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Conrad Mupesa-Mashonaland West Bureau
THE MenBelievED nutritional garden and borehole drilling programme in Hurungwe West Constituency is expected to transform lives for thousands of people in Rengwe area.
Nutritional gardens are important because they provide a reliable source of food and nutrition, especially during times of drought or when other agricultural methods are struggling. They can also improve health, reduce the risk of chronic disease, and increase community collaboration.
The two 100m-deep boreholes were drilled last Friday at Rengwe Secondary School much to the joy of the parents and learners.
The boreholes can support a nutritional garden by providing a reliable water supply for irrigation and can be a more environmentally sustainable option than relying on surface water or groundwater pumping.
Learners have been walking at least 2km to access water, while local villagers also relied on a nearby Musukwi River.
The learners believe the boreholes will support learning of various practical subjects, including agriculture, building and food and nutrition in line with the heritage-based Education 5.0 model.
A Form Three learner, Eunor Penyai lauded the project.
“We are grateful to the MenBelievED as they have come at an opportune time. Unavailability of water has been a major stumbling block to our learning curve. As you know we are in the rural areas where farming is key, thus agricultural lessons must be emphasised, but this was impossible due to unavailability of water sources close by,” she said.
Another learner, Munyaradzi Tsookora said unavailability of water also affected girls during their monthly periods as many chose to stay at home.
For the community leaders, Rengwe district chairperson, Mrs Grace Kundishora, and Manjinjiwa village head, Mr Vison Muzanenhamo, the boreholes and nutritional garden will help curb drug abuse and financial dependency.
“Our youths here have been caught in the drug and substance abuse web and some of the reasons is having nothing to occupy them. As this project takes shape, we are confident that it will help fight that,” said Mrs Kundishora.
“We are confident that the project is going to leave us financially independent and, this is what President Mnangagwa wants. We are therefore grateful to the MenBelievED for their gesture,” said Mr Vison Muzanenhamo.
While the Presidential Borehole Scheme to have each of the 35 000 villages across the country getting a solarised borehole to support village business units is in full swing, the affiliate’s contribution helps reduce the burden on the Government’s shoulders and speed up progress.
Hurungwe West legislator and Zanu PF’s deputy chief whip, Cde Chinjai Kambuzuma, hailed the development.
“This constituency is largely Natural Region 4 and 5 characterised by water challenges. Open water sources quickly run dry, and this affects our livestock. We are confident that this project will also benefit our livestock as many people lost their cattle and goats to the water crsis that was compounded by the El Nino-induced drought ravaging the country,” she said.
MenBelievED national spokesperson, Cde Timothy Nyakudzuka, said the Hurungwe project was many of the solar-powered boreholes and nutritional gardens the affiliate had introduced across the country were in line with President Mnangagwa’s vision of leaving no place and person behind.
“This project will empower youths and women in the community. Apart from the borehole, we have prepared a one-hectare piece of land that will be fenced and equipped with drip irrigation,” he said.
Other provinces that have benefitted from the organisation include Mashonaland Central and East and the Midlands
MenBelievED provincial chairman, Cde Elijah Tambala, said apart from the borehole and nutritional garden, the provincial organ had pooled resources to renovate and construct classroom blocks at Kanyaga Primary School in Makonde District.
Online Reporter