Chronicle Editor
Thandeka Moyo-Ndlovu, Senior Health Reporter
THERE has been an outpouring of donations from around the world to assist a 59-year-old bedridden woman from Mpopoma suburb following an article about her plight which touched many on Monday.
Mrs Ellen Moyo sent a plea for help after she was evicted from a tiny room which has been home to her and three orphaned grandchildren for the past 12 years.
Her homestead in the Dakamela area of Nkayi district, Matabeleland North is in shambles and she has nowhere to go.
The chronically ill woman lives off handouts from neighbours and relies on her 12-year-old granddaughter who has taken the role of the family head. Besides cleaning the house and cooking, the Grade Six learner has taken it upon herself to bathe her grandmother who can barely move.
By yesterday the family had received groceries from all over the country, South Africa, England and money while others pledged to pay rentals for Mrs Moyo once she secured a bigger place to stay within Mpopoma suburb.
In an interview at the house yesterday, Mrs Moyo said she even had people come to bathe her and relieve her granddaughter who has been taking care of her since she became sick.
Mrs Moyo said she had longed to sit in the sun outside the room she is renting adding that the response she got from well-wishers gave her the strength to get up and remain hopeful about her situation.
“We have since received food, money, pledges for rent and warm messages that made me wake up from my sick bed today with renewed hope. I never thought I would live to see this day. I feel alive again and my sorrows no longer feel as heavy as before. I would like to thank all of the God-sent people who have chipped in after hearing about my predicament which had to be published since I was in a dire situation,” said Mrs Moyo.
“One of my neighbours came to the house today saying her family had also read about my situation which they were not aware of. They asked me to list all of our grocery needs and they even bought us fruits and juice which were now luxuries in my family.”
Mrs Moyo commended everyone who had taken time to visit and buy her family food and toiletries.
“I feel stronger and even have the hope that one day I will recover from this sickness and the hardships that I am going through. The love and care shown to me in just one day has brought a ray of hope that I never thought I will have and to that I say may God bless everyone who contributed to giving me another chance in life.”
She said one of the well-wishers is a relative who promised to help the family construct a homestead in Lupane.
“I will be happy if we get a homestead so that we do farming projects which I did a long time before I permanently moved to Bulawayo. Someone also promised to employ my eldest grandson who is 18 and this will help alleviate the numerous challenges we have as a family.”
Ms Patricia Tshabalala who facilitated the plea commended members of the public for the positive response.
“I have been receiving phone calls and money transfer notifications for Ellen since the article was published and we are grateful to Chronicle. Such touching stories leave us helpless in communities but we are glad that people from all over the country and beyond are uniting to ensure that Ellen leads a decent life with access to basics with her family. May this spirit of Ubuntu continue reigning in our communities forever,” she said. –@thamamoe
Online Reporter