The mobile phone rings in the middle of the night. The caller says an elderly man has fallen sick and collapsed in his room in Highfield, Harare.
Report by Ropafadzo Mapimhidze
Sevias Mujere gets up, puts on some warm clothing and rushes to Soda Old People’s Home in Highfield. He then drives the old man to Harare Hospital where he is admitted for a few days. The morning has set in and Mujere starts getting ready for work.
He has a busy schedule at Tynwald Primary School where he is headmaster. But why is this man so passionate about reaching out to the disadvantaged?
“My parents always had a pot of tea on a fire to offer strangers that passed by. My mother also housed many strangers and fed them. She was a mother to many people. That is where I got the inspiration from. I get so much satisfaction when I have helped someone in need,” says Mujere.
The headmaster said it doesn’t take one to be very wealthy to be a philanthropist. Although famous examples include the late Jairosi Jiri, Strive Masiyiwa, Andrew Carnegie and Bill & Melinda Gates, any person with a generous nature and a concern for human welfare can reach out to his or her community. A philanthropist is a person who gives money or gifts to charities, or helps needy people in other ways.
“Anyone who works as a headmaster at any school will tell you that this is a challenging job. But I always have time for these elderly people,” Mujere says.
He is one of the most sought-after headmasters in Zimbabwe. He is the founding headmaster of Tynwald Primary and High schools that were built by the late Brigadier General Vitalis Zvinavashe.
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Mujere has also proved that blacks too can run private schools effectively and produce top results. But he now manages just the primary school because the high school is now fully fledged with classes up to sixth form. A visit to Soda recently, which is located on a vast piece of land, demonstrated how this man is now called “father” by people who are old enough to be either his father or grandfather.
The moment residents at Soda hear Mujere’s car drive in, they moved out of their rooms to meet him. Some embraced him and started telling him their problems.
“Some of their troubles tickle me because when people grow old they start behaving like little children. But I have a way of solving their disputes and hence live together happily as a family. I can spend hours on end during weekends just listening to their stories,” he said.
Mpingo Chinsale complained that breakfast was being served too early as it was very cold in the morning. Mujere promised to rectify this problem with the matron.
“These guys have a similar history. They were abandoned by their families in their countries of origin for decades and they have nowhere to go.
“Some of their children have told us that they have no obligation to look after them because they were not there when they needed a father’s attention. It is a very sad situation. Disruptions on the farms since 2000 were also the major reason for their displacement and as you can see, there are only three women, which goes to show that women normally stay with their children when spouses decide to leave home. These people hail from Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique,” Mujere said.
The institution is very clean and run under the watchful eye of its matron, Constance Mkize who has lived and worked at Soda for 27 years.
Agusto Zuzeyo from Mozambique said he was grateful for what Mujere and his board was doing to ensure that they have a decent place to sleep, good food and sometimes entertainment.
Mujere, who is also a Rotarian, encouraged members of the public to take these elderly people out to their homes regularly because they felt unloved.
He said these people keep themselves busy by growing vegetables, sweet potatoes, maize and many other things around the vast grounds of the institution.
The Department of Social services which used to provide an allowance for each one has not done so for years and so these people mainly survive on donations.
“I am pleased to note that many CEOs have been forthcoming and very helpful. Econet pays us an allowance of $500 every month; British Embassy put up a water tank, Prime Minister’s golf tournament raised some money for us, Zimra donates many goods as well ranging from bedding, clothing, and many other items. We are very grateful to all individuals who donate in cash and kind. Doves Funeral Services has offered its burial services and provides coffins for them when they die. We lost two inmates this year.”
Land to build the institution was donated by a local businessman, the late John Njerere in 1962. The home was officially opened by the late Princess of Wales, HRH Lady Diana on July 11, 1993. The emergence of the nuclear family as opposed to the traditional extended family and the rising divorce rate among couples have contributed to the demise of elderly people in Zimbabwe.
