JOHANNESBURG The Matebeleland region is one of the most underdeveloped areas in Zimbabwe, following three decades of neglect by President Robert Mugabes Zanu (PF) government. Social infrastructure such as schools, hospitals and roads being up to standard still remains a pipedream in most parts of the region, while most companies have, over the years, been forced to relocate from the regional headquarters in Bulawayo, to other parts of the country due to perennial water shortages in the city.
Hunger has seen most people in the arid region having to rely on international food assistance, while many children have been forced to abandon the long walk of sometimes 35 kilometres to their nearest secondary school, to illegally cross the border into neighbouring South Africa to seek job opportunities.
Most residents of the regions three provinces Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and South, have resigned themselves to mourning the regions misgivings, but not a group of diasporans, who two years go came together to form a group now known as Matabeleland.Com.
Developing the region
The main thrust of the organisation, formed in 2008 and currently being chaired by United Kingdom-based Freeman Ncube, is to identify alternative ways of developing the region and cut its dependence from on only the central government.
The solution to the problems facing Matebeleland, as is general for the whole of Zimbabwe, lies largely with its people, Ncube told The Zimbabwean last week. There is need for the people of the region to realise that depending only on the efforts of the central government for development is nave and will only breed generations of people trapped in their own problems.
We need to take charge of our problems so that we can come up with unified and coordinated solutions. It is high time the region tapped into the skills that the people of the region have built over the years despite the many challenges they face and that is where we come in.
This idea comes from examples of South Africa KwaZulu-Natal, California, New Zealand, London and Cape Town, where the wineries have been shared with the community. We hope that by following the same ideas and schemes, we will be able to help our people to be self sufficient, said Ncube.
He added that his organisation, which also has several other Matabeleland-born businessmen as its members, was already focusing on boosting tourism in such places like Victoria Falls, Hwange and Matopos national parks and other such areas and to attract investment and jobs to the region.
Role of Facebook
The organisation, which already boasts over 1 600 members on the popular social networking site Facebook, is currently engaged in identifying the key development needs of Matebeleland and mobilizing the people of the region to start development of projects that will benefit the region. We remain an apolitical, development-centred non-profit organisation that aims to facilitate the channelling of development to our region, for the benefit of everyone born in it, regardless of their race or tribe, added Ncube.
Our resource mobilisation technique focuses on, among other things, promoting the region as a tourism hotspot in Zimbabwe, while our specific activities and programs include the development of holiday packages for people from the region living in the Diaspora and anyone interested in visiting the region. We also network with other tourism sectors in Southern Africa and beyond and initiate active participation in local beauty pageants, while also hosting social, cultural and business events in various locations to promote networking and raise awareness about the diversity and richness of the culture of our region.
The organisation, which has branches in the UK, South Africa, Bulawayo, New Zealand and Canada, also sources investment from locals and internationals, and provides housing development initiatives for people in the Diaspora and in Matebeleland, funding for hospitals and other infrastructure.
Accessible medication
The groups other initiative is to put together programs that will help provide affordable and accessible medication through sourcing medical equipment. We are currently sourcing material to help in the construction of Mqabuko Medical Hospital and the establishment and promotion of doctors exchange programs. On the education front, we are involved in the provision of books and building of libraries, scholarship and funding, especially to rural schools. We are also putting together programs that will establish and promote teachers exchange programs, raise adult literacy in the region as well as expand special needs schools such as schools for the disabled, said Ncube.
The organisation is designed in such a way that members have specific tasks to concentrate on, like education, tourism and health, among others. Our mission is to contribute significantly and effectively in getting the people of Matebeleland involved in their own development because only after realising that we are willing to solve our own problems can outsiders become willing to consolidate our efforts.
Unique needs
Matebeleland.com was founded in November 2008 by Ncube, who was later joined by Conrad Mwanza, who helped him spearhead the project. Each region in Zimbabwe faces its own unique development needs and challenges, calling for unique home-grown solutions. Matebelelands is that of low and erratic rainfall, which challenges any attempts at crop production.
Malaria is endemic throughout the region, which still has rich mineral deposits, including coal, gold, methane gas, and limestone. The region is also endowed with vast reserves of hardwood timber and wildlife. It also boosts of extensive cattle ranches which were established in colonial times and peasant farmers consider their wealth to lie in their livestock.
The abundance of resources brings hope that if the right attitudes, policies and actions are put in place, sustainable development can be realised in the region.
He said that membership of the organisation is open to anyone who shares its vision and dreams for Matebeleland.
Post published in: News