Chronicle Editor
Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
CHIEF Chireya of Gokwe North in the Midlands Province has launched the Good Hope Disability Trust, an empowerment programme for people with disabilities to fight stigma and ensure they realise their full potential in society.
One of the beneficiaries is 61-year-old Mrs Makundano Ndlovu, a widow who has weak legs.
She crawls around her yard, doesn’t have a wheelchair and is carried when she has to travel for funerals and other functions.
To add to her misery, her 23-year-old son developed the same problem and can’t work to provide for the family..
“I am grateful to the chief’s initiative.
I have nothing to my name and working for me is a tall order.
However, I owe my life to the chief who makes sure that I get food hampers for my family’s survival every month.
It is quite refreshing to note that this family has been incorporated in this programme,” she said.
Mrs Ndlovu said Mthabisi has never been to school.
“The Trust has been very helpful to us and our aim is to take my son for some course, He can use his hands and it might look difficult since he can’t read and write but I believe he can use his hands to work for himself,” she said.
Mrs Ndlovu said at the age of 30, she started developing weak legs and because of lack of resources, she failed to get medical assistance.
“I have no money to visit specialists otherwise I would be knowing what is causing my condition and that of my son.
All we do is crawl and it’s very difficult. We are always grounded at home since there is no other means of transport for us.
It’s so painful because my son has developed the same problem,” she said.
Mrs Ndlovu said if she had a sewing machine, she could specialise in sewing and provide for her family.
“I can use my hands but what can I do since I can’t walk?
I can use my hands and if I had something like a sewing machine I could look after my son,” she said.
“I am grateful to the Government and our Chief for making sure that the aged, the disabled and the orphans have food on their table.
I have nothing to my name and working for me is a toll order.
However, I owe my life to the Chief who makes sure that I get food hampers for my family’s survival every month.”
Chief Chireya said he launched the empowerment programme for people living with disabilities in his area to fight stigma and ensure they realise their full potential.
“Last year I launched and registered the Good Hope Disability Trust which is setting up a base at Chireya Mission Hospital.
It is aimed at assisting people living with disabilities.
There are more than 150 people living with disabilities in this area and thanks to the Government issued vehicle, I have been able to travel around identifying them for possible assistance,” he said.
Chief Chireya said he was shocked to see the number of people living with disabilities, some of whom he said were being hidden in homes by parents and relatives.
The Chief also got assistance from Kadoma-based businessperson Mr Spencer Tshuma who donated US$8 000 for the establishment of the home for the disabled people from Chireya area.
“There are people like Mr Tshuma whom we are grateful for because they are making this vision real.
Mr Tshuma assisted us to establish a centre for people living with disabilities at Chireya Mission Hospital where we want them to be rendered with assistance.
He has given us US$8000 cash and more and we are very grateful,” he said.
Chief Chireya said the rehabilitation center at Chireya Mission Hospital would go a long way in offering rehabilitation, physiotherapy and other special needs for people living with disabilities in his area.
“We have people who just need rehabilitation, people who need physiotherapy but can’t travel to Gweru or Harare where there are special institutions dealing with people living with disabilities.
So it is our goal to have something like a rehabilitation centre at Chireya Mission hospital,” he said.
Chief Chireya said the Trust will have a home to look after people living with disabilities.
“We want them to be trained and get skills so that they go back to society and play a part in socio-economic activities.
At the same time we want them to be accepted in schools because at the moment children living with disabilities are not going to school.
We need them to be accepted and live a normal; life like children of their age,” he said.
“The sad part is that most of the parents of such children are too ashamed to parade their children to the world thereby denying them access to basic life skills like education and others.
I have taken this initiative to ensure that these people realise that disability does not mean inability,” he said.
Two of the people living with disabilities, he said, received US$300 and US$250 from the Trust and have started selling airtime and small groceries to other villagers.
“I am happy that some who have gained skills such as welding from the Mission and are already making a living and are now able to assist their families,” he said.
Mr Tshuma said their aim is to empower people living with disabilities.
“Some of the people living with disabilities in the Chireya area are children who need professional courses so that they become economically active.
Some need Braille so that they are able to read, some need walking devices and it’s possible since we have already started this programme,” he said.
Last year, President Mnangagwa launched the National Disability Policy which seeks to ensure people with disabilities are not left behind in national development matters.
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