World Vision donates to rural schools

THE communities of Nekabanda and Sidinda in Hwange District have every reason to smile after World Vision Zimbabwe, one of the largest non-governmental organisations in the country, donated a classroom block to a school in both villages, in a move meant to create easy access to education for secondary going children who were walking 34km to the nearest schools.

The blocks which were constructed under the organisation's Area Development Programme (ADP), saw Kalibambila Secondary School and Sidinda Primary Schools benefiting from the programme which is set to address the accessibility to education which saw pupils from Chibala travelling 34km one way to Lukosi Secondary School while those from Nekabandama would walk 24km.

The ADP initiative covers six impoverished and vulnerable wards which are Nekabandama, Mashala, Simangani, Nekatambe, Sidinda and Change.

Speaking during a familiarisation tour by the organisation's board members last Friday, the national director, Mr Edward Brown, said World Vision treasured the investment in education to create a better future for children, hence their intervention.

"As a child focused organisation we like to help children through the provision of education as we believe that education is the best investment a parent can ever give their child. It is a gift that lasts not only for life but eternally as God gave us His Word and the key to understanding it is education," said Mr Brown.

He applauded the community of Nekabandama for their dedication and commitment in showing the importance of education in children's lives as evidenced by the rate at which the school block was completed. The classroom block, which was built by the community, took an amazing four months to complete.

Although Kalibambila Secondary School which was an annex of Lukosi Secondary School had furniture donated to them by UNDP, lack of infrastructure led to lessons being conducted under trees.

Also speaking at the event, former councillor for Nekabandama ward, Mr Alois Chibuswa, who was instrumental in the planning and subsequent construction of the classroom blocks at Kalibambila Secondary, said the plight of access to education faced by children touched him in a way that he made construction of  the school first priority when he assumed office as a councillor.

"Before World Vision came to our rescue, it was a sorry sight seeing our children walking long distances to access education a basic fundamental for development. I made it one of my priorities when I assumed a role as councillor for the area. But now I'm glad to see that children are learning in a school closer to them as compared to yesteryear which would affect their grades," said Mr Chibuswa.

The organisation also donated a variety of reading books for the school's library stock among them Ndebele novels by renowned novelist, Mrs Barbra Makalisa-Nkala, who is also one of the board members.

Receiving the donation of books among them Mathematics, Biology and Science textbooks on behalf of the schools, Hwange District education officer, Mr Lovemore Ncube, said the development would go a long way in improving educational standards in the area.

"I would like to thank World Vision for their intervention in the plight of the children of these schools by donating two classroom blocks noting that the ministry's vision is to have education for all.

"A few years ago the learning environment for these children was a sorry sight which resulted in some secondary school going children either failing to attend classes or walk long distances to write their examinations resulting in poor performance and low pass rate," said Ncube.

He assured the community that the Rural Electrification Authority (Rea) was working on electrifying the school but called on improvement of the living conditionss of teachers who share rooms in order to attract and retain them at their stations.