Fatima Hostel nears completion
PARENTS at Fatima Primary School are eager to see the completion of the Ephphatha Hostel, which is set to house about 36 children with disabilities.
Construction of the hostel which is funded by Associazion Amici di Padre Savino an Italian based organization began in October 2022 and is likely to be completed and equipped towards the end of 2024.
During an onsite visit by Uluntu Community Foundation and partners in Lupane, Fatima Primary School Headmaster Peter Ngona said parents of children with disabilities attending the Primary School were eager to start utilizing the facility.
“We have parents who have children living with disabilities who are eager to see their children utilizing the facility. Most of these children live the furthest from the school, as far as Binga, Hwange, Kamative, Victoria Falls and other areas. It is difficult and time consuming for the parents to bring the children to school on a daily basis and the hostel will go a long way in cutting the cost of transportation,” Mr Peter Ngona.
Mr. Ngona reiterated that they also foresee an increase in the enrolment of children with disabilities at the school since it was a referral school in Matabeleland North Province.
“The issue of accommodation at the school has been a thorn in the flesh for most parents especially those who live outside Lupane. Now that we have the hostel we foresee an increase in enrolment as most of the parents shied away from brining their children to school because of the limited accommodation.
Some of the students were being accommodated at the High School while some were taken in by the Roman Catholic Church,” he said adding that the hostel will add on to the number of students that can be housed near the school.
He expressed his appreciation to Uluntu Community Foundation, Associazion Amici di Padre Savino and its partners that have seen to the completion of the facility.