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Raffingora – The Zvimba South Constituency has paid tribute to the late Sakhina Makunganya, a philanthropist with a local humanitarian organization, Diyanet Foundation, for her unwavering support of charity work in alleviating disadvantaged communities’ life hardships.
People who interacted with the late Sakhina in Mushoshore-Duwa communities in Zvimba North Constituency said her death dealt a big blow to community development and the upliftment of lives among marginalized communities.
The late Philanthropist was working on various projects in the area including the provision of clean water by installing solar-powered boreholes in the area where the community was relying on a river as their source of water.
“We received the news with shock. In Sakhina, we have lost a loving mother, friend, and solution provider. She was a dedicated woman with a heart full of love for marginalized communities. In the few moments that we came to know her, one could see her vision to allow everyone to live a comfortable life. The loss is not only to her family or workmates but to our community as a whole” Maxwell Maradzimwe said
Zvimba North Constituency Member of Parliament and Local Government Ministry Deputy Minister Marian Chombo said she was at a loss for words after she received the news of the late philanthropist’s passing.
“Her death after a short illness came as a shock and a huge setback for the whole Zvimba North Constituency and the country as a whole. She was a dedicated woman who was committed to augmenting the government’s efforts by providing practical solutions to the marginalized and allowing the creation of an environment where no place or person was being left out in the inclusive community development.
“Sakhina had set up various community initiatives targeting to empower and alleviate the suffering of the marginalized communities. Her death is a huge loss to us and the whole country. She was a devout woman focused on ensuring that people have the resources that allow them to live comfortable lives, especially the marginalized communities such as people with disabilities, the chronically ill, the elderly, and children. We will always cherish and remember the philanthropic works she carried with diligence and passion,” she said.
Hon Chombo also paid tribute to Adam Wadi, Sakhina’s surviving husband, for being supportive and firmly involved in her late wife’s philanthropic works.
“I would like to appreciate the supportive role that Mr. Wadi always offered her late wife in her community humanitarian works and pray that he gets comforted knowing how her late wife touched and positively changed people’s lives,” she said.
During her community humanitarian work in Zvimba North Constituency where she donated blankets to Vanad Clinic and food hampers to the elderly and sick in Raffingora, the late Sakhina displayed her compassionate heart after she visited a man who lives in Raffingora who has a cancerous head wound that has eaten out part of his skull flesh. She bravely examined the wound – a feat the man said people of nervous disposition could not afford to do. Sakhina – a devout Muslim, offered healing devotions to the hopeless tearful man and donated an assortment of groceries.
She had set up a monthly feeding program for young people living with HIV. She provided assistance for their monthly meetings where some would walk more than 10 kilometers to collect their supply of medication.
“We remember the time Sakhina and team came and spent the whole day with us and cooked our lunch. That made us feel special. We will definitely miss her love and we hope more people will emulate her commitment to spreading love and hope to all people,” 21-year-old John Makomo, leader of Raffingora Adolescents HIV/Aids Peer Support Group said.