Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. HUNDREDS of elderly people in Furamera area, Chihota, on Wednesday received an early Christmas cheer after a United States based nurse, Thandiwe Chidawa, donated an assortment of groceries.
Chidawa is the director for Thandi Foundation, a philanthropic organisation that was launched in Zimbabwe few months ago.
The foundation aims to address various challenges being faced by the community, including water scarcity, drug abuse and lack of access to basic commodities.
In Chihota, the donation drew the attention of traditional leader Chief Chihota, who hailed Chidawa for her generosity.
“We are happy to have people who have kind hearts to the extent of assisting vulnerable members of the society using their own resources,” Chief Chihota said.
Chidawa said the idea to establish the foundation came from witnessing first-hand the struggles of communities in Zimbabwe.
“I formed the foundation in August this year.
“I thought the best way was to come and do the pre-launch here in my country because I know there is so much need here, in every area of these people’s lives,” she said.
The foundation plans to focus on several key areas, including education, drug rehabilitation and water sanitation.
One of the major challenges the organisation aims to tackle in Marondera is the water crisis in the community.
“We have heard that some school children and the community at large are in dire need of water, especially at Furamera Secondary School,” Chidawa added.
“We will look into that and see how best we can chip in to alleviate this situation.”
Thandi Foundation’s efforts have been welcomed by local leaders, including Ward 14 and Marondera Rural District Council chairperson Jeremiah Gwanzura.
Gwanzura is also the leader of Rufaro Zonde Foundation, an organisation that is involved in philanthropic works in the area.
He said Thandi Foundation’s initiatives are a “shot in the arm” for the community, especially given the recent dry spell that affected many households.
“This is a shot in the arm. As you know, Rufaro Zunde Gwanzura Foundation has been doing these programmes, so Thandi Foundation has come at a good time because there will be a lot of people who have issues to sustainthemselves around this area,” he said.
“We have pulled Zinwa [Zimbabwe National Water] water nearby to the school for both primary and secondary, and we just lack a bit of resources that we need.
“We are also looking for a rehabilitation area because the pandemic of drug and substance abuse has been on a skyrocketing trajectory.”
Gwanzura hailed Thandi Foundation’s scholarship programme, saying it would go a long way in supporting less privileged students.
“I am also happy when they launched the programme, they also launched the scholarship programme sometime back, so it will go a long way for the less privileged,” he said.
He emphasised the importance of diasporans in contributing to their communities, citing President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s call for Zimbabweans abroad to invest in their homeland.
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