Tsholotsho schools get facelift, dark days are over

THE days of darkness are over for Matabeleland North schools in Tsholotsho as the Rural Electrification Agency (REA) has successfully completed the electrification of three primary schools, one secondary school, one rural health centre and one government extension office in the area.

Tshitatshawa Primary and Secondary schools, Wondola and Sasedza Primary schools benefited from the commissioning of Tshitatshawa electrification project.

Energy and Power Development permanent secretary, Patterson Mbiriri said despite challenges the besetting Rural Electrification Fund (REF), with regards financing of rural electrification programme, they had made significant strides in connecting 8 000 rural institutes countrywide, adding that in Matabeleland North Province REF had electrified 667 rural institutions; 116 are in Tsholotsho district.

Mbiriri said they had electrified 25 out of 62 primary schools in the district, while 24 out of 25 secondary schools had been electrified and 20 health centres out of 22 now had power.

He said of the six chiefs' homesteads, only one was yet to be electrified, while six out of 13 government extension offices now had electricity and 14 business centres, three villages and 11 other rural were electrified using electricity grid and solar energy.

Mbiriri commended the rural electrification programme which he said has potential to alleviate problems. He said child mortality rates have been reduced and expecting mothers were now giving birth in well-lit conducive environments.

Chief Tategulu, Briliant Moyo, expressed his gratitude to REA and urged the people of Tshitatshawa to work together and electrify their homesteads, as they have been given the opportunity to do so.

"Let's call upon our fellow brothers and sisters in South Africa to come and invest in Tshitatshawa because we have been developed," he said.