Government officials and the Midlands community attended the launch, which was hailed as a great success.
It was an event fused with both fun and emotions as some of the students who are already under the CG Msipa Trust narrated their chilling sad stories that saw them failing to raise money for school fees until they started benefiting from the trust scholarship.
The launch of the trust was deliberately timed to coincide with a fund-raising dinner, which saw companies, businesspeople and individuals contributing cash or making pledges to kick-start the national trust.
Different types of office equipment were also donated to furnish the Scholarship Trust’s offices in Gweru.
Some companies made an undertaking to pay fees for some of the students already on the trust’s register.
Hwange Colliery Company, which donated $1 000 cash into the Trust, also pledged to pay fees for two students that wish to study at Lupane State University.
Murowa Diamonds in Zvishavane also pledged to pay fees for three students (two females and a male) who wish to study at any of the local universities.
The other companies, which also weighed in and pledged to give financial support to students under the trust scholarship who might be at primary, secondary or university include the Redcliff based Steel Makers (three university students), Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (five students) and Zvishavane-based JM Construction, which pledged to pay school fees for 30 pupils from primary school until they complete secondary education.
A board of trustees chaired by Mr Canaan Dube, a senior partner under Dube, Manikai and Hwacha Law Firm, was also unveiled during the official launch of the Scholarship Trust.
In his welcome address, Cde Msipa, who proved to be a popular man judging by the number of companies and people who attended the launch, said he was elated by the support he received from the corporate world in making the CG Msipa Trust a success.
He said the official launch of the Trust was aimed at making the initiative a national trust that would complement President Mugabe’s Presidential Scholarship Scheme.
“I am very happy and proud to have this kind of support in pursuit of this initiative, which I have a passion for.
We are today officially launching the CG Msipa Scholarship Trust to be a national trust to assist the less privileged who wish to pursue their studies countrywide.
Initially, I wanted this to be a provincial trust but because of the support and number of people who have been seeking assistance under the Trust, we thought we should nationalise it so that we complement President Mugabe’s Presidential Scholarship scheme,” he said.
Speaking at the same function, the guest of honour, Minister of Defence Emmerson Mnangagwa, applauded Cde Msipa for coming up with what he described as a highly dignified initiative.
In a speech read on his behalf by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Defence, Mr Martin Rushwaya, Minister Mnangagwa urged the corporate world to support the trust and play a part in contributing to the development of the country’s human resource base.
“I am very honoured to be part of this highly dignified initiative by Cde CG Msipa. I urge the corporate world to kindly support this noble cause which seeks to assist the less privileged but intellectually gifted young people to realise their full potential,” he said.
Other companies which were represented at the function include, Mimosa Mining Company, Marange Resources, Gweru-based Matovu Investments, officials from Great Zimbabwe University and Midlands State University.
Senior Government officials, several Members of Parliament and the Midlands community attended the launch.
Online Reporter