The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Correspondent
A TOTAL of 42 people with disabilities recently received specialised wheelchairs from the Mutare and Harare Central Rotary Clubs, while Victoria Chitepo Provincial Hospital received three for use in their Outpatients Department.
Beneficiaries were drawn from Rusape, Mutare and Chipinge.
The Rotary Clubs have distributed more wheelchairs across the country.
Mr Donny Sheshe of Sakubva thanked the organisations for remembering him.
He was injured during the course of duty 2011 and could not afford to acquire a wheelchair.
“I have been idle at home for all these years as I cannot walk. I was relying on the benevolence of well-wishers who would put me in a wheelbarrow and carry me to hospital for medical attention or other places for my errands.
“I am glad that with this wheelchair donation, I am no longer a burden to anyone.
“Thank you so much. I hope you will continue assisting people with disabilities,” he said.
Another beneficiary, Ms Patience Muterere, said her worn-out wheelchair had been giving her headaches.
“I am so happy. My wheelchair is old and it was now giving me headaches. I was limited on my movements and my work. In fact, I felt like I was now a burden to people. I was relying on my brother for mobility.
“The new wheelchair is easy to use. I can even push myself and I am glad that I am no longer dependent on anyone to move from one place to the other,” she said.
Harare Central Rotary Club president, Mr Rutendo Mawoyo, said they source 440 wheelchairs annually through their partnerships with Rotary Club Fresno and Free Wheelchair Mission.
This initiative will run for five years and it is in its third year.
“We are distributing these wheelchairs to underprivileged people in Zimbabwe. We will continue to engage our funders for them to avail more wheelchairs since there are many people in need of them in the country. We want to guarantee more people their mobility,” he said.
Mutare Rotary Club president, Ms Natsai Nyamwanza expressed gratitude over the initiative, describing it as a miracle in mobility for all the recipients.
“In addition to the 42 wheelchairs donated to the individuals, we also donated three wheelchairs to our provincial medical institution. We know that they have shortages of wheelchairs in the Outpatients Department, and we hope this will help in lessening their burden,” she said.
Ms Nyamwanza called on other stakeholders to come on board and assist the underprivileged.
