The Masvingo Paralympics team’s participation in the fifth edition of the games this year in Hwange hangs in the balance as there is no funding and help from other stakeholders like the corporate world, a senior education official has revealed.
The games are supposed to be held from April 8-12.
Provincial Education Director in the Ministry of Education, Arts, Sports and Culture, Clara Dube, said the participants were supposed to go into camp today yet they were relying on stipends from their parents.
“Our preparations are in limbo. We are appealing for funds. Most of the funding so far has been from parents and the ministry through the Better Schools Programme (BSPZ), but it is insufficient,” Dube, who is also the chairperson of the Social Services sub-committee, told the provincial development committee last week.
She said it was important for the students to participate to give them an equal opportunity with the able-bodied in life.
“We are supposed to go into camp on April 4 (today), so we appeal to the business community to donate in cash or kind so that the team makes it to give our students an equal opportunity in life,” she said.
The provincial development committee also tasked other sub-committees to help fundraise for the cause.
