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Albinism counsellor creates haven for people with disabilities in Zimbabwe – Chronicle

Albinism counsellor creates haven for people with disabilities in Zimbabwe


Leonard Ncube, [email protected] 

SENZELWE Jubane, a professional counsellor and Victoria Falls resident with albinism, founded the Abangane-Shamwari Disabled Persons Development Organisation to help empower people with disabilities (PWDs).

The organisation provides tailored psycho-social support for PWDs as well as distributing food hampers, clothes and essential supplies like sunscreen for those with albinism. 

Jubane, who is a board member for PWDs in Matabeleland North, also aims to address discrimination and a lack of acceptance within families and communities towards PWDs. 

“I was born in Victoria Falls and I got interested in disability issues because of my albinism and attending special class where I would interact with persons with disabilities. I realised I could be more valuable to the community and transform their lives, hence I trained as a counsellor and I am now part of the Child Welfare Council,” said Jubane.

Jubane and the Miss Zimbabwe Albinism Trust organised an awareness-raising charity concert in 2018 featuring South African musician PJ Powers in Victoria Falls themed “An Intimate Close-Up”.

The event was aimed at raising awareness on albinism and promoting tolerance and integration within society.

While Abangane-Shamwari’s primary focus lies in empowering people with disabilities, Jubane has ambitious plans for the future. The organisation is currently based in Matabeleland North, but she envisions expansion nationwide.

“Membership includes persons with various kinds of disabilities, health workers, social workers and anyone willing to help people with disabilities across the country. I registered the organisation in 2011 and through it we have spearheaded several programmes, including distribution of clothes and food hampers to vulnerable community members who are mostly people with disabilities,” said Jubane.

It operates on a unique funding model. While financial donations from well-wishers are gratefully accepted, the organisation also leverages the generosity of professionals who volunteer their services to the community.

“Our programmes are not hard cash funded, but services that we provide to people from counsellors who offer services,” she said.

The Covid-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerability of people with albinism. Abangane-Shamwari rose to the challenge, undertaking critical initiatives to donate foodstuffs and essential supplies. These provisions included sunscreen lotions, sun hats and sunglasses, all crucial for protecting people with albinism during harsh weather conditions.

Jubane identified a significant barrier — the affordability of these essential items. Many people with albinism are unemployed, making it difficult to acquire the necessary supplies.

She lamented the abuse and marginalisation of PWDs, particularly during times of crisis. The needs of disabled family members often become de-prioritised, leading to difficulties accessing education and basic provisions.

Jubane pinpointed discrimination and a lack of acceptance within communities, especially families, as major hurdles. She emphasised the unfortunate reality that a person’s disability can overshadow their worth, with community focus often placed solely on an individual’s contribution to financial upkeep.

“So we face challenges that make it difficult to contribute to family upkeep, hence without that some families and communities relegate PWDs to less humans. Even in relationships, some are discriminated against and end up failing to get married and if they do, families sometimes refuse to accept them.

“In some cases family members and the community interfere in disabled persons’ marriages and these are some of the things that cause mental depression,” she said.

The Government is currently drafting a Disability Bill, with consultations planned countrywide. 

Senators representing people with disabilities have been actively engaging with their constituents across the country. These consultations aim to identify the challenges faced by PWDs and encourage their meaningful participation in the development of Zimbabwe.

The initiative aligns with the Second Republic’s commitment to leaving no one and no place behind. By incorporating the voices and needs of PWDs, the Disability Bill can ensure a more inclusive Zimbabwe.

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Fallout fever hits Fortnite, Epic Games drops clues – Hindustan Times

May 18, 2024 09:20 AM IST

Epic Games teases fans with a Fallout-themed costume but no release date.

The buildup and tidbits have been all over the place lately, spilling the beans that Fallout would be in Fortnite, thus confirming a rumour about a collaboration between Epic’s Battle Royale and the iconic RPG from Bethesda. However, the discussion of a collab in the Twitter Space between them both has been on the lips of fans since the premiering of the Fallout TV show produced by Amazon Prime last month.

Epic Games confirms Fallout collaboration for Fortnite, hinting at themed goodies(X/Fortnite)
Epic Games confirms Fallout collaboration for Fortnite, hinting at themed goodies(X/Fortnite)

The official revelation today showed that the wasteland will actually come to Fortnite!

Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now!

The specifics of what this collab will bring to the Fortnite universe remain shrouded in mystery.

Epic Games has kept a tight lip on the details. Usually, such collaborations have brought a plethora of themed goodies to Fortnite’s virtual shelves, including player skins, back blings, weapon skins, and emotes, all inspired by the collaborating franchise and available for purchase in the game’s item shop.

ALSO READ| Billie Eilish x Fortnite: How to get Green Roots, Ultra Violet and Red Roots skins?

Fortnite’s official X (formerly Twitter) account released something to please the community itching for more today. It can be clearly seen that the costume not only includes the famous power armour of Fallout but also includes an impressive industrial landscape in the background. The post teased fans but still declined to provide an actual release date by simply including two emojis-a winking face and a thumbs up- in the caption line. This has always been our go-to gesture to pay tribute to Vault Boy, the mascot that has been cherished by the fans for decades.

What will Fallout X Fortnite look like?

Several gamers are wondering which Fallout series Epic Games will feature, or they will just take a nod from the live-action series.

