Former Matopo students donate uniforms to the fire victims

Taboka Tshuma and Faith Ndlovu, Sunday News Reporters

FORMER Matopo High School students have come to the rescue of 52 students whose belongings were burnt down during an inferno that broke out at the school boys hostel a few weeks ago with a donation of 52 boys uniforms worth US$1 300.

Speaking at a handover ceremony held at Matopo Book Centre on Friday morning, the former students who were represented by renowned poet Mr Albert Nyathi said the donations were proceeds of a successful GoFundMe program that was initiated by Vezisizwe Bhebhe, a former Matobo High School student based abroad to assist students with uniforms after they had lost everything when the fire broke out.

“Vezisizwe Bhebhe initiated a GoFundMe program and we managed to buy 52 uniforms for the students who lost their belongings in the fire. As former students, we are passionate about our school and felt bad when we heard about the fire incident. We are here to present the uniforms and we want to encourage all former students to look back and plough back to the community that brought them up” he said.

Education secretary of Brethren in Christ Church, the church that runs the school Mr Easter Siziba expressed his gratitude and took the opportunity to highlight that the hostel is still down and needs to be rebuilt. He said quotations have been done and it is going to take a lot of funds and giving to ensure that it comes back to normalcy.

“As Matopo High school we are grateful being remembered at a time of our greatest need.  We went to see the boys the morning after the fire broke out and we had to give all of them tracksuits and we were just grateful that they were alive and unharmed,” he said.

Speaking from his base in United Kingdom, Mr Bhebhe said the fund is targeting US$5000 and for anyone to donate, they can click on their go found me link which has been shared widely in most social media platforms, or just search for ‘Stand with Matopo High School Students in Crisis’.

“The donation will make it possible to purchase the clothes, blankets, and bedding, provide warmth and comfort to students who have lost everything, school uniforms and shoes to enable students to attend classes with dignity and pride, groceries and toiletries to ensure basic necessities are met for daily living, stationery and backpacks to equip students with the tools they need to succeed academically and mattresses to provide a comfortable place to sleep after the trauma of losing their dormitory,” said Mr Bhebhe.

The fire broke out in the boys’ dormitory, resulting in the complete destruction of property. The dormitory had 52 learners, everything including 52 school trunks, 52 beds and their uniforms was burnt to ashes.