Update from Ishe Mwatipedza

We are truly grateful for the great support we are receiving in our Mwatipedza Village community hall project. As summarised on our website, www.Mwatipedza.com, our vision is that this hall will be used for:

1. Hosting wedding receptions in our village

2. As a creche as we currently do not have a creche in the village, thus the very young children travel long distances ( if at all ), to attend creche. The establishment of a creche will also create employment for the teachers and helpers, as well as related downstream service suppliers for the creche

3. Skills training development courses for our youths and young adults

4. Recreational centre for indoor sports and cultural activities such as Chess, drama etc,

5. Meeting venue for our Village meetings

6. Meeting venue for other community meetings for our village and ward

7. Church services

While the above are a compelling reason to forge ahead and complete this community project, I am even more excited about the other prospects that a completed community hall brings. These are opportunities that come from the opportunity to bring the whole world to Mwatipedza Village through the introduction of internet. The perspectives and aspirations of our children, youths and young adults will transform in ways we cannot image once they are exposed to what the rest of the world has to offer, and the heights of their dreams will expand beyond the confines of Mwatipedza Village. God has blessed us with very long days of unrelenting sunlight, so I am right now praying for resources to install a solar system at the hall, which will power the wi-fi connections, TV/projector/ PCs etc.

I tremble with excitement at the vision of youths and young adults coming into the community hall on a Saturday morning to conduct research from the internet café. Once solar power is in place, the community hall will also serve as a study centre for the village and ward students – appropriate safeguards will be put in place to ensure the students are in a safe and conducive environment within the community hall and even as they make their way back to their respective homes. The solar power and wi-fi will also enable us to organise “family entertainment” days/nights ( remember the drive through movies? ) wherein appropriate movies can be shown. Skills development will take a radically different approach through the usage of YouTube. “Teacherless” classes also be set up for the students, to supplement what is being offered in the classroom.

I can go on and on, but even if I do, I will not exhaust the countless possibilities. So, as we continue with efforts to complete the community hall, please help us to get past this stage, and also help us to begin planning for the next exciting phase. You may post your thoughts and suggestions here, on the village website discussion forum (www.Mwatipedza.org) < mukoma Tsennyware Technologies Zimbabwe Munhu WaMwari - let’s clear the gremlins ) or send to davidmarange@yahoo.com.

God bless