School fees relief for 1 000 rural pupils

Patrick Chitumba, Midlands Bureau Chief
TWO young businessmen have settled school fees arrears worth about $500 000 for 1 000 pupils from vulnerable families in Mapanzure Village in Zvishavane.

The development has also seen the primary and secondary schools preparing to reopen without any pupils owing them.

Businessman and philanthropist Mr Kelvin Magwaza who is the founder of Henekel Private School in Kadoma who has business interests nationwide in education, retail and mining as well as Liquid Cargo Africa represented by Mr Danmore Mambondiyani yesterday also handed over stationery to eight schools represented by their headmasters at a function held at Chief Mapanzure homestead.

The Mapanzure community has been affected by a slump in chrome prices, with Covid-19 adding to people’s hardships.

“We chose chrome mining areas in school fees alleviation targeting under privileged and orphaned children with a generous contribution to clear some debts. Here over 1 000 pupils have benefitted in eight schools which include Dambudzo Primary School,” said Mr Magwaza.

Mr Mambondiyani said they have seen it fit to start assisting pupils in schools where President Mnangagwa hails from.

He said as youths who have been given an opportunity to start a petroleum business through President Mnangagwa’s policies, they saw it fit to assist children who are the future leaders.

“We have seen it fit to help and contribute to the education of underprivileged children and help in capacitating schools to be able to offer adequate complementary study material for study during and post the Covid-19 period, taking into consideration the challenges in e-learning in a rural setting that lack the infrastructure and resources,” he said.

“It goes in line with the President’s call to offer basic education to all and the call by Government to private sector and philanthropists to join the fight against Covid -19.”

Chief Mapanzure said he felt honoured that one of the community’s sons, Mr Tarisai Mnangagwa had brought fellow youths to assist the vulnerable people in his area.

“This is a welcome development for this area because schools and parents have all benefitted. They are all starting on zero debt which means more money will be channelled towards development,” he said.