Story by Courage Bushe
A transformative public-private partnership is changing lives in rural Mberengwa, where Dambashoko Primary School has become a beacon of progress following the installation of a piped water scheme bringing clean, safe water to learners and the surrounding community for the first time.
The project, jointly implemented by the Government and local business partners, underscores the success of the Second Republic’s inclusive development agenda, which places rural communities at the heart of national transformation.
For years, pupils and villagers in Dambashoko relied on unsafe water sources, often walking long distances to fetch water from unprotected wells. Today, a steady flow of piped water has turned the once drought-prone area into a symbol of what coordinated investment and visionary policy can achieve.
“In the past, we thought piped water was only for urban areas, but we have realised that under our President’s leadership, everything is possible. We want to pay tribute to President Mnangagwa and his government for introducing developmental programmes that are positively impacting our society,” said one community member.
With the new water infrastructure in place, Dambashoko Primary School has established a village business unit, including a horticulture garden that will support agricultural learning while generating income for the school.
“We have set up a village business unit because we now have abundant water. From the unit, learners will gain practical agricultural skills, and the produce will generate income to help our school grow,” a school representative said.
Local businesspeople, inspired by the Second Republic’s mantra ‘Nyika Inovakwa Nevene Vayo/Ilizwe Lakhiwa Ngabanikazi Balo’, have been instrumental in supporting the initiative, viewing it as a cornerstone for rural industrialisation and improved living standards.
“Our goal is to ensure better sanitation and hygiene for the community, particularly for children who are our main focus. Access to tap water improves quality of life. We have embraced the Second Republic’s mantra of Nyika Inovakwa Nevene Vayo, and we are fulfilling it as local miners,” said Ms Jerina Tavengeyi, a local businessperson.
The completion of the piped water scheme marks another milestone in the government’s efforts to promote inclusive development and improve livelihoods in rural areas through sustainable public–private partnerships.
