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Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Reporter

ENTUMBANE residents have launched an ambitious fundraising initiative to purchase five wheelchairs and a community ambulance by the end of next month.

Through their “Entumbane news and updates” WhatsApp group, the residents agreed to embark on a US$1 per house project that targets over 7  000 houses and 200 stakeholders who include businesses and other organisations operating within the suburb.

The organisers are hoping to raise a minimum of US$5 000 for the purchase of a good second-hand vehicle which they will equip with the medical apparatus while $3 000 will be for wheelchairs.

Wheelchair

Mr Nkosentsha Mlilo, the brains behind the ambitious project, said it is disturbing to always see seriously sick residents or the elderly being pushed on a wheelbarrow going to seek medical attention at the local clinic hence the idea to start raising funds to purchase wheelchairs that will be kept at the clinic for use by any resident.

He said being carried on a wheelbarrow is traumatising for someone who is already sick as it resembles a dire situation, and some may think there is no more hope for survival.

“We are planning to buy five wheelchairs. We spoke to our stakeholders and in our WhatsApp group.

We are asking our 200 stakeholders to at least part with US$10 and if they all come forward we will be having US$2 000 it is our hope that some bigger businesses here in Entumbane will donate more than the minimum we are asking for. Residents have agreed to a US$1 per household,” said Mr Mlilo.

Mr Mlilo said they have engaged a reputable supermarket in the suburb to be the project treasury for security and accountability purposes.

“We have ‘five villages’ in Entumbane and each ‘village’ representative will be collecting the money in the same way we do when making funeral contributions in the community. The money, for security and accounting reasons, will be kept at one of the biggest supermarkets here in Entumbane, they will act as our project treasury,” he said.

Mr Mlilo was also quick to quell any suspicions that their project was a political gimmick by some political players in the suburb or constituency, saying theirs was a purely community initiative that cuts across the political and religious divide.

Entumbane residents’ secretary under Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association, Ms Khethiwe Tshuma said residents were in support of the project.

“As residents, we support the project very much. It is such a critical project as our elders or anyone else in the community for that matter always face struggles in getting to the clinic or hospitals and with the success of this project all that will be eased,” said Ms Tshuma.

Last week, the same WhatsApp group members mobilised themselves and repaired a badly damaged 70-metre stretch of Nketa Drive Road starting from its intersection with Luveve Road and they continued with their road rehabilitation movement this Saturday by repairing another 70-metre section of the road that passes through the popular Zothile Shopping Centre.

On Saturday, youths including girls, took part as well as the elderly and some shop entrepreneurs operating from the Shopping Centre.

The Second Republic under President Mnangagwa has always been a firm believer that the country can only be built by its own citizens hence the philosophy ilizwe lakhiwa ngabaninilo/nyika inovakwa neve vayo. —  @skhumoyo2000