Pakati Visit 2022 – Day 3 – BIG Celebrations!!

Hi everyone! Welcome to the real high point of my trip to Pakati this year – the day we handed overour donations & celebrated restoring (solar) power to Pakati Secondary school.

With the promise to complete the same restoration at the Primary school as soon as possible, we went ahead with the planned event on Wednesday 28th September.

Traditional dancing by students of Pakati Secondary school was very popular with everyone – see more further down this post

Both Pakati schools had been preparing for this day for some time, with a full programme of events planned. Speeches, music, performance, dancing, & presentations.

We had a number of distinguished guests in attendance, including the MP for Murewa West, Hon. Jonah Sewera, local councillor for Ward 14 Alderman Israel Maliki & Dr Gurajena of Murewa Rural District Council. There were members of the School Development Committees, Heads, teachers & students and parents of both Pakati schools, visitors from other local schools & voluntary organisations. Oh, and Friends of Pakati of course!

MP Hon. Jonah Sewera in full flow giving his speech before having to head back to Parliament.

One of several short poems as part of the entertainmemt from Pakati Secondary school

We looked on as the students and other guests entertained us & spoke to us about the schools, local issues, and thanks for the work Friends of Pakati have been doing.

These two brothers, firstly from the Primary school, wowed the crowd with their rapping

The Primary school provided us with more entertainmemt, including a short play, seen below:

The highlight for many was the Traditional Dancing, very much a feature of Murewa area. Here is a short clip from the Secondary school studemts below:

As well as the MP, we had speeches from the local Council, Mr Gutu, Ward 14 Councillor Maliki, and Vari Mayez from our partner organisatiom VaTonatsa Foundation. Plus our very own representative Lorraine Mapuranga, and my good self! Here are some images & clips. Translating fot me was Secondary sxhool English teacher Mr Mundodzi.

Mr Gutu of Murewa Rural District Council

Alderman Maliki, Ward 14 Councillor

Vari Mayez of Vatonatsa Foundation

Lorraine Mapuranga of Friends of Pakati

Mr Walker being translated by Mr Mundodzi

The handover of donated goods – the main point of the visit – was the culmination of our efforts after being delayed by Covid.

Having handed over the sample laptop & t-shirt, it was then my turn to be on the receiving end unexpectedley – from Councillir Maliki & Vari Mayez

After final thanks & prayers for the donations & all who attended,  everyone – including all students, parents, school staff, SDC members & distinguished guests were catered for with a late lunch. Before & after there were many photis being taken, just a few shown here:

A VERY successful.day for both Pakati schools & Friends of Pakati are DELIGHTED with the whole day! Thank you to ALL who contributed & attended👍

Day 4 & 5 to come in part 4… Friends of Pakati go to both Chanetsa Schools & Mapanga Primary for the first time!

Further Information:

We have so mamy videos of the programme, and soon we will put many of them out on our YouTube channel http://youtube.com/friendsofpakati We will let you know when they are up.

 

 

Author:

My name is Chris Walker, and between January 1989 and September 1991 I worked, through VSO (Voluntary Service Overseas), at Pakati Secondary School in Murehwa South district in Zimbabwe. I was a Maths teacher for 2 years, the Acting Head for the last 8 months there. I have also taught in Botswana & the UK, had 4 years working for VSO, and have been a Civil Servant in Bradford since 2005.

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