Villagers in Ward 17, Nkayi, have come together to establish Masibambisane, a community self-help group that is spearheading development projects in the area.
In an area where governmental support is limited, these villagers have taken matters into their own hands to uplift their community.
Pooling their resources each month, the villagers fund various projects, including constructing a community hall and refurbishing school buildings, embodying the spirit of communal action and optimism for a brighter tomorrow.
Comprising 77 individuals from Mthoniselwa, Mfanyana, Mandani, and Gonye villages, the group members contribute R50 monthly towards Ward 17’s development.
Thobekile Ncube, a committee member, shared that the group was established in 2018 to mobilise funds for ward development using WhatsApp as a fundraising platform.
“We utilized WhatsApp to fundraise. So far, we have four different projects that we have played a role in. We have a monthly fee of R50, and we are still looking for other ways to raise funds as we still want to do more projects, including having our tractor, which will assist in farming for the less privileged members of the community. We have seen our elders struggling, our schools collapsing, and clinics without adequate material,” said Ncube.
She said as part of transparency, when they receive payments, slips are posted in the WhatsApp group.
“At the moment, we are focusing on finishing a community hall in Mandani, which we previously started. Our last fundraising was towards buying a fence for Tohwe primary school.”
Ncube said Masibambisane also caters to the less privileged members in their community. “We also buy groceries and clothes for the less privileged in the community as Christmas presents.”
Drawing inspiration from counterparts in Bulilima, whom they regard as mentors, Masibambisane occasionally engages in friendly competition, striving for continuous improvement.
“Our biggest wish is to see our area developing. We don’t want our communities to remain in the same position we grew up in. We believe that many hands make a difference than just one hand,” said Ncube.
“We have our brothers who left their children. If we don’t look after them, then who will do that? It takes a village to raise a child, and there is no place like home.”
Echoing Ncube’s sentiments, another committee member, Nokuthula Mlotshwa, emphasised Masibambisane’s growth over the years.
“We started off by buying sanitary pads for school children; we were also buying clothes and groceries for the less privileged around December,” said Mlotshwa.
“We have made a difference in our schools. At Tohwe secondary school, we built a dormitory for the girls; we also contributed towards the construction of Mandane hall and contributed around R20 000. There is another primary school in Sesemba; we donated cement and door frames and doors. Right now, we are in Tohwe Primary School, where we intend to fence the school,” she said.
