Diaspora women plough back

A GROUP of women living in the Diaspora has joined forces to pool resources towards the implementation of some developmental projects in Manicaland, as part of an initiative to plough back into the community.

The group, Ladies of Manicaland (Europe), consists of more than 300 women living and working in the United Kingdom, Denmark and other Scandinavian countries.

In an interview with The Herald yesterday, LoM representative Ms Clara Mauwa said the women, who originally connected on social media because of their ties with Manicaland, had come up with an idea to plough back to the communities they grew up in.

“We believe as people in the Diaspora that we should not forget our roots,” she said.

“We should not forget the place where we come from. We should all come together and contribute where we can to make life bearable for those at home.

“We have been coming back home over the past few years and seeing how people in Manicaland are suffering motivated us to work. The hospitals are in desperate need of resources and even some sectors of the industry have just deteriorated.

“We thought if we could come up with a fund that everyone contributes to, we might be able to make a difference in the community. While our contributions might be little, we believe they might go a long way in making someone’s life more bearable.”

The group recently donated sanitary wear and various soap and detergent products to patients in the maternity wards at Mutare Provincial Hospital and Sakubva District Hospital.

These included sanitary pads, peanut butter, petroleum jelly, bath soap and laundry bars.

“The donation at the maternity wards was a last minute initiative, which we thought would cheer up the women during the festive season,” said Ms Mauwa. “But there is more coming. This is just the beginning.

“I will take feedback from this visit to the ladies back in Denmark and we will then decide on which areas we will be supporting from in the future.

“It will not be hospitals only that will benefit, but as many people as we can afford to reach depending on the available resources.”

Ms Mauwa said they also took the time to visit Zororai Old People’s Home in Sakubva to share the joy of Christmas with the elderly.