Good Samaritans save girl (8) from injury
A WOMAN from Bulawayo’s Njube suburb will forever be grateful to the Zimbabwean community, both local and in the diaspora for contributing towards raising funds to procure medication for her daughter who had suffered a life-threatening head injury.
Thabisile Masuku (8) a Grade 3 pupil at Mawaba Primary School in Lobengula West suffered a deep cut on the head after falling from a guava tree early this month.
Her mother, Mrs Sibusisiwe Masuku said she heard children screaming and when she went out to investigate, she found her daughter lying in a pool of blood.
“She was playing with three other girls under a guava tree and I don’t know how but she slid and fell head long from the tree. I immediately rushed her to Mpilo Central Hospital and it was already after 4pm, and I was told the doctor had already knocked off and she was given painkillers.
“The following day the wound was stitched and the scan showed that the wound was dirty therefore the doctors were forced to reopen the wound to clean before stitching it up again,” said Mrs Masuku.
She said doctors, however, demanded to run more tests to check the extent of the injury but she did not have the money.
Mrs Masuku is unemployed and her husband is a contract worker at the Bulawayo City Council.
“I took pictures of the wound and showed them to a friend in the United Kingdom (UK) and she connected me to a Zimbabwean man — Mr Philip Sibanda who assisted us in raising funds for the tests and scan.
“I didn’t know this man but he connected me to Zimbabweans around the world. I received more than US$150 and more than $500 local currency. From the money I received I was able to pay for the scan, tests and commute to the hospital. I thought she was getting better but when some ladies who are doctors came to visit her, they said the wound was a bit swollen and they offered to pay for another scan to check if there were no complications,” said Mrs Masuku.
She said she will forever be indebted to the people who assisted her.
“I appreciate the assistance from all these people, considering that they did not know me or my daughter,” said Mrs Masuku.
In an interview, Mr Sibanda said he was touched by the girl’s story and saw the need to help.
“When I received the girl’s pictures I was moved and I quickly posted them on my social media platforms and the response from people was impressive.
“I run a charity organisation called Philip Trust in Zimbabwe that helps children in need and two weeks back we raised funds for a young girl in Chiredzi, Zimbabwe who is suffering from elephantiasis,” said Mr Sibanda.
He added that he finds joy and fulfilment in helping other people and said he would help even more in the future.