The ManicaPost
Samuel Kadungure Senior Reporter
THE Anglican Diocese of Manicaland, Church of the Province of Central Africa — will celebrate its 35th anniversary of evangelical ministry — with a reinvigorated push to construct its second all-girls elite secondary school in Rusape.
The celebrations-cum-fundraising — will be held at the 13-hectare St Catherine’s Girls’ College plot in Magamba, Rusape, tomorrow (Saturday).
There is renewed hope to establish the college which has been on the cards over the past 10 years.
The project has over the years failed to take off due to architectural, engineering and legal glitches.
The Diocesan Education Secretary, Reverend Canon Phineas Fundira, on Wednesday told The Manica Post that tomorrow’s event was meant to raise $300 000 for the construction of the first phase of the school.
The St Catherine’s Girls’ College bill of quantity was estimated at $4 million.
“The Anglican Diocese of Manicaland was established in 1981 and will celebrate its 35th anniversary in Rusape with a view to raise $300 000 for the construction of our second girls boarding school after Bonda —the St Catherine’s Girls’ College.
“So far we have fenced the whole area, sunk two deep wells, sited two boreholes, built a storeroom and completed the architectural redesigns which will pave way for the commencement of the first phase of the project,” said Rev Fundira.
The first fundraising dinner for the girls’ college project was held on November 7, 2015 and raised $78 000, with Bishop of Manicaland Anglican Diocese, Bishop Erick Ruwona urging Zimbabweans to offer generously to God.
“This day will go to waste if we believe in sitting like Bartimeaus on the streets of Great Britain, Canada and USA with a begging bowl. We should also contribute something and not to expect donors and our friends from overseas to do everything for us. We have to take our calling seriously and offer to God something acceptable, not blemished. As Christians gathered here, we have to spare something in cash or kind towards the construction of this college,” said Bishop Ruwona.
An additional $4 640 was raised through a sponsored walk in Britain.
The college is expected to house 800 girls.
The church believes and regards investing in the girl child’s education as key to national development.
Mr Fundira said there was no going back on the project revered for its future ability to develop female students spiritually, physically, socially — within a six-year incubation period after which they should be good and acceptable assets in their community and country at large.
Mr Fundira who has seen it all in the education sector when he served as both Manicaland Provincial Education Director and Anglican schools manager, argued that it would be St Catherine’s mission to stimulate the girl child to think deeply, imaginatively and creatively about life and to know and evaluate her accomplishments .
“After six years we expect the girls to graduate as inspired young leaders bottled with confidence, a love for studying and a sense of spiritual, social and economic empowerment to strengthen their communities. As such, we are appealing, not only to Anglicans, but all Zimbabweans to rally behind and invest in this noble cause,” said Rev Fundira.
He said constructing the college which will offer pure sciences, arts, commercials, languages and Tech-Vocs was a sustainable way of strengthening and making the church relevant in today’s world.
Rev Fundira said the occasion would be an opportunity to give back to God in gratitude of the different gifts, talents and blessings to mankind.
Infrastructure and Transport
The envisaged college include multi-storey hostels that will accommodate 1 000 students, a two-storey library, counselling room, specialist rooms for practical subjects, Science complex, eight ordinary classrooms, head, matron, guest and chaplain’s houses, swimming pool, two lecture theatres, dining hall-cum-kitchen, admin block, workers’ flats, chapel-cum-school hall, games courts, sports fields, amphitheatre, teachers and non-teachers’ houses.
The school will also require a school truck, bus and a lorry.
First Phase
The project is contained in a five-year strategic plan whose first phase include sourcing of land, funds and tenders for construction, development of site plans, fencing, construction of storage rooms, water supply, and Blair toilets, construction of the administration block, hostels, dining halls, kitchen, laboratories, library, classrooms, specialist rooms, staff houses, lecture rooms, sports fields, dispensary.
The Bishop’s A-Team
This is made up of men and women who prefer to make sacrificial offering to God, by making financial or material donations towards the construction of the college in five categories.
In return, and upon completion, the college will honour team members by conferring them with a privileged status.
The names of the A-Team members who gave sacrificially will be inscribed on the college walls for posterity.
Those who seed $100 fall within the Centurions category; the Silver category will pay $200, Gold ($300), Diamond ($400) and Platinum ($500).
In light of the current cash crisis, money can also be deposited directly into the Anglican Girls’ College, CABS Account Number 1005285244, with members tendering receipts confirming the transactions.
Other Targets
Clergy wives, religious communities, Anglican schools, their heads, staff members, pupils, hospital staff, parishes, chapelries, mother’s unions, men’s fellowships, youths, Sunday school, church wardens, the Diaspora community and vabvuwi among others are also expected to contribute meaningfully towards the construction of St Catherine’s Girls’ College.
