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Primary and Secondary Education Minister Dr Lazarus Dokora receives textbooks from Gogo Makandiwa(left) donated by UFIC’s Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa and Prophetess Ruth Makandiwa to Muringazuva Primary School in Muzarabani on Thursday. Looking on are Bishop Naison Muzenda(second from right) and Chief Sekete (far left) – (Picture by Innocent Makawa)

Tafadzwa Ndlovu Herald Reporter
A Cabinet minister has urged churches to emulate the United Family International Church led by Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa by taking a leading role in improving infrastructure and helping the disadvantaged.

Speaking while officially opening classroom blocks constructed by UFIC’s Prophetess Ruth Makandiwa at Muringazuva Primary School in Muzarabani on Thursday, Primary and Secondary Eduction Minister Lazarus Dokora said the move was in line with provisions of the Zim-Asset economic blueprint.

He said there was need for Government and the church to collaborate and come up with strategies that enable the improvement of quality and access to education for vulnerable and disadvantaged children.

Under Agape Family Care, the church’s charity wing, Prophetess Makandiwa built classroom blocks, drilled a borehole, donated furniture, textbooks and report books worth more than $200 000 to the school.

Dr Dokora said the construction of the school blocks would help ease shortages of infrastructure in the education sector and improve quality of education for children.

“What UFIC has done is commendable,” said Dr Dokora.

“This is way beyond ploughing back to the community.

“In order for our education to thrive, we have to build about 2 056 new schools countrywide and with such initiatives, we can never go wrong.

“This is also in line with Zim-Asset where infrastructural development is key. It is important that the church is now also involved in improving access to education for children as we have witnessed UFIC doing here, hence we need more partnerships like these ones to develop our nation.”

Dr Dokora said schools should not purely rely on donations, but come up with projects to sustain themselves.

“Prophetess Makandiwa has drilled a borehole for you and it is not only for drinking water,” he said.

“Since you have water available nearby come up with initiatives, start doing gardening and other projects to sustain yourselves, then Government will come to your rescue.”

Standing in for Prophetess Makandiwa, Agape Family Care head Pastor Rufaro Nyadembera said the church was humbled to be part of the development.

“In November 2012, Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa and Prophetess Ruth Makandiwa visited this school and realised that pupils here were learning under tree shades and had no infrastructure, so they decided to build this school because of their love for the people,” he said.

“Prophetess Makandiwa told me to thank you for allowing her to express her love towards your children and the community as a whole.”

Speaking at the same occasion, Muringazuva headmaster Mr Herbester Chibwe expressed gratitude for the donation.

“We had critical shortage of furniture and inadequate infrastructure and he honoured his pledge,” he said.

“We also now have electricity and it is through the Man of God (Prophet Makandiwa) that we have access to these things and we thank them.”

Prophet Makandiwa did part of his primary school education at Muringazuva and the school has 620 pupils and 18 teachers.