Lydia Koto
Zimbabwe Open University (ZOU) Masvingo Regional Campus on September 17, 2022 donated food hampers worth ZW$ 200 000 to Mucheke Old People’s Home in Masvingo.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, Secretary for information in the School Representative Council (SRC) at ZOU Masvingo regional campus Admire P. Dhovie said it is their corporate belief to give to the most affected group in the society and this year they chose Mucheke Old People’s Home.
“As ZOU students, it is part of our corporate belief to give to the most affected groups in our society and this year we chose Mucheke Old People’s Home. Since the elderly group is one of those recently affected by Covid-19 pandemic, so we have decided to give them food as it is one of the most basic needs in our daily lives,” said Dhovie.
Mucheke Old People’s Home which consist of 19 elderly people, 11 women and 8 men received grocery items which include mealie-meal, sugar, cooking oil and rice among others.
The donation was handed over by Fortunate Goto (the student advisor for ZOU Masvingo Regional Campus) and Alice Muonde who were the guests of honours.
Goto said with the support of her university, they have decided to come to give the elderly food, entertain, had fun and also to be entertained by them because it is their culture to plough back to the community through various ways.
“With the support of ZOU leadership, we have decided to give you food, entertain you, to have fun and also to be entertained by you because it our culture to plough back to the community through various ways,” said Goto.
Muonde also added that they have come to create a bond and also hear their (old people) challenges so that they would help them.
“We have come here to create bond and also for you to tell us the challenges that you are facing so that we would help you,” said Muonde.
Mucheke Old People’s Home chairperson pastor Kidson Maponga expressed his gratitude to the kind gesture by ZOU and said he wished that physicians from the university would come to help the elderly people.
“We will always remember the good deeds that you have done today. l hope one day we will see physicians from your university coming to help our elderly people here because some of them are in need. We also want to partner with you so that you help us to take care of them,” said Maponga.
Sekuru Gono who is the oldest at Mucheke Old People’s Home with 106 years did not manage to hide his happiness and profound gratitude.
“I am feeling happy today. I came here with nothing but now l have everything that l always hoped to. May the Lord bless your families, studies as well as your work,” he said.
Pastor Matopos Chaka who is in charge of Mucheke Old People’s Home was thankful for the donation though he said more resources are needed.
“We are facing food shortages and also monetary resources to use when someone gets sick. Some of the elderly might get sick and asked to go for an operation. One of challenges that we usually face is lack of money to pay for bills as some might be asked to go to India or any other country. I urge all the universities to be like ZOU. A bond has been created and we are happy to work with the institution,” Chaka said.
