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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter

REHABILITATION of Ndlovu Secondary School which was extensively damaged by heavy rains and wind last week has started after a local philanthropist procured building material.

Stakeholders that include organisations and individuals visited the school to assess damage and are appealing for help to mobilise resources.

The school suspended classes following the damage occurred last week Sunday while make shift examination rooms were created in less damaged classes for Heritage Studies and Agriculture Ordinary Level final examinations that were written during the course of last week.

Mr Phumulani Tshambo, through Buy a Brick Foundation, an organisation that has helped transform livelihoods in Hwange District through projects, said he had budgeted US$20 000 for the repair of the school.

So far, he has bought 200 zinc roofing sheets to reroof the school’s administration block and two classroom blocks.

The heavy rains that were preceded by strong winds last week left a trail of destruction in Ndlovu area and destroyed 10 classroom blocks, an administration block and teachers’ cottages at the school while Ndlovu Milling at the nearby business centre lost 10 tonnes of maize meal.

A water reservoir servicing Kachechete Ward and a waiting mothers’ quarter at Ndlovu Clinic Ndlovu and a Civil Registry sub-office office, some bridges and roads were also damaged.

Several homesteads were also destroyed while some livestock were killed.

The entire area including Jambezi was left without electricity as the rains uprooted electricity poles and trees resulting in many roads being blocked.

The school needs roofing sheets and trusses and other materials used for roofing, before factoring in damage on furniture and learning material.

Mr Tshambo said he was approached by Public Works officials and Zanu-PF War Veterans League members with an SOS to help the school.

Ndlovu Secondary was officially opened in 1984 and has an enrolment of 300 learners and 13 teachers.

“I got a call from Public Works about the disaster. While my response was not in writing, I immediately acted upon the call and procured 200 zinc iron roofing sheets for the administration block and two classroom blocks and these will be delivered on Wednesday for work to start on Thursday,” said Mr Tshambo.

He said villagers have pledged to provide manpower to offload the roofing material when it’s delivered and help public works personnel with roofing.

“If funds permit, we wish to roof two teachers’ cottages. Our budget is US$20 000 for the administration block, two classroom blocks and two teachers’ cottages.

“I have been working with schools for a long time and Ndlovu Secondary is the mother school for many learning institutions outside Victoria Falls. Most of the new schools I have helped build are offshoots from Ndlovu, so its existence is critical and if it closes that will affect a lot of learners and examinations. More damage can be caused if it rains before the repairs,” he said.

Mr Morgen Gazza Dube, advisor of the Ndlovu Old Students Association said they were on the ground mobilising resources from members and well-wishers.

“We are mobilising resources from members and stakeholders who want to donate to the school, and we hope that reasonable material will have been mobilised in a short space of time whereupon this will be handed over to the school,” said Mr Dube.

Businessman Mr Christopher Ndiweni and other captains of industry also visited the school to have an appreciation of the disaster and find a solution to the challenge facing the school.

Hwange West Member of Parliament Godfrey Dube said the situation is a disaster that needs urgent attention.

–@ncubeleon