Zim woman set to change lives

Lovemore Meya Lifestyle Correspondent
The thought of remembering where one came from seems to elude many people once they set foot in foreign lands in search of greener pastures once Lady Lucky smiles on them.

Some get the chance to go in such countries for learning purposes and end up securing lucrative deals that will see them staying there forever. Others remember where they came from and show that it still matters to them.

They start investing back home not for their benefit, but for their communities.

One such person is a New Zealand-based Zimbabwean woman who, Faustinah Ndlovu (42).

Hailing from the rural areas of Rusape, Tandi, Mandimika Village, Ndlovu has become a hero to many for her zeal to see the vulnerable children in the area getting a proper education.

Ndlovu is set to visit home on July 21 bringing with her four friends who are volunteers to her project titled “Tariro Project Zimbabwe” to assess the progress made following the construction of an Early Childhood Development block.

“I live in Rotorua and will be coming home with my friends and sisters in Christ who are Markus Hadipurnomo, Sue Gaiger, Bevan Gaiger, Graham Geiger,” said Ndlovu in an interview.

“They are volunteers of Tariro Project and have been working hard to try getting more people on board and are coming as individuals not under any donor or church.

“They had plans of travelling, visiting places when they decided to make a trip to my village to see my family and where I was born as well as assess the progress of Tariro with the hope of getting more people on board. They will be living at my mother’s house in Mandimika and are to do the hands on stuff.”

The purpose of the team’s visit will be to install solar panels and painting the ECD building and repairing the borehole.

“They will be offering their services in terms of their profession, one is an electrician, two worked in a solar panel company and they wish to impart their skills to the boys so that next time they will be able to do it themselves,” she said.

She said for now, her focus is to start with the young children going up.

“I am starting with Grade Zero going upwards. There is another ECD at Domboreshato Primary School that caters for children from the vicinity while the one I constructed will cater for nearby villages for children who were walking long distances to the school,” she said.

In New Zealand, Ndlovu has become an icon following her numerous fundraising events including knitting a giant 3.8 metre doll, hosting a dinner and walking about 25 kilometres balancing a bucket and raised $1 500.

She said her vision is to ensure best investment in prosperity, health and equitable society through education. “Tariro Project Rusape Tandi’s vision is to improve the academic achievement of the children in the remote rural school Domboreshato Primary Tandi and through to secondary school providing them with resources, good learning environment, clean water and supporting parents to be able to provide for their children and themselves.”

Ward 3 Councillor Gonzo said Faustinah has brought joy to many families in her rural community.

“This woman has done a job that many men cannot afford to as she built a preschool in her village called Mawandu in Domboreshato,” said Cllr Gonzo.

“Tariro Project has been a talk of the whole village when Faustinah started sending money for the building material last year end of December and the block is now complete.”

Cllr Gonzo showered her with praises saying she was doing a great job in alleviating poverty in the area.

“We are very thankful of what Faustinah is doing for the community and we are looking forward to be helped with desks and books, school fees for the other vulnerable children in the area and a nutritional garden.

“We are supporting her efforts 100 percent as she is trying hard to uplift the village schools,” said Cllr Gonzo.

Ndlovu’s brother Emmanuel, coordinator of the project said he has been overseeing the logistics to the project.

“The project has been helpful and her wish is that if God helps Faustinah intends to do the same for other surrounding schools here,” said Emmanuel.

“As of now the ECD has 35 children drawn from three villages that are Mandimuka, Nyadongo and Mawandu. They used to learn under harsh conditions in a makeshift room made of grass and poles.”

Emmanuel said another challenge they are facing was shortage of water since the available borehole at the school was vandalised.

“Last year she donated about 500 books at Domboreshato Primary School, he said.”

Ndlovu who is a Social Worker by profession did her Social Science Studies in New Zealand and her hope is to see vulnerable children making it to university and give back to their communities.

“I came to New Zealand in 2002 visiting my niece who now lives in Australia and I am a mother to a 21-year-old son Nelson Tafadzwa Hove who lives here doing his last year at Waikato University, studying Science.”

“Tariro Project was birthed in 2011 when I went for my father’s funeral. He succumbed to cancer aged 71. During my time in Rusape, I was invited to the 2011 End of year Early Childhood Education graduation ceremony by the headmaster of Domboreshato Primary school Mr Victor Matanhire.

“Although I was still grieving the loss of my father I also realised how blessed I was having both parents until I was an adult and listening to some of the Domboreshato students stories was my motivation to help them.”

Ndlovu was born and raised at her rural home and attended Domboreshato Primary school and did her secondary education at Chitsva Secondary School in the same area.