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Herald Reporter

Prominent businessman Mr Alex Mashamhanda of Mashwede Holdings has applauded President Mnangagwa for launching the ED-UNZA Scholarship fund, saying  there was need to give the best education to children in the country.

The ED-UNZA (University of Zambia) scholarship programme gives disadvantaged Zimbabweans an opportunity to study at UNZA in Zambia.

This is an initiative by President Mnangagwa who once studied at UNZA.

Last Friday, President Mnangagwa said his personal background of deprivation in colonial Rhodesia instilled him a sense of benevolence towards the underprivileged in society.

The President said this during the ED-UNZA (University of Zambia) Scholarship Fundraising Dinner at State House in Harare.

At the glamorous occasion, the President’s scarf was auctioned for US$25 000, while his neck-tie fetched US$10 000. More than US$700 000 and at least $16 million was raised through bids and pledges from individuals and representatives of the business community, who graced the occasion.

Mr Mashamhanda and his son Tendai bid for the President’s scarf and made a pledge of US$50 000 towards ED-UNZA scholarship, at the dinner held at State House in Harare.

In his speech, Mr Mashamhanda who jokingly said, “the presumption is that I am unable to express myself in English . . .

“Anyway, your Excellency, this is coming from the bottom of my heart and that is for the future, the future is what we struggle for and the only way we lay foundation for this future is to give the best education to our children. Thank you Mr President.”

Beneficiaries of the ED-UNZA Scholarship, are drawn from the country’s 10 provinces. A total of 15 students are pursuing fully funded undergraduate studies at the University of Zambia and selected universities in Zimbabwe, 10 of them being Zimbabweans.

The scholarship also provides beneficiaries with tuition fees, accommodation, laptops, tablets, clothing, medical insurance, among other necessities.

Zimbabwean students under the scholarship are currently studying law, medicine and other disciplines in the sciences at the University of Zambia. Those from Zambia are pursuing studies in agricultural engineering, bio-technology, food sciences and technology as well as freshwater and fishery sciences.

Over the weekend, Falcon Golf Club hosted the inaugural Mashwede Charity Cup, which saw professional and amateur golfers competing in a single round.

The tournament is the brainchild of Mr Alex Mashamhanda, whose business entities seek to raise funds for the less privileged.

The Mashwede Charity Cup came barely a few months after the entrepreneur also successfully hosted the Mashwede Open Pro-Am at the same venue, where he is a trustee.