We lost a hero: Dewa Mavhinga’s community of origin

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Marlvin Ngiza

Wiltshire (Hwirisha in Chivhu), the home of origin for the late Dewa Mavhinga has expressed grief following the untimely passing of the legend and human rights advocate.

In a statement, Nicole Gondo, a committee member of Hwirisha Trust said the community has been hit hard and robbed of a generous, compassionate, and hard-working member.

Gondo described the late Mavhinga as someone who was humble, nurtured on Ubuntu, generous and had professional leadership traits.

“It is a hard time for the whole of the community. He has left a permanent mark in our hearts. The legacy of Dewa Mavhinga lives as an inspiration to the community and all those who knew him or his works.

“Dewa showed professional leadership and could work with anyone regardless of political affiliation. His humility, empathy and sense of humour in problem-solving were admirable. He led from the front. A generous, compassionate human being who was focused and result-driven. Dewa taught us that social justice is a personal value. He saw himself through others, true to the unhu, ubuntu concept.

“He was so many things to the world, but in the community, in the village, he remained the humble boy who could connect quite easily with anyone. There is a saying to the effect that the character of a man is tested when they have power. It is dawning on the community now when he is gone, that actually, he influenced so many around the world, judging by the obituaries, yet in the village , he was still the same boy  they raised,” said Gondo

She said Dewa has left a lot of work unfinished hence the need for the community and current leadership of the Hwirisha Trust to pick up from where he has left and fulfill the late community hero’s dreams.

“Dewa founded the Hwirisha Trust in 2020 with the aim of developing Gandami Rural Clinic and other public services such as schools, roads, and clinics that are dilapidated.

“The Gandami Maternity Clinic is now at the slab level with all materials to finish the building already purchased. The trust has also managed to ship in from the United Kingdom, maternity and pediatric beds.

“The community and the current leadership should ensure that the projects will successfully come to completion. That is what he wanted. We hope that those whose lives were touched by Dewa Mavhinga in one way or the other will help the trust in any way to finish the work that remains, either with financial support, building material or skills transfer,” added Gondo

Through the leadership of Dewa Mavhinga, Hwirisha Trust established a borehole drilling project which has seen 9 boreholes drilled in the community.

“The project currently involves 25 farmers who formed a consortium to enable affordable borehole drilling in the community. Using the power in numbers, the consortium was able to negotiate a favourable price for borehole drilling for each of the members with a guaranteed wet hole. The project has been a success so far, with 9 boreholes drilled and more on the waiting list,” said Gondo