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Thupeyo Muleya, Beitbridge Bureau

A FULLY-equipped mothers’ waiting shelter at Tongwe Clinic in Beitbridge District, Matabeleland South has been constructed by Beitbridge Rural District Council through devolution funds in partnership with the local community and World Vision Zimbabwe.

Tongwe Clinic provides primary healthcare service to more than 7 000 people in Ward 4 in the district and the facility has a capacity to accommodate 16 expecting mothers.

The maternity home has a solarised water pipeline connected to three reservoirs with a combined capacity of 35 000 litres.

The other villages, which are serviced by the clinic include Matshiloni, Penemene, Mugaladivha, Jopembe, Manazwe, Makhawa and Gukunze. Devolution funds are assisting local authorities to fulfil their obligation of ensuring improved access to social amenities across the country through development of key infrastructure such as clinics, classroom blocks, roads and bridges among other facilities.

Speaking during the handover ceremony of the maternity home on Wednesday last week, Beitbridge RDC chief executive officer, Mr Peter Moyo said working in conjunction with development partners, council has stepped up efforts to improve service delivery in the district.

He said such partnerships have helped speed up the completion of critical transformational projects in the district.

“As a local authority we are seized with improving service delivery on issues to do with public health, education, infrastructure development and water and sanitation. It is through such partnerships that we will be able to transform rural areas and meet our obligations in line with the National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1),” said Mr Moyo.

Beitbridge RDC and World Vision Zimbabwe provided funding for the facility while the local community chipped in with labour.

World Vision national country director, Mr Assan Golowa Phiri said the piped water scheme at the clinic also supplies water to the local primary school and the community.

He said World Vision is complementing Government efforts to help meet some of the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“These initiatives, which revolve around health, education, water and sanitation and food security are part of complementing what the Government of Zimbabwe is doing in line with the NDS1.

“This is not necessarily a World Vision project, but we have council, locals and their leaders playing their roles,” said Mr Phiri.

He said the community provided labour and other resources while World Vision and council provided the funding.

In interviews after the commissioning of the mothers’ shelter, beneficiaries said the facility will go a long way in addressing the challenges they faced in the area.

“As locals, we are quite excited with this development as it will restore our dignity as women. Previously, some expecting mothers would travel long distances to either neighbouring Mtetengwe, which is 25km away or Beitbridge town to access services,” Mrs Portia Moyo.

Ms Bokang Nare, an expecting mother, said the refurbished maternity home will help minimise cases of women delivering at home. She said the commissioning of the mothers’ shelter is a positive step towards saving the lives of women.

Mrs Gertrude Ndou said the piped water project has helped reduce the distances travelled by locals to access water.

She said as a long-term plan, the community intends to construct a kitchen to cater for the needs of the mothers as well as creating a nutrition garden for the expecting mothers.

The vice chairperson of the Tongwe Piped Water Scheme, Mr Shadreck Milimo, said in terms of water and sanitation, there has been a tremendous improvement in the entire ward. — @tupeyo