Despite the flurry of inquiries, Epic Games has remained silent. Fallout 76, the franchise’s latest entry, is considered an unlikely muse due to its polarizing reception, which leaves Fallout 4 as a probable source of inspiration.

ALSO READ| Billie Eilish, Snoop Doog and Fantastic 4 starring Pedro Pascal are coming to Fortnite, leak claims

Yet, it’s entirely feasible that the collaboration will draw from the rich tapestry of the entire Fallout universe, cherry-picking fan-favourite elements to incorporate into Fortnite’s offerings. This approach wouldn’t be unprecedented; Epic has previously curated cosmetic bundles from franchises like Family Guy and Resident Evil, blending various elements from different iterations within those series.

The battle royal also selling ‘Fortnite Festival’ rhythm mode, known for its ‘Jam Tracks.’

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LSU student moves to eliminate socio-economic challenges – NewsDay

Bongani Tshuma said the socio-economic challenges faced in the village are the root causes of the problems faced by the youths.

A LUPANE State University (LSU) student who was struggling to pay fees has made waves in Khafa village under Chief Madhliwa, in Nkayi, Matabeleland North province with his project to eliminate the crippling socio-economic challenges faced by the youth.

After getting help from well-wishers, Bongani Tshuma, a second-year applied biotechnology student has formed an organisation aimed at offering free online lessons to students and mentorship programmes to the youth in Nkayi.

He formed the organisation called Zim Inclusive Leaning Trust with his colleague Melulwazi Dlamini.

“Professional life coaches and teachers volunteer to teach for free, we have managed to reach many students and also got sponsors to help a few academically gifted students. We want to expand the number of students to get sponsorship so that they attend school. As the representative of Nkayi in the organisation, I am working very hard to see our youths in Nkayi doing great,” Tshuma told Southern Eye.

This latest development comes after Tshuma observed, through his research, that people from his village were battling with early marriages, child pregnancies, school dropouts, high crime rates and other related social issues in the community.

Tshuma said the socio-economic challenges faced in the village are the root causes of the problems faced by the youths.

“Nkayi is grappling with persistent social and economic challenges, including early pregnancies and a high crime rate, which can be attributed to limited access to secondary education,” Tshuma said.

“The schools are approximately 12km away, forcing students to walk long distances, resulting in a high dropout rate. In fact, fewer than 3% of students have passed their O’ Levels in the past five years.”

He also observed that boys abandon their education to work as illegal miners, which ultimately harms the community with the police not adequately addressing the issues that arise.

“We have underprivileged learners in Nkayi who are academically gifted but they don’t get access to education,” he said.

Tshuma pleaded with the government to address these challenges by increasing the number of secondary schools in the area.

“We also seek assistance from individuals in the diaspora to invest in our community; introducing manual work programmes can help reduce youth unemployment,” he said.

“We must prioritise affordable education for every girl child in our community, many dropouts occur because parents or guardians are unable to fund school fees. We advocate a law that targets support for girls in rural areas and holds culprits accountable for their actions. We need stricter law enforcement to address the issues in our villages.”

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Mangwe villagers fight devastating drought – The Southern Eye – NewsDay

The communities since November last year have been receiving US$54 where some have been able to do projects and generated more income.

VILLAGERS in ward 3 of Madabe village, Plumtree in Mangwe District, Matabeleland South, are grappling with the devastating effects of a severe drought induced by climate change, but have taken it on themselves to survive.

Despite the challenges, the villagers persevered thanks to the emergency social cash transfer (ESCT) programme introduced by  the government and Unicef, which has enabled them to sustain themselves through various home projects.

While they continue to navigate the challenging recovery process, the communities are, however, calling on the government to maintain the crucial support provided by the ESCT, emphasising its vital role in their ongoing survival and resilience.

Under the ESCT programme, vulnerable families get monthly payments to alleviate poverty.

Goal Zimbabwe are the implementing partners with financial support from the Government of Germany through their KfW Development Bank.

The communities since November last year have been receiving US$54 where some have been able to do projects and generated more income.

A beneficiary from the programme, Mkhumbulo Mpofu (66), said the project came at a time when the area had been hit by drought.

“This programme has helped the community we had nothing at all. We last received the rains the past two years and we have been hit by severe drought. But through the introduction of this programme, we have managed to start up different projects.

“I have managed to pay school fees for my grandchildren, buy uniforms and food at home. This is a good initiative and we don’t want it to end. As you can see I am an old man and now it’s difficult for me to fend for the family,” he said.

Mpofu added: “We had nothing but then with this help from Goal, it has brought a little hope otherwise we would be dead by now. I am happy and appreciate this programme.

Sipho Moyo (57) said the programme had assisted her including taking care of her grandchildren.

“This programme started in November and the funds have helped me and my family because I was in a crisis.”

“But then after, I saw a change. I am able to get something which I can give to my grandchildren. I have my grandchild who is at high school, this money has helped me pay fees.

“Even our life has changed a bit because things seem to be going on well for me. I took the other money and invested in a club. We are contributing US$10 a month and that money we are able to lend it to a member who repays inclusive of an interest of 10%. Goal really helped me with my family.”

The ESCT helps provide support to families to deal with reduced income and scarcity of access to water and food. Cash transfer positively impacts household’s ability to ensure continued education of their children and feed their children.

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