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Ellen Chasokela Herald Reporter
At least 200 children from Southerton constituency are benefiting from the greenhouse horticulture projects being spearheaded by Southerton Constituency Development Trust (SCCDT) in partnership with Apostolic Church of Pentecostal.

The project is benefiting orphans from Rugare Orphanage as well as the less privileged children in the constituency.

Apostolic Church of Pentecostal pastor Henry Zihove, who is also in charge of the orphanage, applauded the project saying it has helped the community a lot.

“The three elements here are that we have food, sustainability and life skills. As an organisation we must be able to sustain ourselves rather than rely on donations.

“We have 32 children in-house and the rest are in foster homes and some with guardians. We are running a bridging school with 40 children currently. Others benefit through life skills because most youths come here to learn and we also recruit out of school youths to come and train here.

“This community, Rugare, is a closed location it used to be owned by the National Railways of Zimbabwe (NRZ) most of the people here are foreigners who came to Zimbabwe as labour migrants and are now pensioners so as an organisation we are trying to set up systems and structures where people can learn out of here and practise them at home to sustain themselves,’’ he said.

SCCDT chairman Mr Andrew Makahamadze said the aim of initiative was to harness business and communities for development.

“The project should be functional within the next three months. Harare Hospital should be self-sufficient in food supply which will even help the Government in budget allocations for food for the patients

“There are times when there is not enough food so we want the hospital to be self-sustaining. All the excess will be sold so as to keep the project alive and kicking,” he said.