Mahwindo in extreme pain
INFLUENCER Wanisayi “Mahwindo” Mutandwa says ill-health won’t deter her from helping the needy.
Arguably the 2020 Philanthropist of the Year contender, Mahwindo is down with deep vein thrombosis, a recurrence triggered by an accident she was involved in a few years back in South Africa.
In medical terms, DVT is a serious condition that occurs when a blood clot forms in the veins deep inside one’s body.
It usually develops in the thigh or lower limb, according to medical researchers.
In Mahwindo’s case, according to the socialite, she has been experiencing excruciating pain on her left side, which prompted her to visit doctors who are set to operate on her today.
“I’m in pain these days and I sometimes sleep for three or less hours, around 4am, because of the pain I endure a lot.
“I have been taking pain-killers, but I mostly feel the pain in the dead of the night, which normally disturbs my sleep,” she said.
Mahwindo said her condition worsened this week after she learnt that the condition was affecting her lungs.
“At one point I thought I had Covid-19 symptoms, but the doctors told me that I had blood clots, which were now affecting the lungs and subsequently my breathing.
“I have accepted my condition and I will be fine,” she said.
Asked how she was coordinating her charity work despite her condition, Mahwindo who is also diabetic, explained:
“These days I am working mostly on the phone and I don’t move around owing to my condition.
“By the way, I am also diabetic and I take the diabetic insulin injection in the morning and at night.
“To those who look up to me as their mother through our foundation, we are still doing our work, but most of the assistance is now offered online due to the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Mahwindo, through her association aptly named Mahwindo Foundation, has been credited for assisting less-privileged members of society for the greater part of the year 2020.
She assisted elderly people in Chitungwiza and Seke communal lands with groceries before she took the campaign to Banket, Chinhoyi and Caledonia Farm.
In Caledonia, she assisted triplets that were dumped by their father who feared responsibility.
She also did the same for Kuwadzana triplets who also needed help last year.
She facilitated the treatment of popular dramatist Marabha, who was unwell.
As a music promoter who usually deals with artistes, Mahwindo Foundation sourced groceries that benefited more than 60 artistes in the mainstream media.
The help came at the right time as most artistes were grounded after losing their sources of income for the greater part of 2020 due to lockdown.
In the year 2021, the foundation has already assisted a Harare-based family with money to buy groceries after reaching out to the Mahwindo Foundation who raised the cash in a short space of time.