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Leonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
PUPILS from Chinotimba Primary School in Victoria Falls have raised over R13 000 to help an Early Childhood Development (ECD) schoolmate, Taboka Angeline Sibanda, who has a heart problem and has to undergo surgery.

Sibanda, who is five, is an ECD B learner at the school.

The last born girl in a family of three has a pericardial effusion, also referred to as “fluid around the heart”, a condition where excess fluid develops between the lining of the heart (pericardium) and the heart itself.

Her heart is said to be too big and causing her upper abdomen and chest to swell, and it also has a hole, which doctors said affects it’s functioning.

Her mother, Ms Qiniso Ndlovu, said doctors informed them that an operation can be done in South Africa for R30 000 or India for US$10 000.

This excludes transport, food and accommodation.

The girl was recently taken to Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo where she was given medication to help drain fluids from the heart.

The school has an enrolment of 1 554 pupils and half of them contributed US$1 or the equivalent, according to one of the teachers, Mr Victor Sibanda, who is coordinating the fundraising.

With the help of teachers, the pupils held a civvies day last Friday to raise the money.

The children did various activities, including poems and music raising awareness about health issues and the need to improve the quality of healthy lifestyles as espoused in the country’s economic blueprint, National Development Strategy 1 (NDS1) and Sustainable Development Goals.

The fundraising drive is still open and pupils were still contributing yesterday.

Some contributed via the EcoCash platform directly to the girl’s mother.

A news crew visited the school yesterday and witnessed the donation being handed over to the girl’s mother.

“We want her to be well and we will still contribute,” said Grade 6 pupil Leslie Moyo as they handed over the money.

The girl’s abdomen is visibly big, but teachers and her mother said it had subsided after getting medication recently.
She sometimes spends hours lying down due to pain.

Teachers were excited by the learners’ thundering response, which perfectly fits the name of the school. Chinotimba means thundering sound in the local Nambya language.

“Her teacher noticed that she sometimes missed lessons and upon inquiring, her mother said she had a health problem.

“The mother came to school to explain and this prompted us as a school to hold a civvies day to fundraise for her operation,” said Mr Sibanda.

He said the school applied to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education for permission to organise the civvies day and permission was granted.

“We started by explaining the girl’s condition to other learners and many were emotionally touched and some even shed tears. We had an enormous campaign and there was a massive response from the children.

“Each was contributing a dollar or equivalent and what has been received so far is more than R13 200, which is overwhelming considering that these are children helping their colleague. Yes, teachers also contributed in their classes, but this is wholly a pupils’ initiative,” said Mr Sibanda.

Touched by the plight, some parents also reportedly contributed directly to Ms Ndlovu.

The school head, Mrs Cynthia Khumalo, who is also national president of the National Association of Primary School Heads, said the school was touched by both the girl’s plight and response by learners.

“We are touched by what learners have done. It’s a challenge to us elders and the business community to have empathy, especially for the vulnerable. Our prayer is that the child gets help so that she undergoes an operation for her to realise her dream of education in good health,” Ms Khumalo said.

Ms Ndlovu said Taboka’s condition started when she was young.

“Her stomach started swelling when she was young and we used to think it was inkanda (fontanelle) and gave her traditional herbs.

“We went to hospital when her condition worsened and doctors at Mpilo said she had a heart disease which can be operated in India or South Africa.

“We didn’t have the money and I don’t know how to thank teachers and pupils at Chinotimba   School for what they have done. I pray that we get more help so that she has the operation,” Ms Ndlovu said.

Those willing to help can contact Ms Ndlovu on 0782360702 and her account number is 56235064333332 (BancABC) Victoria Falls branch. — @ncubeleon.