The Sunday News
Mncedisi Buhali
SOS Herman Gmeiner Primary School pupils, staff and parents in Bulawayo have embarked on a fundraising initiative for one of their bus drivers who needs to undergo an eye operation before he goes completely blind.
Mr Peter Mangwanda (60), needs 30 000 Rand to undergo an eye operation in South Africa, to reduce the risk of him going blind. Speaking last Friday at a show organised by the school as one of the ways to fundraise for Mr Mangwanda’s operation, SOS deputy principal Mrs Enelesi Siwela said they came up with the idea to help one of their colleagues in the school and they wanted it to be a surprise to him.
“We want to do whatever we can to help one of our own. It is a surprise, we did not tell him but we hope that what we are doing here will help him,” said Mrs Siwela.
She added that the school actually realised early this year that Mr Mangwanda had eyesight problems when they had brought a new bus for the school and he failed a driving test.
“After the test we found out that he was blind in the right eye and discovered that he had previously used his own funds to try and get treatment. But now he needs the operation that will prevent him not to go completely blind in both of his eyes. This time around we do not want him to be alone in this,” said Mrs Siwela. In the first operation, doctors put silicone in Mr Mangwanda’s right eye.
The show was attended by parents, children, teachers and popular musicians.
“The generosity and kindness of all at SOS is unimaginable. We are all thinking of Mr Mangwanda, and I am happy to be part of the people who will support him,” said Mr Given Moyo, one of the parents.
