Returning to his former primary school, Chamukwenjera, in the rural area of Manyene, Zimbabwe, in May, for the first time since 1989, Ladner Rotarian Rev. Simbarashe Basvi delivered about 100 soccer uniforms which Rotary Club of Ladner donated along with soccer balls.
This gift delivered far more than soccer uniforms, Simbarashe said. It restored dignity, strengthened school participation, encouraged youth through sport, and reinforced community pride in a rural area where families and schools face severe hardship.
Simbarashe says: "The journey was a powerful reminder of why Rotary exists: to uplift, to restore dignity, and to serve humanity."
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Rev. Simbarashe Basvi, rector of St. David's Anglican Church in Tsawwassen, on returning after 37 years to Manyene, on the outskirts of Chivhu, about 150 kilometers (93 miles) from Harare, the Capital of Zimbabwe recalled that, as a young boy, he dreamt of a future that felt, "both fragile and far away".
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Now, looking back to that memory and his recent visit home, Simbarashe says, "By giving children something [uniforms and balls] that helps them feel included, confident, and hopeful, the donation created immediate practical benefits while also supporting broader goals of education, youth development, peacebuilding, and long-term community resilience."
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Peter Roaf and President Brian Coe thank | |
