Online Reporter
Thupeyo Muleya, [email protected]
THE ZimBorders Consortium, which partnered Government in modernising the Beitbridge Border Post at a cost of US$300 million, has extended support to 255 pupils with disabilities and those in need at two Beitbridge schools.
The move is part of the consortium’s enhancement of social and education services in the district, which began three years ago.
On Tuesday, the organisation handed over pairs of shoes to the 130 pupils at Beitbridge Mission and 125 pairs to Dulivhadzimu pupils under the School Shoes Initiative.
This is in addition to 13 mobile science laboratories they recently donated to selected secondary schools in rural Beitbridge and a package of 100 bicycles to address a host of challenges affecting the education of the girl child in the district.
The areas have 19 registered secondary schools. It is also envisaged that the bicycles would address challenges to do with learners dropping out of school because of the long distance.
The mobile science labs, which were manufactured at the National University of Science and Technology (Nust), were sourced by Raubex Construction, the construction agent of the ZimBorders Consortium.
ZimBorders Consortium General Manager, Mr Nqobile Ncube, said the organisation was also engaging several stakeholders with the view of supporting social protection issues in Beitbridge.
He said after extending support to the town’s transformation through the construction of a fire station, a new sewer oxidation dam, a 11,4 mega litres water reservoir, 220 housing units for border agencies and the animal and plant quarantine centre, they were now moving to help the local communities to address several challenges.
“We are piloting our community social responsibility as ZimBorders Consortium and this includes supporting the teaching of Stem subjects, social protection issues to do with children, especially those who are disabled and are disadvantaged because of various reasons,” said Mr Ncube.
“We started off with the donation of basic science mobile laboratories and now we are rolling out the Shoes Initiative in both urban and rural schools to restore the dignity of most of the children.”
He said the border modernisation and other out or port projects have had a huge social impact on the community of Beitbridge in terms of improving critical service delivery.
Mr Ncube highlighted that as one of the big corporates in the district it was critical for them to continue making an impact in this community guided by the Government.
Besides helping those in the schools, they were also helping to build the capacity of organisations such as orphanages and children’s homes so that they may be able to deliver on their mandate.
“ZimBorders has been on the ground for close to four years during the border modernisation and as a corporate resident here, we ran a School Shoes Initiative in 2024 in six rural schools, supporting the neediest children and this time we are supporting those urban schools with a compelling need,” said Mr Ncube.
“We have also sourced basic science laboratories for several secondary schools and we appreciate the works being done by Responsible Authorities in schools. We are now extending our hand to various areas of need in consultation with them.”
During the border transformation project, the Beitbridge community presented to ZimBorders a number of priority projects, which the organisation is now implementing in phases across the district.
Most of the projects included the improvement of social protection programmes, water infrastructure and the improvement of the teaching of science related subjects through the creation of permanent and mobile science laboratories.
Mr Ncube said the organisation was complementing the Government in achieving social security issues as the National Development Strategy 1 and 2.
A representative of the Beitbridge Municipality who are the Responsible Authority for Dulivhadzimu primary school, Mr Jimmy Sibanda, commended Zimborders for extending its foot print across the district.
He said the support to school pupils especially the disabled, orphans and other vulnerable children was a humane gesture by the consortium.
Mr Sibanda also challenged other corporates in the district to collaborate with the local authority and central Government in improving the quality of service delivery in various sectors.
Dulivhadzimu Primary’s chairman of the School Development Committee Mr Mlaleli Ndlovu said: “This is commendable, a good gesture of good hope that will boost the morale of those pupils who were without such accessories. The issue of stigma that comes with low self-esteem on pupils due to limited resources will go away”.
Beitbridge Mission primary school headmistress Mrs Monica Ndlovu said the shoes will go a long way in addressing operational issues at the only school with boarding facilities for disabled pupils.
The school has a total of 65 disabled children and 20 of those stay within their boarding facility.
