True to its nature of being a friend to Zimbabwe, the Chinese government has signed a project that is expected to see the rebuilding of Chipinge and Chimanimani areas.
The disaster that struck Chimanimani a year ago recollects the Ngangu Township with a carpet of huge boulders with scattered pieces of cups, plates, door frames, corrugated iron sheets and buckets being the only evidence of prior human habitation. It was not only this area, but other places were left upside down in a natural disaster that still has no answers to its origins.
Families, that one year ago, grappled with the loss of medical, educational and property records which had become a case of lost livelihoods, lost identities and lost investments. People literally woke up penniless, not that money mattered under those circumstances.
Some were rescued barely clothed and many disoriented and trying to get their full bearings. 1 680 households had been affected, with people from villages that included Tomeke, Bunga, Saurombe, Zihuli, Mwatsikenyeri, Nechirinda, Utseya and Manzou rendered homeless.
The long-lived storm caused a humanitarian crisis in Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi and left more than 1,300 people dead and many others missing.
Today China has signed a project that will see the rebuilding of those places. Tweeting on his page Chinese Ambassador to Zimbabwe wrote “237 housing units, 7 clinics and 8 staff houses, 66 toilets for 46 schools and 30 schools or classroom blocks will be rebuilt in Chimanimani and Chipinge. It's funded by China and implemented by @UNDPZimbabwe. Glad to sign the project today, sincerely thank all parties for their efforts.”
China has assisted Zimbabwe for many years dating back to the liberation struggle which saw the training of many liberation fighters.
The ceremony was attended by the Local Government Minister Cde July Moyo and a representative from the UNDP.