Chipinge businessman donates to Shekwa School

Freedom Mutanda
A CHIPINGE businessman, Mr Solomon Mthunzi, recently donated $8 500 worth of building and fencing materials to his former school, Shekwa Primary School. The donation follows a visit he made to the school in November last year when the headmistress, Mrs Hellen Dhlakama took him through a tour of the school. “The head took me through the process of identifying the school’s needs and it dawned on me that my former school was in dire need of an ECD block as the swelling numbers of young children attending classes needed room to develop their skills. At ECD level, there were 173 children crammed in one class room. I felt for the children,’’ said Mr Mthunzi.

He said it was the duty of the school’s old boys and girls to uplift its standards.

‘’I have been invited by many schools outside Chipinge in the past where I have business dealings and I have always donated something to those schools. It is a big thank you to the community for having raised me and supported me to reach my current position,’’ he said. He donated iron sheets, round poles, button doors, cement and fence. He further made a cash donation of $500 to be used at the school.

He adopted a child from a disadvantaged family, Luke Mufote and pledged to cater for his educational needs.

Like Mufote is an orphan from the area, but brilliant in class.

‘’I will pay his fees until he finishes his education at Shekwa Secondary School. I did that deliberately because I don’t want my school to be shunned. We also need the highly intelligent to learn at Shekwa Secondary School,” said Mr Mthunzi.

A villager who lives close to the school, Mr Herbert Mwahlaba, was delighted at Solomon Mthunzi’s gesture as a member of the Shekwa community who has made it in life.

‘’He is one of us and most of the pupils at the school are related to him one way or the other. We are pleased that he has been generous to us and we solemnly hope that he will continue to be a knight in shining armour for the school,’’ he said.

Solomon Mthunzi’s businesses are spread through-out Zimbabwe. He deals with real estate and has several properties in Chipinge and Chimanimani, apart from the sawmill business he owns.