Tawanda Marwizi
Sungura maestro, Alick Macheso on Wednesday handed over a classroom block he constructed for his former school, Enterprise Primary in Shamva, amid pomp and funfair.
The event was attended by several musicians, promoters and organisations he works with.
Funded by Enhanced Housing Mortgaging (EMH), the classroom block will harbour ECD learners.
Speaking at the event, MP for Shamva South Bamwel Bushu heaped praise on the musician for ploughing back to his community.
“This is a noble idea because I thought when he made the promise on June 6 last year he would just go and forget but he came back to fulfill his promise. I am calling upon several former students from this area to come and develop it,” he said.
EMH Finance director Cathrine Muchechetere said Macheso was their ambassador and they would work with him to improve his community.
“Our mission as Enhanced Housing Mortgaging is to provide houses to people at an affordable price so we worked with our ambassador to provide this classroom block in Shamva. We can also work with schools to construct buildings for them but on a fee now,” she said.
Macheso who is also the humanitarian ambassador for the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society, brought the secretary general for the organisation Maxwell Phiri who then pledged to pay fees for 109 underpriviledged students at the school.
“As Zim Red Cross Society we are pleased to see him doing humanitarian works beyond the organisation. We are glad also to see that he has been paying school fees for the students here so we are now taking over paying fees for the 109 students,” he said.
Promoters Patson Chimbodza, Josh Hozheri, Wanisai Mutandwa and Regis Munenzva pledged to pay fees for several children.
Headmaster of the school Godfrey Chifanza said he was grateful with the gesture.
“This is a good gesture for us and for the school because it also mortivates our children. Gone are the days when careers like music were linked to the poor but look he has proved that things have changed,” he said.
Macheso said he would continue to do many things to uplift his community.
“I am happy that we are done with this and my pledge is that we will assist more people in this community because that is where I belong to,” he added.
Several musicians that include Freeman, Selmor Mtukudzi and Progress Chipfumo graced the event.
