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Mirriam Madiye

Features Writer

It is that time of the year end when people all over the world get to celebrate Christmas day. Some people get to visit tourist attractions, friends and relatives whilst others party and go braaing.

Globally, it cannot be disputed that this year’s Christmas was one of a kind as it was totally different from the yester years due to the Covid -19 pandemic which at one time made businesses to come to a brink, schools, churches and beerhalls to be closed.

Today 40 vulnerable families in and around Shamva, celebrated Christmas in style despite the Covid-19 pandemic.

The families received grocery hampers courtesy of Sister Kanosvamhira Foundation on December 21.

The beneficiaries include orphans, the elderly, students from Bindura University and Wadzanai High School.

Sister Kanosvamhira Foundation was founded by a Zimbabwean registered nurse based in Australia, Olivia Kanosvamhira. She has pledged to help the less privileged back home as she is giving them grocery packs every month since April of this year, paying fees for 18 students, and buying them complete school uniforms.

The grocery packs comprised of 10 kgs maize meal, 2kgs sugar, 1kg salt, 2 litres cooking oil, 2kg washing powder, a bar of laundry and one tablet of bath soap, 1kg powdered milk, 2kgs rice, a crate of eggs, two loaves of bread, 2kg flour, a box of 100 tea bags, 500g margarine, jam, 2 litres Mazoe orange crush, a live chicken among other things.

To make their Christmas merrier, Sister Kanosvamhira also gave each family a Christmas cake and boerewors.

In an interview with the Herald, Co-ordinator of the foundation, Ms Hellen Mandeya highlighted that the donations are important to the families as they have changed greatly their lifestyle.

“We decided to make this year’s Christmas special to them. Every Friday of the first week of the month they receive their grocery packs but this month we added a cake for them so that they could enjoy it with their families and celebrate Christmas,” said Mandeya.

Mandeya also highlighted that their beneficiaries are very appreciative of Sister Kanosvamhira’s work.

Sekuru Christon Zindi (71,) one of the beneficiaries could not hide his joy and thanked Sister Kanosvamhira.

“Today l am over the moon by these groceries given to us by her and for the past six months my life has changed.  What she is doing shows how generous Sister Kanosvamhira is.

My greatest wish is to see her physically and thank her. I have neither seen or heard of someone so generous and caring like her in my whole life. I did not know that out there are people like her.

Someone fending for families and paying school fees for students she does not know is a great job considering the Covid -19 pandemic we are in. Things are not well but she is sacrificing and making sure we get all the basics that we need,” said Sekuru Zindi.

He added that her gesture shows that she was well brought up and prays that God must continually bless her so that she could continue doing her good works.

“My family could not do it for me but a total stranger did it for me, l am overwhelmed,” he said.

Another beneficiary, Gertrude Siyamandini (14) who is in Form one and whose school fees is paid by the Sister Kanosvamhira Foundation said she has benefited immensely from the groceries and the payment of fees.

“My parents are both alive, are not working and they cannot afford to pay my school fees. I would have dropped out of school by now but my gratitude goes to Sister Kanosvamhira. She did a great gesture for me and the other students by paying our school fees and giving us this grocery pack.  I am very grateful and I fall short of words to thank her,” said Siyamandini.

Siyamandini sentiments were also echoed by Clayton Nyambikira, a Bindura University student who highlighted that when he finishes his education, he wants to emulate Sister Kanosvamhira.

“My greatest wish is to emulate what Sister Kanosvamhira is doing when l finish school.  She is setting a good example for us the youngsters that no matter where you go, you should help the disadvantaged members of the society. One should plough back to their community. I am very happy that l cannot contain my joy. I am overwhelmed,” said Nyambikira.

Nyambikira called out to other people who have resources and capabilities to help other disadvantaged people of the society so that those people will live a better life and a change in the society.

“l pray that she will be blessed and that her years of living be multiplied,” he added.

The beneficiaries could not hide their joy as they received their grocery packs from the team.

The beneficiaries and the Shamva community were given the opportunity to be entertained by Darlington Mutseta also known as Mambo Dhuterere and wife. Mambo Dhuterere is a Sister Kanosvamhira ambassador.