IT is midday in Kagosa Village under Chief Ruwanga in Nyanga.At a homestead consisting of three pole and dagga huts, Ronica Kembo (52) leads seven family members dragging themselves across the sun-baked earth to congregate under the shed of a massive indigenous tree om the outskirts of the yard.
By Staff Reporter
They have to literally crawl since they are unable to walk, producing a heart-rending scene which depicts a life lived on the margins.
Once they settle under the tree shed, they harmoniously broke into a soulful rendition of an ancient Christian hymn: “Kupa kunemufaro kunokunda kugamuchira. (blessed is the hand that giveth, than the hand that receiveth),” as they received groceries donated to them by the Alfred Dondo Foundation.
The family comprises of a mother, Ronica Kembo (52), her two daughters in their late 20s and their five children – all afflicted by the same disease.
“We have been surviving on wild tubers and fruits all along,” the mother remarks as the family proudly takes possession of the groceries.
“The situation here was bad and to be honest with you I was only waiting for God’s intervention because I had exhausted all the channels but nothing came out it. God is there and I want to thank Impala Car Rental for their benevolence,” the matriarch said.
Like her daughters and grandchildren, she has barely ever walked straight in her life as the disability caught up with them at the uniform age of three.
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Kembo’s only male child who survived the rare condition went to Mozambique over a decade ago and never returned. “We have been surviving on wild fruits of late because no one especially from this community was willing to help because of this pandemic. People had stocked enough for their families and life was becoming unbearable for us. To be honest with you I have been praying to God and I am happy that my prayers have been answered,” she said. Apart from hunger, their houses are prone to natural disasters as are old.
“As you can see our houses are dilapidated and we have nothing to do, during rainy season we use plastics to cover up. Mr Killer Zivhu had brought us building material and the house is yet to be finished we don’t why?” she narrated.
Impala Car Rental brand and projects manager Tracy Ngoma said through their Alfred Dondo foundation they found it worthwhile to assist the family.
“Touched by their plight we thought it was necessary for us to bring some food staffs to the people. The situation here needs people to come together and assist the family. Through the foundation we will continue working with the family in assisting them with their needs,” Ngoma said.
Ngoma said they will also engage the people who started building the house and see how best they can assist to have the house finished.
“We will see how best we can engage those who started building the house. We can as well try to give our hand so that the family can get descent accommodation,” she said.
Kembo’s daughters, Chisina and Nhamo, sired children with two men after an arrangement that they would help them get pregnant and thereafter move on with their lives.
Kembo says they have failed to get medical attention for the rare skin condition known as keratoderma, a marked thickening of the skin.
