The roads that link Manunure Secondary School, Machitenda Primary School, Mushawasha, Nekanda and Mamoti Business centers were in a dilapidated state and for a long time the local council has not attended to the plight of the community members to maintain the roads. The bad state of the roads were causing challenges in connecting people to business centers, schools, facilitating trade, and enhancing overall socio-economic development. The 2 wards therefore joined together to maintain the roads, their collaborations demonstrated a strong sense of unity and a shared vision.
The COTRAD community structures engaged the community leaders, the Headman, the village heads and the community businesspeople over the bad state of the roads. After a series of engagements between local communities, public officials and community business people, the Village heads Ndingwa, Chineka, Ndowa, Chishawasha, Chikomo, Mamuto and Mahando just to mention a few, called for a community meeting to discuss the bad states of the roads which was affecting the majority of the community members, they agreed to rehabilitate the roads since the local council did not respond to the community’s request.
Two local businesspeople donated 110 bags of cement to ensure that the road rehabilitation efforts proceed smoothly and efficiently and all the village heads agreed to provide 10 wheelbarrows of concrete per village and $4 per village towards the transportation of pit sand. This collective effort, combined with the contributions from the village heads, emphasizes the unity and dedication of the community towards improving their roads. The combined resources of 10 wheelbarrows of concrete per village, $4, and 110 bags of cement were valuable for repairing and resurfacing damaged road sections.
“When traditional leaders, local committees, community businesspeople and community members come together to support road rehabilitation, it shows a collective leadership and a shared responsibility for community development”, said Ndingwa, one of the ward 13 village heads. This collaborative approach to development fosters a sense of ownership to the initiative.
Community members hailed COTRAD for training and creating platforms that capacitate young people and women to peacefully engage community leaders when facing challenges. They alluded that community-led initiatives like these serve as a model for sustainable development, they encouraged communities to take similar actions and work towards improving their own infrastructures. The rehabilitation of the roads shows the power of collective action and highlights the importance of community engagement.COTRAD highlighted that it is essential for local councils to prioritize the maintenance and improvement of roads as they play a vital role in connecting people. “The efforts of the traditional leaders, community members, and local committees in Masvingo are a step in the right direction toward achieving community development” said Leah Matavire COTRAD Information Officer.
The collaboration between wards 13 and 17 in Masvingo Central for road rehabilitation is a commendable example of community-driven development. By working together, they are taking proactive steps to address local infrastructure needs and create a better future for their community.