Amos Mpofu [email protected]
A FATHER’S determination to save his son’s life has driven him into small-scale mining as he seeks to raise US$30 000 for the child’s life-saving heart surgery in India.
Mr Qondile Ndlovu, a man in his 50s from Nketa, Bulawayo, has turned to mining under the Zimbabwe Gold Investment Hub (ZIGIH), an initiative established by Makwe-Gwanda-based legal miner Mr Lenn Morton Ndebele to create opportunities for people who cannot afford to acquire their own mining claims.
For Mr Ndlovu, however, the opportunity goes beyond earning a living. It represents a chance to give his son, Mqoqi Ndlovu, another opportunity at life.
Mqoqi was diagnosed with a heart infection in August last year, and the family has since struggled to secure the treatment he needs. His condition requires specialised medical intervention in India, at an estimated cost of US$30 000.
Speaking to Zimpapers in Makwe recently, Mr Ndlovu made an emotional appeal for public assistance, saying he had resorted to every possible means of raising the money, including small-scale mining.
“I am here mining in Mr Ndebele’s claims for the sake of my son, who is suffering from a heart disease and is supposed to get US$30 000 to go to India, where he is supposed to be treated. He was diagnosed last year in August, and we have tried many things to treat him, but in vain. I am trying anything to raise that money, and I am also asking for assistance from the general public to help me raise the money required to save my son,” he said.
The family is also struggling to secure medication needed to manage Mqoqi’s condition while preparations for the proposed trip to India continue.
Mr Ndlovu said his son was currently without the medication he needs, raising concern about his well-being as the family continues its fundraising efforts.
“He doesn’t have medication right now, and he is in true need of that medication to remain alive whilst we are trying to raise the amount required for us to fly him for his medication,” he said.
His decision to venture into mining reflects the lengths to which a parent can go when faced with the possibility of losing a child.
Through the ZIGIH initiative, Mr Ndlovu said he had found an opportunity to pursue his fundraising efforts despite not having the financial means to acquire a mining claim of his own.
As he continues working in the mining fields, he is appealing to well-wishers, individuals, organisations and the corporate sector to help his family raise the US$30 000 needed for Mqoqi’s treatment.
Those willing to assist can contact Mr Ndlovu, who resides at House Number 1734, Nketa 8, Bulawayo.
Financial assistance can also be sent through EcoCash on 0772989134, registered in the name of Qondile Ndlovu.
