Dickson Mutamba: A father with a big heart

Comment & Analysis
Masvingo — Masvingo Old Peoples’ Home is located in Mucheke, the town’s oldest high-density suburb. For the past 26 years, Dickson Mutamba has lived at this home, dedicating his life to caring for the elderly.

Masvingo — Masvingo Old Peoples’ Home is located in Mucheke, the town’s oldest high-density suburb. For the past 26 years, Dickson Mutamba has lived at this home, dedicating his life to caring for the elderly.

by Sukuoluhle Ndlovu

Mutamba considers caring for the elderly his calling as it is the only thing he has had a passion for his entire life. he feels at home when he is among senior citizens and as the elderly at home testify, Mutamba’s natural love for peoplemakes them feel the care and love he gives them is a lot more than their own families could ever give them.

Mutamba says he does his work out of love and passion and the fact that he gets a very small salary does not bother him at all. “Salary issues will not deter me from doing my work. I know the Lord will reward me for my work one day. Times are hard for most people and we all hope for better days to come. I am now used to this situation and for me, my job gives me more satisfaction than anything else. The salary does not count.”

“Every day I wake up with my head high because all I want is to see these old guys here happy. Their happiness means a lot to me; it brings blessings to our lives. They do not have anyone to turn to and I have become their family. I am there to bridge the gap and fill them with the love they need.”

“For the past 26 years I have been here working as a cook and cleaning the rooms and I also do the gardening. Before coming here, I had never been employed formally. I used to work as a part-time gardener and the person I was working for is the one who helped me secure a job here and this has been my job since then.” He said: “I love my job because the elderly are nice people to be with, even though we get very little money. My wife used to help me as she used to sell clothes but now she is not employed and stays in Zimuto doing farming for our survival.”

Mutamba says the home has been finding the going tough in these hard economic times but the Masvingo society often chips in and helps to keep the home from closing down.

“Churches do come and visit the old people and they also provide material help. Social welfare people also come in with some help sometimes. Different companies too come to help us with whatever they can while the Mayor’s Cheer Fund also contributes to the continuity of the home and we are very grateful.”

“We do face a lot of challenges at the home as sometimes we do not have the necessary equipment to use when looking after the old people. There are only two of us employed to look after the needs of the home and we share the burden between us. Some well-wishers do come to help us here and there and we do pray more people come and help us,” Mutamba added.

Mutamba was born in Garai, an area in Nyajena on September 22 1957. He did not get the chance to complete his studies and later migrated to Zimuto where his four children grew up, with one of them now late.

“All I pray for is for God to take care of the old people and make them have a normal life that any old person would yearn for,” he said.