Patrick Chitongo
Life is getting back to normal for the 21 old inmates at Rudoisimba Old People’s home, thanks to Desmond Naude, Malilangwe Trust and N Richards.
Last week, the home got connected to safe, clean taped water to their doorsteps, after installation of solar pumped tap water.
Previously, the home was using water from a borehole, about a kilometre from the home, and nearby Chipimbi river.
It was a torrid time for the inmates, most of them completely invalids, to get water from the previous sources.
Desmond Naude, the all weather Chiredzi philanthropist, mobilised the resources for the job, after several visits at the home.
Naude said he was touched by the plight of the old people, and decided to help them. He is also providing them with porridge and Maheu powder to suppliment their diet.
On this new development, he sourced the pump, solar panels and pipes from a well wisher who is based in USA.
The tank was donated by N Richards, while the tank stand came through Malilangwe’s unfading benevolence. The total value of the whole system is US$6 000.
Rudoisimba was formed in 2000 by the late Brian Richard Stockil, together with four black volunteers who were his church mates at the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Pole and dagga houses, thatched with vartiva grass were the first housing units that accommodated the first 7 inmates at the beginning of the project. To date, there is standard accomodation at the home, courtesy of various well wishers, donors like Help Age, International Office for Migration(IOM), Zirdat,Malilangwe Trust, Hippo Valley Lions Club, Tongaat and the Seventh Day Adventist Church.
The old people’s home is domiciled at Chipimbi ressetlement, Chiredzi North, about 30 km from Chiredzi Town.
The home’s coordinator, Abraham Ushe, applauded the donation, saying it will go a long way to lift the standards of the old people. He however said there is still a lot of work to be done, including construction of an inland dam that will provide irrigation water for self sustainability.
“On behalf of the home, I would like to extent my gratitude for the donation. I however, would also like to extend our begging bowl to more donations for the construction of an inland dam that will help us to be self sustainable. We also want our home to be protected and electrified, and on that regard, we are also appealing for a security fence and a durawall as well as electricity in our houses,” Ushe appealed.
