Mzingwane Old Boys Association (MOBA) on Thursday donated 105 desks and chair sets to the school as part of efforts to improve the state of the school.
The furniture was received by the headmaster Stanley Tizora, School Development Committee Chair Comfort Mujekesa and several staff members.
This brings to 220 the number of desks and chairs that have been donated by the MOBA since 2020.
“The Mzingwane Old Boys Association ( MOBA) donated a further 105 desks and chair sets to Mzingwane High School in Esigodini. It brings to 220 the desks and chairs donated by the old boys since it was registered as a Trust in 2020. The desks and chairs project came about when some old boys visited the school and found it in a sorry state with classrooms full of broken unusable furniture.
“In fact, most of the facilities we took pride in have become dilapidated or completely derelict. The school, once a leading school in the country and the pride of Matabeleland South has seen standards fall so badly that it doesn’t even feature in top 100 school rankings for the country,” an alumni member Qobolwakhe Mayisa said during the donation.
Mayisa said when the report reached the association they took up the challenge.
“A desk and chair campaign was launched for Old Boys to buy a desk and chair set. The campaign was a roaring success marshalled by the incredibly talented and energetic team organising that included Chris Manguruve, Maxwell Masuku, Nkululeko Innocent Dube, former Mzingwane teacher Willard Dungeni and one of the most creative marketing chaps I have ever come across, one Aaron Chingombe among others.
“In no time 120 sets had been delivered to the school by Christmas of 2020. The furniture was manufactured by a Bulawayo based company. The delivery yesterday was the second large delivery and included books donated through South Africa based Dj Zwest,” he said.
He said it was a motley collection of brilliant minds scattered across the globe united by the desire to make a difference to their former school.
“It reversed the narrative that we cant work together. Yes, we can! Collectively we can change our world! Yes, there were arguments, of course, there were setbacks but the Old Boys marched on. This is the first project done by MOBA and more are being planned to transform the school into one of the best in the country that will continue to produce stars as it has done in the past.
“World-class Engineers, teachers, medical practitioners, artists, technicians, journalists, religious ministers, politicians, world changers have come from that school and it has potential to produce more. It is the objective of MOBA to turn that into a reality. And you too can be a part of it,” he added.
Tizora said the donation will go a long way in alleviating furniture shortage and ensure that the school observes Standard Operations Procedures on covid-19 prevention.
“This is a big boost to us and a lesson to current learners to be responsible and lead by example shown by the alumni,” he said.
