Richmore Tera
Features Writer
TUCKED away in the hot and arid hinterland area of Mudzi lies a family leading a bare and precarious existence, surviving mainly on the wild fruit  — masawu.
While its sounds stranger than fiction, the reality pains so as much as the groin pains on behalf of the sore. 

The Ndowa family of Penga Penga Village, Chimukoko Ward in Mudzi, not only rely on this wild fruit to keep body and soul together, but the mother and her two children have to contend with a rare medical condition that has beset them for the better part of their lives.
They were born with acute body deformities and mental retardation that have seen them leading their lives in a vegetative state.

So acute is their condition — which is commonly referred to as Down’s syndrome — that their community has literally ostracised them.
At first sight, the two “children” — Tozivei (35) and his 32-year-old sister Barbara — look like kids of primary school age, but upon learning of their age, one receives the shock of their lives.

They suffer from a congenital disorder caused by the weak make-up of their DNA which has resulted in stunted body growth, flat faces, and handicapped limbs compounded by mental retardation.
To add to the burden that is already weighing this family down is the fact that the mother, who, naturally supposed to be the nurse and care-giver of her physically-challenged children, is also in a similar situation, further aggravated by the stroke she suffered three years ago.

Cecilia (63) and her two children cannot walk on their own but rely on the head of the family Taitos Ndowa also 63 who is able-bodied and has to carry them from one place to another, bath them, feed them or help them with anything they want.
However, the Ndowa family recently found an “angel” who touched by their plight, decided to assist the family with their needs.

What started off as simple day of relaxation at home watching the news bulletin on television in November last year, turned out to be a heart-rending journey for Mrs Isabel Chihuri, wife to Commissioner-General of the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Augustine Chihuri, which eventually linked her to the Ndowa family.
On the news clip, the Ndowa family was appealing for assistance and this touched Mrs Chihuri that she tracked them to their Mudzi homestead.
This saw the family receiving its first assistance from the philanthropist — who is also the national vice chairperson of an association called Kuyedza Women’s Club

from the ZRP which is involved in charity work for orphans, widows, the less privileged as well as various income-generating projects to assist women.

This week, Mrs Chihuri, through her emissary, Superintendent Eunice Marimo, who is also the Deputy Chaplain-General in the ZRP, paid the Ndowa another visit during they donated goodies worth US$600 as well as US$200 cash for the family’s upkeep.
It was an emotional moment for the members of the family as they received the groceries from the well-wishers.

“Mwari ngaakudzwe, ndanga ndichitokutaurai (Praise be to God, I was just talking about you),” said an ecstatic Mrs Ndowa, who unlike her children, is able to speak.
She also suffers from high blood pressure and immediately plunged into the challenges she faces in acquiring the medication.
“I had run out of medication and Baba here could not travel the long distance to the clinic to acquire them for me so he had to phone my twin sister who is in Harare who then brought me the supply I am currently taking,” she said.

Superintendent Marimo, who was visibly touched by the situation she was witnessing, said: “We have come here at the behest of the Chihuri family and on behalf of the entire police force.

“We believe that God gave us His son Jesus Christ out of love for all of us and in the same vein it is also our obligation to give back that love to others.
“God loves you and we urge others to emulate this gesture by assisting you and other people who are in a similar situation,” she said.
Barbara, who can go as far as uttering a syllable, could not conceal her joy and had a time of her life as she and her family enjoyed eating sweets which Superintendent Marimo gave them.

“Our neighbours are not giving us any assistance and we are grateful to you. Chief Nyamukowo also came to our assistance when he donated three bags of maize and some clothes to us.
“When the people in this area went to apply for donor funding, we were left out. ZBC also pledged to assist us with a grinding mill, which we understand they have already bought, and they also said they were going to help by building a house for us,” Mr Ndowa said.

He said he does all the domestic and household duties including ploughing using their two beasts.
“We plough but because of the aridity of our area, we reap little yields. At one time the chief also helped us by having our fields ploughed but again the yields were low,” Mr Ndowa lamented.

Superintendent Marimo said Kuyedza Women’s Club, through Mrs Chihuri, was going to keep on extending a helping hand to the family.
“Our aim as Kuyedza Masimba is to assist people from all spectrums of society. It is not just the Ndowa family but also widows, orphans and we are also urging women to come out and take an active role,” she said.