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Michael Magoronga Midlands Correspondent
Kwekwe General Hospital on Monday got a shot in the arm after it received an assortment of groceries worth $2 000 from Kwekwe Primary School’s Charity Club.

The donation is expected to go a long way in addressing food supply challenges  bedevilling the institution.

The groceries ranged from food items to toiletries, among other things.

Receiving the donation on behalf of the institution, Medical Superintendent Dr Patricia Mapanda said the donation has filled a huge void at the institution.

“We are really thankful to the pupils who thought of helping those in need. We have had to bear the pain of trying to deliver services with little resources, but we are grateful to the young ones and their teachers for the kind gesture,” said Dr Mapanda.

Dr Mapanda recently sent an SOS saying hunger had reared its ugly heard within the institution and if it continues unabated, patients would end up sleeping on empty bellies.

Kwekwe Primary School head Mr Joseph Machingura said as a school, they were touched by the dire situation at the institution after reading about it in the paper.

The Herald carried a story last week in which Dr Mapanda sent an SOS saying the institution had run out of food.

“We read a story in the newspaper which talked about hunger having stricken the hospital and we came up with an idea of assisting the patients. So the idea was sold to parents through our pupils and we received an overwhelming response.

“We are glad to be associated with the assistance of our neighbours,” said Mr Machingura.

With an enrolment of about 1 500 pupils and 41 teachers, the school is a mere 10 metres from the hospital.

Kwekwe Primary School Charity Club also donated goods worth $900 and $1 000 to Rugare Old People’s Home in Amaveni and Marry ward Orphanage respectively.

Patron of the Club, Mrs Monica Zibengwa, said the introduction of Culture and Heritage studies within schools had started bearing fruit.

“During a Grade 3 lesson we were talking about helping the needy, that is how the idea came about. Then when we sold the idea to the headmaster, he said why not.

“Our idea complemented well with what he had read in the newspaper about the hospital requiring assistance and we initiated the move,” she said.

She said the club had since started another campaign towards Cyclone Idai Victims.

“They are aware that there are some people who lost everything in Chimanimani and they are willing to assist,” said Mrs Zibengwa.