Masvingo street kids get training

Masvingo (New Ziana) – The Covid-19 nationwide lockdown has come as a blessing in disguise for children removed from the streets of Masvingo as they are now involved in various skills training programmes.

At least 14 children between the ages of eight and 19 were removed from the streets of Masvingo and taken to Mushagashe Vocational Training Centre, about 30km, north of the Ancient City along Masvingo-Harare road where they are undertaking cookery, agriculture and building and brick laying courses.

Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare Deputy Minister, Lovemore Matuke recently joined the Masvingo Covid-19 Provincial Taskforce during a visit to the vocational training centre.

Matuke was all praise for the training centre’s initiative to immediately offer the children various training programmes in addition to securing them accommodation at a time the country was trying to prevent the spread of the highly contagious and deadly Coronavirus.

He said his ministry was grateful to the VTC for offering shelter to the street kids and skills training that will benefit them in future.

Matuke said the Department of Social Welfare had plans to assess the street children with the older ones continuing with vocational training while younger children would be sent back to school.

Background checks would also be conducted with a view to reuniting some of the children with their families.

While it was a government initiative to have the vulnerable children that relied on begging on the city streets taken into institutions that can provide them with accommodation, food and other basic necessities, Matuke praised Mushagashe VTC for going a step further by offering them skills
training.

“We want to thank the provincial task-force being chaired by the Minister of State and the principal of Mushagashe for giving us this place as a ministry that we may accommodate these children during these difficult times that they be able to survive like any other person,” he said.

“The President gave our ministry a directive that we take care of these children through giving them shelter and food. They did not come here to find shelter only but to get skills training as the college offers skills such as agriculture, cooking and building.”

He said that the Mushagashe VTC initiative was an eye opener as there are many other children all over the country who need to be brought to such a place and get skills training that they can take care of themselves.
New Ziana