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Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu
A ROMAN Catholic organisation, Caritas Archdiocese of Bulawayo has constructed a homestead for a disadvantaged family from Empandeni Ward in Mangwe District.
Archbishop Alex Thomas on Friday handed over the house to 78-year-old Julia Moyo who stays with her two orphaned grandsons aged seven and 10 years old.
The family was now staying in a makeshift hut after their home collapsed due to strong winds in May last year.
Father Thomas said Caritas constructed a two-roomed house for the family, a toilet and rehabilitated an old structure that the family had built. They also donated clothes and blankets to the family.
a�?As the Roman Catholic we attach a lot of value to families as they are an important institution in the society. A child gets their first lesson from family and therefore families have to be stable for the sake of children.
a�?We realised that the children at the Moyo homestead were at risk as their basic needs were not being catered for. We realised that their major need was access to shelter that why we decided to build this homestead that were are commissioning here,a�? he said.
Father Thomas said the Roman Catholic Church through Caritas had rolled out several projects in Matabeleland Region to ensure that the rights of children were preserved.
He said chicken rearing and goat rearing projects were ongoing in schools in Bulilima and Mangwe District to ensure that orphaned children could access education.
Father Thomas said nutrition gardens were established in Mangwe, Bulilima and Matobo Districts. He said they had also introduced a solar pump water system to address water challenges in rural communities.
a�?We have several development-based projects that are biased towards agriculture as ita��s a main activity in Matabeleland Region,a�? said Father Thomas.
He said the church was also conducting a feeding programme in 23 Roman Catholic primary schools.
Also speaking at the same event Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare a�� Child Welfare Officer for Mangwe District, Sicelo Nyathi applauded the Roman Catholic Church for mainstreaming childrena��s rights in their projects.
He said Government valued the input of others partners in ensuring that childrena��s rights were observed.
Nyathi also urged communities to protect and look out for underprivileged children instead of relying on assistance from donors.
Julia Moyo expressed her gratitude and said obtaining a new home would restore her dignity in the community.
a�?I would like to express my gratitude to Caritas for building this home for me. Ever since my home collapsed I have been left desperate. I have been moving from homestead to another seeking shelter for me and my grandchild.
a�?I had lost my dignity and I had become the talk of the entire community. I desperately wanted a home of my own but at my old age I could not manage to build one,a�? she said.
Moyo said she was lucky to have escaped after her hut collapsed while she was sleeping inside with her two grandchildren.
She said they sustained minor injuries in the incident. . .
Online Reporter