By Christine Chiromo
The Rotary Club of Gweru recently pledged over 60 wheelchairs at a handover event held at Gweru poly to people with disabilities (PWDs) in the Midlands province in a bid to support to people living with physical disabilities.
The Rotary Club event rendered a great service to the community through strengthening individual capacity of communities thereby living up to its mandate of being problem solvers, taking action to create change, enhancing mobility of PWDs and achieving what disability groups clamor for of ‘leaving no one behind.
Gweru Rotary Club president, James Mugarisanwa said most of the donations will be rolled out before end of year.
“Our wish is to assist as many people as we can especially those living with disabilities. What we have done today will be continued and we are also looking forward to be giving more such donations to disadvantaged groups by year end 2020,” Mugarisanwa said.
Rotary International is an international service organization open to all. It is non-political and non-religious, whose stated purpose is to bring together stakeholders in order to provide humanitarian service, advance goodwill and peace around the world.
Assistance devices like wheelchairs remove or reduce disability and enables users to move independently. They also enable caregivers to ferry someone from one place to another without having to carry the person or leaving them behind.
Former Senator representing persons with disabilities, Annah Shiri noted that persons with disabilities can contribute meaningfully to national development if they are empowered economically and socially.
“This donation will help people who are living with disabilities to move around freely and without difficulties. Through such empowerment, people with disabilities can contribute a lot to the nation’s development,” Shiri said.
Beneficiaries could not contain their joy saying that wheelchairs are designed to help people with disabilities to enjoy greater freedom and independence as they go about their day to day activities.
“I would like to thank Rotary club for making our lives easier. They have put a smile on our faces,’ said director of Young Voices Disability Zimbabwe Trust (YVDZ), Nyasha Mahwende.
“Most parents used to carry a 20year old child from point A to point B. Some school going children can now even go to school without a lot of challenges.”
