Amalima in partnership with the World Bicycle Relief has donated a total of 300 bicycles to village health workers in four districts in Matabeleland to improve their mobility at a time when the world, Zimbabwe included, is battling the novel COVID-19 pandemic.
Amalima is a USAID Development Food Security Services Program (DFSA), which has been running in Zimbabwe since 2013 and is coming to a close this year.
The four districts which benefited from the timely donation are Bulilima, Mangwe, Gwanda and Tsholotsho, where the programme has been running.
Speaking the handover ceremony for Bulilima and Mangwe districts beneficiaries at Plumtree District Hospital, Amalima lead nutrition specialist, Pamela Ncube-Murakwani, said they were excited about having the opportunity to be able to support the Ministry of Health and Child Care with the donation, explaining, each district was receiving 75 bicycles.
“We know that these bicycles will go a long way towards addressing some of the challenges, including the mobility challenges that the village health workers are facing,” she said.
“This is particularly important right now because as a country we are facing COVID-19 pandemic.”
She added that it was important for village health workers who are the foot soldiers of the Ministry of Health to be capacitated to fully support communities as the country responds to the pandemic.
Acting Mangwe District Medical Officer,Dr Nyasha Hunda, paid tribute to Amalima and WBR, adding the donation would help in addressing mobility challenges in the vast district.
“This donation from Amalima has come at a time when we really need it,” he said.
“We are very ecstatic; we are pleased to have such a partner during these times. For us to have received this donation, we are beyond words. There is no other way we can express our gratitude.”
Maxwell Maphosa, acting health services administrator for Bulilima District Medical Officer also paid tribute to the donors.
“We are so grateful for receiving the donation from Amalima and World Bicycle Relief,” he said.
“This donation came at a time when we have COVID-19, which is a challenge to the whole nation and the whole world.”
Chithekile Ndlovu, a village health worker from Ndiweni clinic in Bulilima could not contain her joy over the donated bicycles.
“We are happy to receive this gift from you,” she said.
“We will no longer struggle to reach out to people in the communities.”
