Bridging the Gap Foundation has donated 17 tractors to the Seventh Day Adventist Zimbabwe West Union Conference, which includes the West and South Conferences, in a move aimed at fostering self-sufficiency and empowering local communities. The tractors are set to be distributed to schools in the Matabeleland region to support projects that go beyond what tuition fees can cover, with a focus on sustainable agriculture.
The foundation, established by businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei and his wife Sandra, is dedicated to supporting faith-based communities, education, health, and other sectors, with a mission to empower rural areas and youth through various initiatives.
At a handover ceremony held at the Union offices, five of the tractors were given to Gonye Adventist Primary School in Nkayi, Shashane Adventist High School in Kezi, Nemane Adventist High School in Tsholotsho, and Bulawayo Adventist High School.
Dr Blessing Nyahuma, Executive Director of Bridging the Gap Foundation, expressed the organisation's philosophy of helping communities build self-reliance.
"We have realised that no matter how hard schools may try, they can never make enough profit from tuition alone to have sustainable development projects, hence this donation. We also realised that donations can sometimes end up being a burden, so this is a wholesome donation which comes with inputs and additional equipment like the harrows and trailers. We have also provided the drivers for the tractors as well as the maintenance of the tractors until the schools can handle the costs on their own after harvesting," Dr Nyahuma said.
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The foundation's donation package includes not only the tractors but also essential agricultural tools such as harrows, trailers, boom sprays, and drivers for the machines. The foundation will cover the maintenance costs of the tractors until the schools are financially stable enough to take over the responsibility.
Seventh Day Adventist Zimbabwe West Union Conference President, Dr Khumbulani Ndlovu, thanked the foundation for its generous contribution, stating, "We are very grateful for this donation which will go a long way in terms of increasing the quality of service offered by these schools. The extra income from agricultural proceeds will also help those parents who struggle to pay fees, something that has been happening a lot lately. Something else we are excited about is that this is also an opportunity to preach the gospel to the communities. These projects will benefit the communities as well, and when we preach love and kindness, they will be able to witness us practising it, meaning we will have more impact in these communities."
Mr Ian Chiwhayi, the Zimbabwe West Union Conference projects manager, encouraged the schools to treat agriculture as a business and urged them to consider planting cash crops like blueberries to maximise profits.
In addition to this donation, Bridging the Gap Foundation has also extended its support to Solusi University, covering lecturer allowances and enhancing the university's farm operations, enabling the institution to generate additional income for future projects.
