Sundaymail Editor
Veronica Gwaze
ON Tuesday last week, former Mighty Warriors striker Precious Moyo received a call that sank her heart to new depths of despair.
She has been having sleepless nights since the call from a local boarding school, alerting her that one of her beneficiaries at an orphanage in Chegutu needed a new pair of shoes.
As it stands, the Form Two girl she enrolled at the school on a scholarship is attending classes in tennis shoes.
Together with many other beneficiaries from Moyo’s benevolence, winter will be a long season for them, based on the circumstances they are faced
with.
“The call broke my heart; I am stranded and feel helpless,” said Moyo.
“I do not know who to turn to; the burden is becoming unbearable by the day.”
Apart from that, Moyo has to ensure that the children under her orphanage have adequate winter school uniforms and bedding.
Of these children, 19 are enrolled at various boarding schools on scholarships.
And Moyo, who provides for all these children from the not-so-hefty earnings she gets from her farming business, runs the orphanage from hand to mouth.
“I individually fund this project. It is hard, but I cannot abandon these kids. I am appealing to well-wishers to assist in keeping these children’s dreams alive. We were fortunate to get some of them into boarding school on various scholarships.
“Now, they need winter wear, bedding and tuck.”
Since 2013, Moyo has been single-handedly providing for over 50 children under her orphanage.
Her mission has been to assist orphaned and poverty-stricken school dropouts across Chegutu and rescue them from society’s vices.
Moyo also set up junior and social football teams to keep them busy.
She has been arranging tournaments during weekends and school holidays for the children to play for monetary gains.
Since 2013, Moyo has made sure the children went back to school and that their needs were met.
To get good grades in class, she helps them balance school and football.
“I discovered that there were many orphans out there and felt compelled to do more,” she said.
“I started going into different communities, scouting for orphaned and underprivileged children who were out of school. The main vision was for them to get off the streets and I have made sure that I do everything I can to see to it that they are safe.”
Moyo has had to dig into her pockets, ensuring that the teams have refreshments and kits.
Due to limited resources, she has had to buy the cheapest kits to meet the bare minimum needs for the children.
After noting her passion, parents around the community have chipped in by contributing supplies and preparing meals for the teams on match days.
“They bring huge pots and cook for the teams and this helps with the kids’ morale as they feel the love. It also makes them feel like a family,” said Moyo.
“I feel comfortable with them in the orphanage. At first I had to convert my family home into an orphanage, then with time, I built some structures.”
Apart from the children living at the orphanage, Moyo provides for 41 others who are underprivileged but live with their families.
The difficulties she endured growing up in a poverty-stricken family of seven, whose breadwinner was her mother, a domestic worker, pushed her to have a soft spot for the underprivileged.
“I rescued some of these children from drug and substance abuse and, looking back, the initiative has gone a long way in keeping them away from these ills,” said Moyo.
“Providing for them is my biggest challenge. I have to go out of my way just to see them happy. My heart is not at peace; it is already winter and I have to find a way and make sure they are warm.
“I do not wish to see them back on the streets and this is what keeps me fighting.”
Online Reporter