Zimpapers Logo

George Maponga Masvingo Bureau

MASHWEDE Holdings has transformed education in the Sese area after it connected water and electricity to three schools at about US$150 000 as part of its corporate social responsibility programme.

The firm has also connected running water to more than 20 households in Mashamhanda Village where Mashwede founder and director, Mr Alex Mashamhanda, was born.

However, it is the connection of water and electricity at Danhamombe High, St Simom Zhara and Chikore primary schools in Ward 20 that has left the community happy.

At Danhamombe High, Mashwede is also spearheading a different programme to build girls’ and boys’ hostels as part of grand plans to transform the school into a boarding institution.

Villagers are upbeat that connecting power and water at the three schools in Sese with an enrolment of over 2 000 students, will boost the quality of education.

They paid tribute to Mr Mashamhanda, who did his early primary education at St Simon Zhara Primary in the late 1950s, saying his helping hand dovetails with the Government’s rural industrialisation agenda.

Electricity availability at the three schools will enhance learning through use of information communication technology (ICTs).

The pass rate is also expected to go up while the best teachers would be attracted to the schools owing to a conducive operating environment.

Ward 20 Councillor Alec Nhundu praised Mashwede Holdings and its founder for transforming the Sese area.

“Mr Mashamhanda is a gift to the people of Sese and our development patron because he has managed to spearhead transformation of our areas.

“He has electrified schools and connected water and this has improved the learning environment at the three schools. Our children can now use computers despite that we are in a rural area,” he said.

Clr Nhundu said Sese will never be the same again with developmental initiatives spearheaded by Mr Mashamhanda and his company.

“We wish he (Mr Mashamhanda) could just come and stay with us here because he is really transforming lives.

“He is a true example of a person fulfilling President Mnangagwa’s ‘nyika inovakwa nevene vayo’ mantra.”

Clr Nhundu also commended the running water provided for drinking and irrigating small gardens.

He said the water will boost village nutrition and improve household incomes through sale of green produce.

Mr Mashamhanda said he is a rural boy, adding that wealth was meaningless unless it positively impacts on the lives of others.

“I am doing all these projects because I am a rural boy, whatever I am today was shaped by my surroundings in Sese and these projects are my own way of appreciating the society that shaped how I am today,” he said.

“We are doing all this for future generations, we are looking into the future now because some of us are in the sunset of our lives. We can only immortalise ourselves by planning a better life for those coming in future.”

Mr Mashamhanda added that he fully subscribes to the notion that a country can only be developed by its citizens saying it was possible to industrialise rural areas through harnessing locally available resources.

He has also repaired roads and built dip tanks and small dams in the Sese area.