Online Reporter
Langalakhe Mabena, [email protected]
Celebrated arts and culture advocate Prince “Dr Gasolo” Ncube has turned his annual Long Walk to Success into a community development initiative, as he used this year’s 133km journey to secure internet connectivity for vulnerable children in his rural community.
Dr Gasolo walked from his rural home in Matshetsheni, Gwanda, to Bulawayo over three days from September 17 to 19, marking the fifth edition of the initiative.
Unlike previous editions, this year’s walk was dedicated to raising resources for schools in and around Matshetsheni.
The initiative received a major boost from Mcilo Transport and Mr Sinkwa, who donated six Starlink kits which Dr Gasolo distributed to schools in Gwanda.
Danisiwe Senda of Mcilo Transport said they decided to support Dr Gasolo after recognising his contribution to arts, culture and heritage preservation.
“We realised that Dr Gasolo has been doing a lot for our community in terms of helping in cultural and heritage preservation. He is one of the key people working tirelessly behind the scenes on most cultural events.
“Initially, we wanted to beautify his homestead in Matshetsheni, but because of the leadership in him, he asked for Starlink kits, which he donated to six schools in Gwanda.
“People like him are needed in our society because, through his Long Walk to Success, Dr Gasolo has changed the lives of many disadvantaged children, who will now have access to free internet for their school research,” said Senda.
Dr Gasolo said the fifth anniversary of the walk was the most impactful since the initiative was launched five years ago.
“The Dr Gasolo Long Walk to Success fifth anniversary was a resounding success. It really went far beyond my expectations. I have been doing it for the past years, but this year I noticed that people genuinely love Dr Gasolo and they are not pretending.
“The schools that benefitted and that we visited are Matshetsheni Primary, Matshiya Primary and Matsholomotshe Primary. For the remaining schools, Nkashe Secondary and Primary and Magedleni Primary, I will be going there anytime soon. I already have their Starlink kits; what is left is for me to deliver,” he said.
Dr Gasolo revealed that his sponsors had initially offered to develop his rural homestead in Matshetsheni, but he chose to redirect the assistance towards the wider community.
“I know for a fact I am a culturally rooted man, and in our culture you can’t get rich alone when your neighbour is poor. With that in mind, I decided to take the donations from my sponsors and pass them on to children in my area because they are the future.
“I believe that if we empower these kids now, they are the ones who will uplift the entire community tomorrow,” he said.
The arts practitioner, who is also involved in cultural initiatives such as the Imiklomela kaDakamela Cultural Festival and King Mzilikazi Day commemorations, said the growing popularity of the walk had also increased demand for assistance from his community.
As a result, he plans to establish a dedicated team to coordinate resources and donations for future editions.
Dr Gasolo said he also intends to register the Dr Gasolo Foundation as a Private Voluntary Organisation (PVO), allowing it to undertake community development projects throughout the year.
“The idea is to register Dr Gasolo Foundation as a Private Voluntary Organisation (PVO) so as to professionalise it and do other community development projects throughout the year instead of waiting for the walk that comes once a year,” he said.
