A grant of £4,187.00 by event industry foundation Meeting Needs has completely refurbished living accommodation for seven health workers at the Lupote Rural Health Centre in the Hwange District of Zimbabwe.
The staff accommodation block was in a terrible state of decay and repair. Working with Mother Africa Trust, The Meeting Needs donation enabled a complete internal and external refurbishment of the building. There is now a functional drainage system, old toilets were replaced with new toilets and a new soakaway was built. The whole plumbing system was re-done with new sinks and taps.
Electrical wiring and the cracked floors were replaced and cracks in walls were filled and the leaking roof was repaired. Old damaged doors and broken window panes were also replaced. The seven health care workers at Lupote Rural Centre now have comfortable accommodation.
The renovated accommodation now offers a safe and comfortable environment for the health workers who serve over 3,000 villagers. This grant not only improved the living conditions for the staff members but also yielded economic benefits to local community members who were part of the workforce. Ninety percent of the workers who worked on this project were from the local communities and half of the workforce were women. They earned the much-needed income and there was a skills transfer as they learnt a lot from the contracted company. Improved living conditions will contribute to staff retention and the community will benefit from a highly motivated workforce.
To find out how you can work with Meeting Needs, contact Karen Small on ksmall@meetingneeds.org.uk
