CHANTEL TAKUDZWA ZAMBUKIRA
The devastating effects of the Covid-19 pandemic had several organisations mushroom in several spheres of our society.
One such organisation called NUST Charity Movement, which is a brainchild of a student Ruramai Sigauke together with her friends.
Sigauke is a Part Three student at the National University of Science and Technology (NUST). Sigauke shared her idea to Davis Maupa and Takudzwa Majojo and the trio has been formulating and implementing the idea into fruition since the Covid-19 restrictions were relaxed.
Explaining to this reporter Sigauke said,
“Many students lost their parents due to. the pandemic and they need help, therefore in this movement, we are going to make sure that we help bu offering what we can to. make sure that their learning is catered for.”
The NUST Charity Movement which was born on the 10th of March 2022 is set to better the lives of inmates in orphanages as well as old people’s homes who were affected by the respiratory disease.
After realising that physical, mental and emotional support lacks amongst the victims that were affected Covid-19, the Charity Movement has noted the need to be near fellow mates so as to lend such support in terms of food, clothing and University tuition fees.
“We want to also help those children who are in need in and around Bulawayo. It feels so good to help those in need and sometimes it does not need a lot of money but the little we have to support someone who is in need is the best we can do,” said Sam Vera, the secretary for the movement.
The team says that their Movement is not going to be limited to the NUST environment only, but will lend a hand to other people in and around Bulawayo.
The Movement has drawn up a Constitution which points on how finances to pursue its activities will be conducted. They have approached several organisations such as supermarkets and fast food outlets to place piggy bank tins for collection of money. Some will be placed by their learning institution and some at Primary and Secondary schools. There will be periodic are fundraising activities as well as baking and selling of confectionery products.
Many students were seen registering with the team at the institution. Those who spoke to this publication stated that they support the initiative thus would want to partake in assisting those whose lives were affected by the pandemic.
The movement is also expecting to spread it’s wings to different Universities around Zimbabwe such as University of Zimbabwe, Chinhoyi University of Technology and Midlands State University.
“Our mission is to move around different Universities in Zimbabwe launching this movement and setting up a committee in those places such that it helps different people in different places around the country,” Sigauke who is the movement’s President said.
This movement is joining a lot of organisations that were formed after COVID-19 around the world. These students have realised that they need to be the nearest assistance for their fellow mates who are in need.-