Well-wishers chip in with help for Lupane whiz kid

WELL-WISHERS have come to the rescue of a Lupane whiz kid who failed to raise school fees to proceed to Form 1.

Sizalobuhle Muntanga (12) wrote her Grade Seven examinations at Jabatshaba Primary School and passed with seven units.

She had the best results at her school but could not enrol for Form One because she could not raise the fees.

Sizalobuhle stays with her grandparents as her parents left for South Africa many years ago.

When schools opened on January 9, Sizalobuhle’s grandfather Mr Felix Ndlovu told her that she could not enrol for Form One because he had no money to pay for her fees.

The nearest school is Fatima High School which charges US$300 fees for new learners and US$150 thereafter per term for day scholars. Boarders pay US$600 per term.

A concerned neighbour sent an SOS to Victoria Falls-based artist-cum philanthropist Mr Obert Dube who helps vulnerable children with school fees.

Mr Dube then reached out to potential sponsors via his social media platforms and managed to mobilise resources from the Community Education Project (CEP) which is an organisation of Bulawayo lawyers, Purse Women On Point and Hestra Marketing.

Some individuals also chipped in and paid Sizalobuhle’s tuition and boarding fees, bought uniforms, stationery and other provisions.

She has since joined other pupils at Fatima High School where she is a boarder.

Purse on Point and other sponsors paid the tuition fees for the whole year while CEP paid the boarding fees and bought a mattress, trunk and other basics.

In an interview, Mr Ndlovu could not hide his joy as he thanked the sponsors for the gesture.

‘Sizalobuhle is more like my own daughter because her parents left for South Africa when she was in ECD and they have never paid school fees for her. I am the one who has been paying her fees when she was at primary school,” he said.

Mr Ndlovu said he was taking care of three other grandchildren.

“Sizalobuhle’s case is unique because of her intelligence. She needed school fees and we didn’t have that money. My wish is that she gets a permanent scholarship because she is brilliant,” he said.

Mr Ndlovu said they are struggling to make ends meet.

Mr Dube thanked all the sponsors for coming to the girl’s rescue.

“Their neighbour Ms Nompumelelo Khumalo saw the results and reached out to me seeing that the girl was not going to school. I engaged the girl’s grandfather and later used my networks to appeal for help,” he said.

Last year Mr Dube paid school fees and bought books for 25 children from disadvantaged families.