The ManicaPost
Ray Bande
Senior Reporter
DONATIONS towards the upkeep of the triplets that were rejected by their father after birth continue pouring in after the District Development Fund (DDF) drilled a borehole at their Muchabaiwa Village homestead in Marange.
The borehole, which was officially handed over to the family yesterday by Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Honourable Nokuthula Matsikenyere, will reduce the burden on their mother Olinda Maphosa whose family homestead is two kilometers away from the nearest source of water.
In her speech during the official handover ceremony, Hon Matsikenyere castigated men who shy away from their family responsibilities.
“We are all aware that some men act in the way that the father of these triplets did. It is sad and regrettable, indeed. We need to do away with this as a society.
“The most sad part of the issue is that the same father who rejects children at this age later comes back to oversee the payment of lobola when these kids grow up.
“You will hear them saying payment of lobola for my children cannot be done in the Maphosa homestead. This is where you see the mother who struggled alone to raise these children getting a single beast out of 10 that would have been paid for one child as lobola,” she said.
Hon Matsikenyere said the gesture by DDF augurs well with the country’s Vision 2030 as well as the National Development Strategy 1, which both espouse that no one must be left behind.
“We are now expecting to see horticultural crops being produced here so that these children are well fed and go to school. The community around this area will also benefit in a big way because of this borehole,” she said.
Speaking during the same handover ceremony, DDF provincial coordinator for Manicaland Mr Robert Chawatama said: “We are here to hand over the borehole which we were instructed by our head office to sink and install. We are happy that we managed to put in place everything including the washing slab, run off, apron as well as fencing the borehole. Our hope is that this borehole will go a long way in helping in the upkeep of the triplets.”
The triplets’ mother Maphosa, whose husband suggested selling one of the triplets since there was no boy child among them before threatening to kill one of the children, heartily thanked Zimbabweans for their gesture of goodwill towards her children.
She urged mothers not to abandon their children despite the challenges they face.
“I am really thankful for the help that I have been getting together with my children. Life has been made a lot easier for us. I do not know how I could have managed without this assistance.
“I really want to urge mothers not abandon their children no matter the challenges they face. God will always watch over us and help us take care of His blessings (the children),” she said.
The plight of the triplets attracted sympathy from Zimbabweans from different walks of life.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Senator Monica Mutsvangwa, showed her motherly approach to leadership by providing for the immediate and long-term welfare of the triplets.
One of the country’s seed producers, Agriseeds, also gave food, clothing as well as seed towards the upkeep of the three minors.
Wholesale concern Gain were soon to follow suit with a donation of groceries and clothing.
