By Richmore Tera.
Harare, Zimbabwe. (News Of The South) – THE adage that charity begins at home was recently fulfilled when a United Kingdom – based charity organisation, Vasikana veChitungwiza muDiaspora, donated formula milk and syringes to Chitungwiza Central Hospital’s maternity ward.
The organisation also pledged to return to the hospital next year with plans of drilling a borehole for the same ward as a way of easing water problems.
Pastor Elizabeth Kalonga, who is a treasurer with the charity organisation, said they decided to come and donate to Chitungwiza Central Hospital since it is located in the community where they were raised.
“We all come from Chitungwiza and therefore we have decided to plough back into the community that raised us,” she said.
Pastor Kalonga said their choice of targeting the maternity ward tallied with their mission of helping disadvantaged women.
“Our vision is to help women in the maternity ward and those who are HIV positive and can’t breastfeed.
“The last time I came here I went around the hospital with the matron and the other team to see what we can do since we have been running this charity organisation since 2011. When I was asked to visit I saw there was need in the maternity ward.
“That is the reason why I have come with these guys from African Home Tradition so that they too can identify if there are some areas in the hospital that need help,” said Pastor Kalonga, referring to officials from their sister organisation, African Home Tradition, which is also into humanitarian work, who were in her company.
Their visit came a day before World Aids Day Commemorations.
Chitungwiza Central Hospital’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr Obadiah Moyo said he was pleased by the donation.
“You knew and remembered that home is best hence the decision to come back and donate to your hospital. It shows that you feel proud of home, that home is best for you and to us that is a big sacrifice on your part. It shows that you are doing it whole – heartedly considering the fact that life in the UK is not all that rosy. A little something especially when there is nothing is very appreciated,” said Dr Moyo.
Dr Moyo urged Vasikana veChitungwiza muDiaspora to keep up the good work, expressing hope that bigger consignments would make their way to the hospital in future.
Matron Miriam Kaseke hailed the donation saying it would go a long way in easing the challenges at the hospital.
“There are times when mothers die soon after birth and their babies need milk, while at the same time dumped babies we keep here in the pediatric ward also require milk; so this donation came as timely boon for us,” she said.
Pastor Kalonga and her team were led to the pediatric ward by the hospital’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs Audrey Tasaranarwo, where they came face to face with dumped babies.
She was particularly touched by a baby boy whom the nurses named Nyasha (surname unknown) who was dumped at Huruyadzo Shopping Centre in Chitungwiza.
“He doesn’t have a surname, he got his name from the nurses and and his age is estimated to be between plus or minus six months old,” explained Sister E. Nyamakura who was in charge of the pediatric ward.
Pastor Kalonga then christened the baby Nyasha Kalonga after her own surname.
“Tatowana mwana wedu pano pahospital (We now have a new baby from this hospital)!” she joked.
Mrs Tasaranarwo took time to explain to the visitors how the adoption procedures were done if someone were to adopt a child.
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