The ManicaPost
Morris Mtisi Post Correspondent
PUPILS from St Charles Luangwa displaced by Cyclone Idai and now attending lessons in various schools in Manicaland recently received a shot in the arm when the Roman Catholic Church gave them stationery, food and toiletry hand-outs.
Speaking to parents and guardians at the hand-out ceremony held at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Mutare recently, the Roman Catholic Diocesan Education Secretary, Mr Lawrence Chibvuri, said there was need to keep on remembering and supporting students who were affected by the devastation of Cyclone Idai.
“While we were and still are grateful that government and well-wishers in Zimbabwe and out-of Zimbabwe gave generously to those affected by the notorious Idai disaster, it was important to note that the students now dotted all over Manicaland in our schools and others, did not and are not benefitting. They were now away from Chimanimani, and specifically from St Charles which has since closed down.” said Mr Chibvuri.
The Secondary School is now open, but for day-students only.
“There is no doubt St Charles Secondary School, where two students and an ancillary worker died in the wake of the cyclone, was an epicentre of the devastation. No wonder this happened and no wonder the school instantly became dysfunctional. We quickly moved students from St Charles to other schools. Thanks to the Anglican Diocese that accommodated a good number of our Form 4 sitting candidates! But that was pushing them to the back burner where they would be excluded from hand-outs donated by government and well-wishers,” Mr Chibvuri said.
“I then realised that there was need to make an application to source these hampers which we are distributing to the pupils today,” said the Education Secretary.
He revealed that each hamper worth $222, 72 contained a satchel, 33 soft exercise books, 10 counter books, pens and pencils, body lotion, bathe and laundry soap, Cerevita breakfast cereals, peanut butter and sugar. The costs of the hampers were footed by the Harare Rotary Club, he pointed out.
Mr Chibvuri also revealed that the Diocesan leader, Bishop Paul Horan, in another act of philanthropy, had earlier on paid $200 for each pupil towards school fees directly forwarded to the school.
“We are grateful to CARITAS, a Catholic NGO that responded swiftly to the Bishop’s call for help,” said the Education Secretary. “The 80 text books covering five learning areas we received from Harare Rotary Club, we gave to the day school at St Charles.”
The Education secretary assured the parents and guardians present at the hamper-hand-out ceremony in Mutare that the Church would continue to do its best to make life normal for the student victims of Cyclone Idai wherever they may be attending school now.
“We will continue to support you with whatever we have and pray for you to put the Cyclone memory to rest. This happened. Let us not remain in the past. We need to move on as best we can, realising God is there everywhere for us,” said the Education Secretary before handing out the hampers.
The back-to-school hampers were first handed out to 107 pupils in Harare. Mutare was the second port of call. The third and final centre of distribution was St Charles Luangwa Secondary School.
Mr Chibvuri expressed gratitude to the PED-Manicaland and the Minister of Primary and Secondary education who, he said; “Both were proactive in facilitating all our stress-reduction plans.”
Chibvuri told The Manica Post that Ministry of Lands had already allocated a piece of land near Nhedziwa Shopping Centre for the Roman Catholic Church to build a college. He revealed that building plans were ready and the process of starting putting up structures was at an advanced stage.
Meanwhile The Manica Post has begun an independent follow-up survey of the progress of the students adopted in various schools in Manicaland, including Anglican St Faith’s, St Mary Magdeline, St Anne’s-Goto and St Augustine’s. News that has since reached The Manica Post is that students were received well; they fitted in well and are now part of the furniture in each of these schools.
The act of common compassion between the Roman Catholic Church and the Anglican Church in Manicaland on the common cause of helping victims, particularly those in schools, out of the proverbial valley is a source of admiration. The recent back-to-school hand-outs are encouraging signs that people have not forgotten too soon.
