daniel chigunwe
ONCE in a while a feel-good story comes along and as the people’s newspaper we are only happy to publish it.
On Tuesday, one such story came along and we were only too happy to publish it in yesterday’s edition of this newspaper.
It is the story of the Hwedza woman, who was battered in a vicious gang attack by five women who even recorded the vicious assault, in a shocking incident that caught the attention of the nation.
Well, Mavis Mada has just completed a nurse aide training course.
The 18-year-old was abused for four hours and the assailants even inserted three sticks into her private parts.
She was offered a free three-months training course at Pacific 24Hour Hospital in Mabvuku by Dr Michael Mandaza.
The hospital also managed her rehabilitation as she recovered, both physically and mentally, from the severe battering she received at the hands of the five women.
Dr Mandaza said he was happy that Mavis has successfully completed her nurse aide training course and he will inform the nation of her next step after consulting her parents.
The training, according to Dr Mandaza, was a gesture to empower Mavis so that she becomes self-sufficient.
Mavis failed her Ordinary Level examinations two years ago and has been living with her grandmother.
She comes from a very poor background.
Her mother is a house maid in Harare, her father died some time ago and she has been staying with her grandmother in Hwedza.
Pacific 24hr Hospital funded the full bill of the training, full uniform sets and also funded her food and accommodation throughout the 90 days of training.
This is a feel-good story because we have a doctor who decided that he should act and find a way to empower a poor woman who had been abused by her colleagues.
When Dr Mandaza saw the video of Mavis being abused, he saw an opportunity to help the victim where others were just seeing a video of a stranger who was being abused.
That is very commendable.
Imagine the lives which would be changed if all Zimbabweans, who are in a position to help such poor victims, could do even half of what Dr Mandaza did.
Imagine the difference which such an approach would make to those who are abused and are given another chance in life?
Mavis’ life has been changed and we won’t be surprised to hear that soon she will be training to be a proper nurse.
There are many other women, and even young men, who find themselves in the same predicament that Mavis was when she suffered that horrific abuse.
All these people want a helping hand because, just like Mavis, they also have dreams to be better people and to succeed in life.
If one person, Dr Mandaza, can make such a huge difference in Mavis’ life, imagine what we can do as a nation?
People like Dr Mandaza are our community heroes and deserve respect and to be commended.
Online Reporter