News / National
Junior Members of Parliament source funds for the needy
17 Aug 2014 at 11:45hrs | Views
HARARE - Junior Members of Parliament and councillors in Muzarabani took matters into their own hands when they approached the local business community to source school fees and uniforms for orphans and vulnerable children (OVC's).
World Vision, an international organisation biased towards children's welfare assisted the young leaders to collect a list of children that were not attending school owing to poverty.
The young leaders called for pledges at a meeting with the local business community who promised to assist 97 OVCs and buy school uniforms for 31 children.
Junior MP for Muzarabani South, Diana Maulidi said; "We are happy with the support that has been shown by our local business people.
It shows they are responsible. We represent the voice of the voiceless in the community. Many children are not attending school due to poverty and this is dangerous as they can find themselves in difficult situations."
Sixteen-year-old Junior MP for Muzarabani North, Nigel Musena, said the government's Basic Education Assistance Module, Beam, is not covering many children an unfortunate situation which calls for innovative ways to provide education to the poor.
He said children in Muzarabani are faced with a number of challenges that require intervention.
"We worked with World Vision to come up with the names of those that required assistance. I am happy that this meeting with business people was fruitful. This allows us to work more for the children," Musena said.
The Daily News on Sunday spoke to some business persons who expressed delight at assisting the children.
Daniel Utaunashe a businessman and chairperson of Muzarabani Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs in Mashonaland Central, said giving to the poor children was a way of giving back to the community.
"We welcome such programmes because we are also trying to promote our businesses. We have many children that are disadvantaged and our gesture to assist shows that we are responsible members of the society," he said.
Utaunashe personally pledged to assist three vulnerable children with school fees.
Primary school fees in the area are pegged around $15 while that for the secondary school is about $45 per term.
World Vision, an international organisation biased towards children's welfare assisted the young leaders to collect a list of children that were not attending school owing to poverty.
The young leaders called for pledges at a meeting with the local business community who promised to assist 97 OVCs and buy school uniforms for 31 children.
Junior MP for Muzarabani South, Diana Maulidi said; "We are happy with the support that has been shown by our local business people.
It shows they are responsible. We represent the voice of the voiceless in the community. Many children are not attending school due to poverty and this is dangerous as they can find themselves in difficult situations."
Sixteen-year-old Junior MP for Muzarabani North, Nigel Musena, said the government's Basic Education Assistance Module, Beam, is not covering many children an unfortunate situation which calls for innovative ways to provide education to the poor.
"We worked with World Vision to come up with the names of those that required assistance. I am happy that this meeting with business people was fruitful. This allows us to work more for the children," Musena said.
The Daily News on Sunday spoke to some business persons who expressed delight at assisting the children.
Daniel Utaunashe a businessman and chairperson of Muzarabani Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs in Mashonaland Central, said giving to the poor children was a way of giving back to the community.
"We welcome such programmes because we are also trying to promote our businesses. We have many children that are disadvantaged and our gesture to assist shows that we are responsible members of the society," he said.
Utaunashe personally pledged to assist three vulnerable children with school fees.
Primary school fees in the area are pegged around $15 while that for the secondary school is about $45 per term.
Source - Daily News
