Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, [email protected]
MS LEONA Sibanda (26) from BH128 under Chief Mvuthu in Hwange District, Matabeleland North, is a victim of human-wildlife conflict after she was attacked by a buffalo that fractured her ankle in 2014. She was in Form 2 at Vulindlela Secondary School at that time.
Her suffering has become some sort of a blessing for the community after a clinic was built in her honour following the incident. Named after her, the Leona Clinic is a model health facility in the district built at a cost of US$410 433 through a partnership between Hwange Rural District Council (HRDC).
The project was built using devolution funds and support from Buy a Brick Foundation, which sourced resources from its partners.
, officially commissioned the clinic last Friday. In his remarks, he said the project will significantly reduce human-wildlife conflict and distance travelled by villagers in line with the universal health policy, which stipulates that people should not walk more than 5km to a clinic.
Human-wildlife conflict is a perennial problem in communities near game parks and in most cases, victims either left disabled or maimed.
While Ms Sibanda spent more than a month in hospital receiving treatment, her pains have brought smiles for the community 10 years after the attack.
Buy a Brick Foundation have also adopted her four-year-old son and will cater for all his needs until he finishes education.
Also, Shearwater Adventures has pledged to construct a house for her at her homestead, where she has been living with her son since the death of both her parents some years back.
Ms Sibanda has become a heroine for her community as the clinic will serve more than 3 000 villagers in Kachechete, Jabula, Nemananga and Vulindlela wards, who have been walking more than 10km to the nearest health facilities in Ndlovu and Chisuma.
Ms Sibanda was fetching firewood in 2014 near her homestead when suddenly a buffalo attacked her. She suffered a broken leg and needed emergency medical care but villagers could not get transport.
The community used a donkey drawn cart to carry her to Vulindlela Secondary where efforts were made to call an ambulance and the crew demanded US$176 upfront to carry her to hospital in Victoria Falls. The villagers could not raise the money and the ambulance threatened to leave her if no payment was made.
Coincidentally, the Buy a Brick Foundation team was at the school constructing a classroom block and committed to pay the ambulance fee and the crew ferried her to Victoria Falls where she was immediately transferred to Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo with expenses catered for by the foundation.
After listening to her sad story, development partners approached Acting Chief Mvuthu to find out on how they could help the community and that is when the idea of constructing the clinic came about.
The chief contacted HRDC and the clinic was immediately pegged and the community requested that the health facility be named in honour of the victim who is a single mother with no parents.
Ms Sibanda dropped out of Vulindlela Secondary before writing her Form Four examination because of lack of money. Nicknamed Khaliphile, which means ‘clever’ for being clever during her school days, she said she wishes to go back to school so that she can get a job at the clinic. She said the buffalo trampled her on the face and leg, fracturing it.
“I lay still and could not scream because it would have finished me off. It left me and a passerby saw me and carried me home,” said Ms Sibanda.
She spent more than a month at Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo as she had permanent injuries and her ankle gets painful whenever she walks a long distance or does heavy chores.
“If I had not been injured, we wouldn’t be having this clinic. I am happy that God helped me and so I wish to go back to school so that I can work here as a nurse and help others.
“I am happy for this clinic because people will not walk long distance going to Chisuma and other areas for medical help. I almost died because of lack of a clinic but now I know I can get help anytime,” she said.
“May God bless the donors. My parents are late and the council has been providing me with groceries as I am not employed.”
The clinic has two nurses, a nurse aid and general hand.HRDC chief executive officer Mr Phindile Ncube said Leona deserved assistance.
Buy a Brick Foundation founder Mr Gib Leonard said they were concerned about the child and will sponsor him with all needs until he finishes school.
Councillor for the area, Mr Givemeagain Moyo said they were impressed by the commissioning of the clinic..-@ncubeleon
Online Reporter