After recognising the desperate needs of orphans and vulnerable children in Chikomba district in Mashonaland East, Harare businessman Thompson Dondo realised the need to offer such children an opportunity to pursue education and achieve sustainability.
By Staff Reporter
This gave birth to the Alfred Dondo Foundation (ADF), a charity organisation that was named after the businessman’s brother. The organisation looks after 98 vulnerable children in Chikomba.
“The charity organisation was pioneered by Thompson Dondo in memory of his late brother Alfred who had the vision of developing the community in which he grew up in,” said Tracy Ngoma, one of the patrons of the foundation.
“After realising that there were many children of school going age out of school in Chikomba district, we decided to engage community leaders and education authorities on how best we could assist.”
The foundation started by assisting vulnerable children picked from six schools, namely Madzivire, Hokonya, Chafa, Masunda, Madondo and Gamanya as well as some from Sadza.
“For purposes of accountability and transparency on the selection of pupils we came up with a committee led by Mr Danga. Mary Magombedze represents Sadza district where we assist people with disabilities,” said Ngoma.
“Our vision as ADF is to change lives of the communities around us by providing shelter and food to the less previlidged and vulnerable.”
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Ngoma said the foundation paid fees for the vulnerable and mobilises resources, including stationery, school uniforms, food and clothes, among others. She said the large chunk of assistance was coming from Impala Car Rental, a company owned by Dondo. “We mobilise resources through our company Impala Car Rental and we also collect second hand clothes, mostly from the company’s employees,” she said.
ADF today bankrolls 60 children, of which 15 are in secondary schools while four are enrolled at special boarding schools.
“We have Faith, who is doing a degree in Accounting at Chinhoyi University while Brendon and Pamela Katsande are at the Hugo School of the Blind. Norman Masunda is at Daramombe School of the Blind while Emmanuel Mazhandu is at Nyadire High School for the visual impaired,” Ngoma said.
The launch of the ADF in Hokonya Village in 2015 was graced by some of the country’s top musicians, including Oliver Mtukudzi, Sulumani Chimbetu, Sam Dondo, Jah Prayzah, Tocky Vibes and Killer T.
“Every year we organise a Christmas party where we donate food hampers and clothes to the beneficiaries. We also arrange medical outreach programmes for children with visual and hearing impairments,” Ngoma said.
“Among the beneficiaries, we have children infected and affected by HIV whom we make sure they receive assistance in treatment and counselling.”
Ngoma said ADF was open to partnerships with those willing to assist. She said the wife of the late Alfred was also the co-patron of the foundation.
ADF in partnership with Impala Car Rental will in August host South African hip-hop star Nasty C in a fund-raising gala dubbed Change a Life Concert to be held at Borrowdale Race Course.
Nasty C, born Nsikayesizwe Ngcobo, is expected to be the main act at the gig that will feature locals — Winky D, Jah Prayzah, Sam Dondo and upcoming hip-hop star Ngoni Dondo aka King 98.
ADF coordinator at Hokonya Primary School Luziyasi Chindiwo hailed the foundation.
“The assistance these children are getting from ADF will go a long way in the pursuit of education,” he said. “The community is happy with what the foundation is doing here in Chikomba.”
