By Tinotenda Kutama
In a heartwarming display of community spirit, the Herentals Group of Colleges Kwekwe Branch recently donated food supplies and vegetable seeds to the Mary Ward Children’s Home in Amaveni, Kwekwe last Friday.
The donation aims to support the home, which cares for 60 children, many of whom attend local primary and secondary schools.
Herental’s Principal, Pervade Chinoringa, expressed gratitude for the support from various stakeholders. “Professor ED Benza the brains behind Herentals is the one we are learning from, and he gives us the opportunity to do all these things. The College management committee, the learners, and the parents at large assisted us a lot,” he said.
He emphasized that the donation was part of a broader effort to instill the values of *unhu*—a philosophy centered on humanity and community support—within the students.
“Most of the donations came from the learners,” he added.
Herentals Head Boy, Audios Mpofu, shared the students’ motivation behind the initiative.
“We gathered as students after seeing that this year is a year of hunger, so we decided to contribute different foodstuffs and thought of Mary Ward Children’s Home. That is why we came here,” he said.
Tanatsiwa Munyuki, a junior councillor from Kwekwe City, highlighted the importance of helping those in need. “The aim behind the donation was to help those in need because we have things that others require. We have to give rather than leaving them behind, so we looked for a nearby place where we could share the little we have,” she said.
Mary Ward Children’s Home, established in 1992 under the leadership of the late Sister Ortrudis from Germany, continues to provide a nurturing environment for the children. Some older residents have moved on to work or are currently on attachments in fields such as banking and hospitality, while others are pursuing studies at colleges.
This generous gesture by the Herentals Group of Colleges not only provides immediate relief to the children at Mary Ward but also fosters a sense of responsibility and compassion among the students, ensuring the spirit of giving continues to thrive in the community.
