Zimnat constructs ablution block for girls at Epworth school: Press Release
HARARE, Zimnat, one of the country’s leading insurance and finance groups, has spent more than $110 000 on the construction of a girls’ ablution block at Chizungu Primary School in Epworth.
Currently children at the school use pit latrines, some of which were constructed by the children themselves. There is one block of pit latrines for girls and another for boys. There are two regular toilets for staff.
Zimnat undertook the project in partnership with Fund a Child’s Education Zimbabwe (FACEZ), a non-profit making organisation that assists marginalised and underprivileged children.
The ablution block is meant to improve the learning environment for the children at the school by providing them with hygienic sanitation facilities.
There are more than 2 200 children enrolled at the school. With such a large number of children enrolled, Chizungu Primary School has a hot seating schooling programme and conducts lessons outdoors as well as in indoor classrooms. According to FACEZ, more than 700 of the pupils struggle to pay school fees.
“At Zimnat we are committed to making life better for others. When we heard of the need for better ablution facilities at Chizungu we decided to make a substantial contribution by financing the bulk of the construction of a modern ablution block for the girls at the school,” commented Zimnat Group CEO Mustafa Sachak.
“Recent outbreaks of cholera and dysentery have brought home to all of us the importance of good sanitation.With more than 2 200 children enrolled at Chizungu Primary School, the importance of adequate ablution facilities is obvious.
“The structure is already at roof level. The school is also fundraising to buy some roof material to bring the project to completion. This will be of great benefit to the children at the school.
“Having modern ablution facilities improves the children’s dignity especially when previously they had to make do with such basic facilities as a pit latrine.
“We hope other donors will also consider constructing another modern toilet block at the school to serve all the children,” he said.
