A LOCAL primary school, Twin Rivers, yesterday donated money towards the Zimbabwe Special Olympic team due to participate at the Special Olympics World Summer Games to be held in Los Angeles, USA, this July.
BY HENRY MHARA
Twin Rivers Primary School students contributed a total $630 to help in the purchase of air tickets, kits and the general welfare of the athletes while in the US. The school made a further commitment to raise more funds for the team in the next few weeks.
Zimbabwe is set to send 25 athletes with intellectual disabilities and 12 officials to the Games which will run from July 25 to August 3. The country will be represented in three disciplines namely golf, athletics and 7–Aside soccer. 7 000 athletes from 117 countries are expected to take part at the Games.
Special Olympics Zimbabwe board member Viola Musariri, who is also the team’s head of delegation said they have so far managed to raise $15 000 against a target of $85 000.
“We are positive that we will reach our target. We know Zimbabweans are people with a good heart and if schools can step up and be able to assist other school children we are now calling upon the corporate sector to come on board and assist us with the kits so that when we go there we are sure that our kids are well kitted and have enough funds to buy tickets. We want people to come on board, partner Special Olympics and be part of a growing movement that is breaking down barriers and fostering social inclusion,” said Musariri.
Commenting on the good gesture by Twin Rivers School, Musariri said: “It’s a good initiative by Twin Rivers pupils because they are starting very young. It’s a good orientation to start teaching our children to recognise that there are other people out there who are least fortunate than others.”
The school’s head Blanche Davies said: “We do fundraising twice a year in June and then another one at Christmas We encourage our children to participate in this. We always tell our children that they are fortunate as there are lot of out there who are not as fortunate as them. ”
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