Zhombe pools resources to rehabilitate schools

Michael Magoronga, [email protected]

IN true spirit of President Mnangagwa’s thrust that a nation is built by its people, the Zhombe community has formed an association to spearhead the development of schools in their area.

The Zhombe Ekhaya Development Association (ZEDA) is a brainchild of people from Zhombe, Kwekwe District, Midlands province, who are pooling resources together to address challenges faced by schools in their community.

Since its inception early this year, ZEDA has embarked on a number of projects at different schools in Zhombe including classroom block rehabilitation, maintenance, borehole drilling and supply of various materials.

ZEDA chairperson Mr Mlindelwa Mancitshana said the association was inspired by President Mnangagwa’s call to build the country.

“We realised that we had so many people who learnt at these schools who are dotted all over the world, yet infrastructure at the same schools is now dilapidated. We therefore decided to put our heads together and came up with ways of attending to some of the challenges affecting our schools,” he said.

ZEDA has since led to the formation of Old Students Associations (OSA) at the schools.

“We have minor challenges such as supply of window panes, furniture and sports equipment which we have left to the former students associations. We have so far formed more than 10 OSAs. The major challenges such as borehole drilling or construction of classroom blocks or any other demanding projects are undertaken by ZEDA. All the former students associations are affiliates to ZEDA,” he said.

Mr Mancitshana said ZEDA’s target was to complete at least one project per month.

“We are giving priority to schools with dilapidated infrastructure. Some roofs are too old such that they are now a danger to pupils,” said Mr Mancitshana.

He said ZEDA recently donated 100 bags of cement to Bhalimasvosve Primary School which is under construction.

“We will soon start repairing roofs at Ntabeni Primary School whose classroom blocks were damaged by strong winds. We are targeting to also give them 60 bags of cement to repair buildings,” he said.

Mr Mancitshana said every member of the association has a role to play.

“We have told ourselves that no-one is coming to fix these problems for us and if outsiders do come its a bonus,” he said.
Mr Mancitshana said they were working with various authorities including Zibagwe Rural District Council, chiefs and councillors.

“Our school heads were informed about the school-based associations and they were elated by the development,” he said.