adminGeorge Maponga Masvingo Bureau
Scores of villagers whose homes and property were ravaged by a storm in Mwenezi West about four months ago are pleading with Government and its development partners to help them rebuild their lives as most of them are failing to raise enough funds for reconstruction.
Besides sweeping roofs from houses across the vast constituency, the raging winds also wreaked havoc on schools and clinics and there has been very little reconstruction owing to lack of funding.
The situation is dire at Mangondi Primary School in Umbono resettlement area where more than 180 pupils are sharing seven desks after violent winds that swept through Mwenezi West in April this year destroyed furniture.
Textbooks and exercise books for learners at Mangondi were also destroyed after the storm swept away roofs.
Teachers’ houses were also not spared at the school and parents had to contribute $10 per child to try and repair damaged structures, but the situation is still precarious.
Mangondi Primary head Ms Saviour Maganga appealed for urgent help saying learning will be almost impossible during the rainy season unless funding to effect repairs at the school were secured.
“We have only seven desks that were spared when the storm hit this school and these desks are shared by 182 children at this school which forces some of them to sit on bricks during lessons,” she said.
“The situation is looking dim because parents made financial contributions to repair the roofs, but they are still leaking heavily, we require at least 100 new roofing sheets to cover the classrooms and teachers’ houses.
“Right now our teachers are living in fear because the roofing on their houses is not secure since they are only supported by stones to stop them from being blown away.”
Ms Maganga said the school cannot even take delivery of new textbooks from well-wishers until repairs are complete.
“We are still hopeful that help will come, but of course it has taken long to come and we are worried because of the impending rainy season,” said Ms Maganga.
“There is no other school in Umbono. The nearest primary school from here is Mwenezi Primary, which is 11km away.”
The state of disrepair at Mangondi is also found at most homes in the constituency that were hard hit by the storm.
Ms Margaret Moyo of Lymbigia Farm, whose big house had its roof blown off during April’s storm, said she had lost hope of getting help.
“We have no money to purchase roofing materials and we are appealing to Government and donors to chip in. Things are very hard and we have nowhere to start.”
Mwenezi West National Assembly member Cde Priscilla Moyo also made a strong appeal to Government and well-wishers to help families and schools in her area that were damaged by the storm.
“I am appealing to Government to consider the plight of people in my constituency. They are still to receive help and the situation is dire especially at schools, she said.
“I have been trying to offer some assistance, but my resources are not enough to cover all the affected areas. We need roofing material and books for learners.”
Cde Moyo called on well-wishers and donors to spare a thought for people in her constituency saying their plight was worsened by the Cyclone Idai disaster that hit parts of Manicaland and Masvingo province.
“I think the major problem why help never came to Mwenezi was because the storm disaster got overshadowed by the Idai disaster where the entire national attention was, but I think quite a considerable amount of aid has gone to the victims’ development partners and well-wishers must also turn their focus to Mwenezi,” he said.
Development co-ordinator Ms Rosemary Chingwe confirmed Mwenezi storm victims were yet to get any aid. She said the CPU planned to offer some assistance.
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