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We want to say thumbs up to a group of Zimbabweans based in South Africa who have pooled their resources together to buy R3,5 million worth of borehole drilling equipment to address Matabeleland region’s perennial water challenges.
More than 300 members based in SA formed the Matabeleland Borehole Drilling Project (MBDP) and members are drawn from Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and South provinces.

When the group started, there were 700 members but some have since dropped out for various reasons. The group intends to drill a borehole for each of the members before expanding the project to their respective communities.
The objective is to ensure families and surrounding communities have water for domestic and agricultural activities. The group’s efforts complement Government’s programme of drilling boreholes across the country to enable each village to have at least an irrigation project to boost food production.

Government has realised that due to climate change, rain-fed agriculture is no longer sustainable hence the push to have more hectares under irrigation farming. What is encouraging is that the SA-based Zimbabweans are not just supporting Government efforts to boost food production but are investing in the future of their children.
Members of MBDP join Tsholotsho citizens also based in SA as well as Dibadiba and Gwambe citizens in Bulilima based in different countries who have taken the initiative to develop their areas.

In Tsholotsho, the SA-based citizens referred to as injivas are building a secondary school in Mbalibali Village while the diasporans from Dibadiba and Gwambe are contributing to the construction of two clinics. These citizens have taken seriously the country’s development philosophy Ilizwe lakhiwa ngabaninilo (Nyika inovakwa nevene vayo).
We want at this juncture to urge other communities to emulate such commitment to development as we work to build a prosperous Zimbabwe that we all want. Government has since taken over the construction of the clinics in Bulilima and it is our hope that it will also provide material or technical support to MBDP and Tsholotsho citizens.

Diasporans should invest back home by supporting projects such as establishment of irrigation schemes, Government’s rural industrialisation programme and many other such projects meant to transform the livelihoods of communities while growing the economy.
We have said it before that Zimbabweans should take a leading role in investing in their country and the coming in of foreigners should just be complementary. The country is endowed with vast natural resources which include among others several minerals.

Agriculture

The diasporans should therefore take advantage of their many years of experience working in foreign lands to invest back home and create jobs. What is encouraging is that most of the big Government infrastructural projects such as bridge and road construction are being undertaken by local companies, a confirmation that there are vast opportunities for those in the diaspora that want to form companies.
We want to once again commend those Zimbabweans working in different countries that are already investing back home.