Sontala villagers press on as clinic nears completion

Thubelihle Dube and Innocent Mgutshini

MATOBO – The Sontala community in Matobo district, Matabeleland South has vowed to remain resilient and committed to completing the construction of their clinic in spite of financial constraints.

The clinic project was borne out of the villagers’ quest to improve healthcare service delivery in the area. In a bid to save themselves from having to travel long distances in order access healthcare services, the community embarked on a project to build their own clinic with help from the diaspora several months ago.

The Sontala clinic project began as a pipe dream, but months later, the first block is almost at roof level owing to a massive drive of pooling resources together through donations and pledges by well-wishers both locally and from abroad.

While fielding questions from this publication, project lead and village head, Mr Lizwe Ndlovu said members of the community are working hard with the little resources available and  are still seeking more funds as part of efforts to complete the project.

” There is good progress in as far as clinic building is concerned. We are largely relying on the diaspora for funding and the villagers are contributing some funds towards this project as well and we have received some promises with regards funding.

Our House of Assembly representative promised us roofing material if funds permit. At the moment we are facing water challenges since we are sharing a borehole with a neighbouring community which is a kilometre away from the site,” said Mr Ndlovu.

He said there is a need for a borehole at the clinic site which will ameliorate the water challenges and further service the clinic once it is operational. 

Mr Alforce Nkomo, a villager, applauded the community for exhibiting high levels of unity and teamwork.

“From the beginning of the project the community has been supporting the programme through labour. If it were not for their dedication and commitment, the building project would not have come this far. 

“We are using our own local builders who are divided into groups of three villages and work according to the duty roaster,” said Mr Ndlovu.

He commended the community leaders for their leadership skills as they have been playing a pivotal role in mobilising people and resources towards the building.

Another villager, Mrs Violeta Moyo who is also a project committee member said the construction of the clinic saw the coming together of women and girls for a common cause. 

“Women have been supporting the project since day one. I am sure that the completion of Sontala clinic in Matobo will bring  joy and jubilation to the women and girls in the area because it paves way for them to access health facilities close to their homesteads.

“In the past, expecting women would bear the burden of waking up as early as 5am to endure long distances of more than 15 kilometers to the nearest clinic in order to access pre-natal and post-natal care,” said Mrs Moyo.

High costs coupled with lack of medical facilities are causing some rural young women to give birth at home under the risky supervision of untrained midwives therebypotentially endangering lives of expecting mothers and their unborn babies.

An active member within the project, Mrs Silibaziso Ndlovu said there is still a lot to be done as they are supposed to build the expecting mothers’ shelter as well.

 “We should also establish a maternity waiting shelter at the clinic, where mothers can be accommodated so that when they go into labour or develop antenatal complications, they can be transferred to appropriate wards for management and safe delivery” she said. 

The clinic project Secretary, Mr Eugene Dube said a lack of roofing material is hampering progresss at the site.

“If there are other donors or well-wishers out there, they are welcome to help our cause. We still have a lot of work to do as far as this structure is concerned. We have tentatively earmarked the month of August for the completion of the project,” he said.

Sontala villagers are writing their own piece of history by building the clinic which is conveniently placed right at the centre of the ward to accommodate members of the Sontala Community as well as other villagers from neighbouring wards. Since time immemorial, the Sontala Community has been outsourcing its health care to other areas such as Mbembeswana, Kezi and Maphisa