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Peter Matika
WHAT may have appeared as the perfect pastime and income-generating project idea for a retired 44-year-old female telecoms technician has ideally turned into a community-based project, which promotes township tourism.
When Philela Sibanda took her retirement package in 2014 to enjoy the fruits of her labour in the comfort of her home in Bulawayo’s Emganwini suburb, she thought of investing her wealth in something that would also benefit her children in the future.
She decided to turn her home into a guest house, which is the first ever known guest house to be established in the ‘‘ghetto’’.
Growing up in Makokoba suburb, where she witnessed many children wasting their lives and getting involved in felonious activities, Philela never wanted her children to suffer the same fate.
With that regard, she established a guest house — which is known today as KoS’nqo Ngekhaya in the heart of Emganwini suburb, where she has not only made strides in investing a positive future for her kids but also the community at large.
In her dream to achieve this and to save the children from delinquency, Philela established the deluxe guest house, which boasts of three bedrooms, a lounge, kitchen, indoor bathroom and toilet, conference area, barbeque area, large garden endowed with beautiful flowers and plants, and a large parking area.
It also offers cable TV, Wi-Fi network within the confines of the yard and other office activities. The guest house has a security wall with an electric fence and 24-hour security.
Other services offered include, a home stay in the township, where one gets to interact with the people in the community, a platform for cultural exchange through arts, craft and lifestyle.
In an interview last week, Philela told Sunday Life senior reporter Peter Matika that when she established the guest house, she had the community at heart.
“I grew up in the ghetto and I know what the ghetto can do to you. So many children lost themselves to delinquency and I never want to see that happening to my children let alone the children of this community. When I took my retirement package and pension I didn’t just want to sit and do nothing. I wanted to develop something that would not only benefit my family but also the community I live in. That is when I got this idea and to be honest it wasn’t an easy project but with the grace of the Lord we have managed to be where we are today,” she said.
Philela, a prayerful woman, said she owed it all to God.
KoS’nqoe has the capacity to host weddings, meetings and conferences.
“After I registered the house as a guest house I partnered with my neighbours and community, who are very supportive in all essence about the development and the idea behind the project.
“‘On the part of the community to benefit whenever we host weddings they do the catering, deco and entertainment.
All proceeds go to them. Many have benefitted from this project, as some youngsters have established dance groups and perform here whenever there are events,” she said.
KoS’nqoe has not only empowered the community but has also given the section of the neighbourhood a facelift, which has added value to the property. In her endevour to make a change in the neighbourhood, Philela requested that her neighbours plant flowers outside their yards and within so as to beautify the neighbourhood. In turn she supplies them with water, as the guest house has a borehole.
Philela mentioned that her guest house worked in liaison with the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, as she seeks to promote township tourism.
“We have had several visits from tourists coming from as far as Dubai, Holland, United Kingdom and Nigeria. We work in partnership with ZTA and I must add that it bears results. In order to really promote township and domestic tourism, we are seeking to partner with local cultural heritage organisations such as Amakhosi and Amagugu, whom we have already been in touch with,” she said.
Philela emphasised that her main objective was to remove the stigma of high-density suburbs, where many are for the idea that nothing positive can come out of the ghetto.
Philela added that she named the guest house after her daughter.
“I named the guest house after my first daughter Sinqobile, as the name suggests we have won,” she said.
A mother of three, Philela is a true and living testimony of a self-empowered Zimbabwean woman with a vision to uplift not only herself but the community.
Online Reporter