Sontala Community in Matobo Ward 12 recently received a donation of cement towards the construction of a clinic.
The idea of having a clinic in the community was mooted over 4 years ago at a public meeting organised by Habakkuk Trust where villagers lamented the number of home deliveries, premature deaths, and people with chronic diseases defaulting due to the absence of a health facility in the Ward.
Once completed, the clinic is set to alleviate the plight of the community members who are currently struggling to access basic health services because of the long distances they have to walk to Mbembeswane Clinic, Kezi Clinic, or Maphisa Hospital.
Africa Children’s Hope Foundation recently donated 10 bags of cement and pledged to donate more equipment that will go a long way in promoting access to basic health in Matobo Ward 12. The Foundation’s representative Mr. Lovemore Dube handed over the donation to the clinic committee. He explained that as a Foundation, they had heard a lot about the community efforts and wanted to assess the needs and how they can contribute to the project.
“Now that we know what is lacking, we will try to get more resources to assist this community,” he said. “We also have some clinic equipment we would like to donate once this health facility is open.”
The community has also been receiving donations from their children based in South Africa and Botswana for the project. Resources have also been mobilized through household contributions and others volunteering their time to ferry necessary resources or work at the clinic site.
The structure is almost at the window seal level, a perimeter fence has been erected. The community is appealing for more donations towards the project.
Access to basic health care is a challenge in most rural communities in Matabeleland provinces. Matobo Rural District Council made a resolution in recent years to peg a clinic in every ward as a way of improving access to health services. Sontala community is one of the few wards that have taken a proactive step to build its own clinic.
Source: Habakkuk Trust
