Villagers in ward 11, Mandiwongola in Gwanda under Chief Mathema are appealing for assistance with wheelchairs, drums and food hampers for a mother and her son who have disabilities.
Chiwela Ncube who had one of her legs amputated after an accident lives with her son Nkululeko Ncube who is wheelchair bound.
Chiwela was injured while working on a dam project and ended up being amputated.
Her son, Nkululeko, is appealing for a wheelchair as the one he was using is no longer functional.
“I am no longer able to fetch water,” Chiwela said. “I used to use my cart to fetch water and look for firewood, but some chains broke so I am no longer able to fetch water.”
One of the neighbours who assists them from time to time, Lucina Abu Basutu from Brethren In Christ Church, said the cart used to assist Nkululeko to fetch water on his own.
“In my church, I lead a project called the Hands of Grace program which assists people with disabilities, widows and orphans,” Basutu said. “At the moment there is an organization that promised us wheelchairs this week. I am just hoping that they will deliver as we have been getting such promises but never materialize.”
She said the broken cart was bought by pastors of the Lutheran Church long back during the Ian Smith regime.
“They are failing to assist themselves as the wheelchair is no longer functional,” Basutu said. “I am hoping that once they have a wheelchair, those willing to assist can also help with food hampers since they can’t even farm.”
Basuthu said the other challenge is that the family does not have big drums for storing water.
“Villagers are really assisting them by getting firewood and water for them, but the challenge that I have noticed is that they don’t have big drums for people to put enough water for them so that the son doesn’t struggle with getting water,” she said.
“This issue is stressing me,” Basuthu added. “For 73 years I have been in church and staying with my neighbours who are in this hardship but all my efforts have not yielded any results.”
In addition, a village head Nokuthula Nyathi said Nkululeko is the one doing household chores.
“When he doesn’t meet people at the borehole where he fetches water, it means he will spend the day there as he is not able to put the water bottles in his cart,” Nyathi said. “We will be very grateful if they could get wheelchairs so that they can be able to help themselves.”
How to help:
If you are interested in helping Chiwela and Nkululeko, you can contact Nikuthula Nyathi on +263 77 853 9244 and Lucina Abu Basutu on 0776850322.
