The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa
Post Reporter
BLESSING Maranda (20) was born with health challenges, including Down’s syndrome , a chromosome disorder.
He was seen as a liability to the community, a perception that is held by several sections of society across the world.
However, his mother and other parents of people with Down’s syndrome have managed to fight perceptions against the condition in Mutasa District.
People with Down’s syndrome have delays in speech and motor skills and may need help with self-care, while some need a lot of medical attention.
Blessing’s mother, Ms Chipo Matembedze, at one time tried to seek financial assistance within the Mutasa community as she needed to send her son to a special school.
Sadly, she couldn’t get the necessary help.
No one was forthcoming to offer Ms Matembedze financial assistance as they feared that her son’s condition was contagious.
This left her with no other option, but to try and homeschool Blessing, then 10 years old.
She, however, struggled with homeschooling the boy as she was not trained to do so and ended up quitting.
“I appealed to well-wishers to help me in acquiring the essential elements necessary for the growth and development of my child, but nothing materialised. My son was going through many challenges which were not easy for me to accept as a parent. I was going through persecution because of the community’s perception on Down’s syndrome. Most people thought it was contagious,” she said.
This was the case for Ms Matembedze and 25 other parents before they encountered Takunda Development Trust (TDT) which was formed in 2006 with the sole purpose of financially capacitating vulnerable members of the community.
Through the Trust, the parents and people with Down’s syndrome are trained in carpentry.
After completing the course, they make and sell coffins at the Trust’s workshop at Mutasa.
This has improved the well-being of rural people living with the condition, while strengthening social cohesion among their parents, TDT director and founder, Mr Tawanda Mutombwa said.
“Coffin-making in Mutasa is lucrative. We have never had any losses. We keep making profits as we supply big hospitals and funeral service companies.
“We used to supply one of the leading funeral services providers at least 200 coffins per a month, but now we supply local hospitals like Bonda Mission Hospital and we also accept walk-in sells. The proceeds go to the parents of the children. This is a Trust, we do not get profits from these projects,” said Mr Mutombwa.
One coffin is sold between US$200 and US$350, according to the make and design.
Ms Matembedze chipped in: “Because of this, I was able to enrol Blessing into a special school where he has managed to acquire life skills that will be useful even after I am gone. He will be able to look after himself. Sometimes, he helps me with the coffin-making, although he still needs some supervision.”
So far, the Trust has capacitated 25 people with various economic self-help skills that include carpentry and tailoring.
The project has also countered negative perceptions towards people living with Down’s syndrome in Mutasa District.
“Enabling these parents and their children to earn a living has also helped in raising awareness within the communities about this condition. Community members are now more open to them than before. This is a plus for us as a Trust.
“We train and give them a working environment because we need to empower them through economic production and self-help skills,” said Mr Mutombwa.
Skills trainer and supervisor at the workshop, Mr Nicholas Johani said as a result of the project, there has been a remarkable shift in perceptions around Down’s syndrome.
“I have witnessed it firsthand, at the household level, these beneficiaries are now being respected and are given a chance to speak out. It is also interesting to note that through this project, parents of people with Down’s syndrome have formed committees to coordinate these campaigns,” said Mr Johani.
The project is partially funded by the United States of America with Charge d’ Affaires to Zimbabwe, Ms Elaine French, saying her country provided US$8 472 for the project.
“The project employed furniture and wooden coffin construction skill development to improve the livelihoods, while creating a sense of ownership, for people living with Down’s syndrome. The skills and production reduced extreme poverty and promoted livelihoods among the Mutasa Down’s syndrome population,” she said.
Mr Stephen Garwi, a once disadvantaged teenager who is currently undergoing training at the TDT workshop, showered the Trust with praises and said the programme pulled him out of the jaws of poverty.
“I am so glad that this workshop is open to all and not just people with Down’s syndrome . I was among those who were struggling to make ends meet and almost living on the streets. I was languishing in poverty, but TDT took me in and trained me on tailoring. My life has changed because I can now take care of myself, even though I am still undergoing training,” he said.
At least 125 people have benefited directly from the project, with 750 more benefitting indirectly.
Ms Sheila Makotamo thanked TDT for raising awareness on Down’s syndrome within their community.
“Now we know that Down’s syndrome is just a condition that is not contagious. We know understand that they can take care of their families and that we are all the same,” she said.
