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Bongani Ndlovu, Chronicle Correspondent
MORE than 350 pupils can now attend school uninterrupted by rains as the Zimbabwe Red Cross (ZCRS) yesterday unveiled a footbridge at Ngamela River in Khahlu area, Mangwe District, Matabeleland South, as part of its disaster response management initiative.

The Red Cross has since 2018 been implementing the Echo (European Commission for Humanitarian Aid) project titled ‘‘Resilience through Disaster Response Management’’ in different parts of the province. It is set to end next month.

The footbridge was mooted after villagers in Khahlu appealed for help following years of struggling with inaccessibility posed by the river during the rainy season.

Children attending Khahlu primary school were the most affected as on numerous occasions they would be trapped on the other side of the river after heavy rains and would risk drowning while trying to get across.

More than 350 learners cross Ngamela River where the footbridge was constructed reducing the risk of drowning and missing out on school if the river is flooded.

Speaking during the handover ceremony, in Mangwe yesterday, Matabeleland South Provincial Development Co-ordinator Ms Latiso Dlamini, who was standing in for Matabeland South Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Cde Abednico Ncube, thanked the Red Cross for the initiative.

“As we officially handover this footbridge and celebrate other key successes of this project, I take this opportunity to thank the Red Cross and its partners for coming to the aid of the Mangwe District community.

“The Red Cross has over the years proved to be a reliable partner of the Government of Zimbabwe and we thank them for their continued work,” Ms Dlamini said.

“It is through such people-centred partnerships that we can make our communities safer and contribute to the development of our country.”

The footbridge was constructed by engineering artisans from 1 Infantry Brigade of the Zimbabwe National Army at the request of the ZRCS, the European Union, and the Finnish Red Cross, who financed the construction of the footbridge with the help of the community.

Deputy Commander 1 Infantry Brigade, Colonel Maxwell Masuku said the Zimbabwe National Army (ZNA) was at the service of the country and was willing to help whenever called for duty.

“I’m very confident that the construction of the footbridge will alleviate challenges the learners at Khahlu Primary School and the local community faced. Let me remind you that the request by the Zimbabwe Red Cross came after observing that the learners were failing to cross Ngamela River in order to access the learning facility. Education of children is a collective responsibility for parents/guardians, teachers and all others who will benefit from the output of the children’s future,” said Col Masuku.

ZRCS vice-president Reuben Mkandla said: “This ECHO resilience project is another testimony of our quest to capacitate communities to develop community-based solutions to their everyday challenges and we are encouraged by the support from the community, our funding partners as well as stakeholders from various Government departments and ministries.”

Ms Nosizo Ngwabi said the bridge was a major relief to them as villagers.

“I have a child who is in Grade Seven and this footbridge will come in handy because we were having a torrid time.

During the rainy season, the river would flood and children would be trapped on the other side at school or won’t be able to go to school. Sometimes as adults we would cross the river at certain points to help our children come back home or go to school.

Fortunately, after all these years there hasn’t been any one swept away by that river,” said Ms Ngwabi. — Follow on Twitter @bonganinkunzi