The Sunday Mail
Harmony Agere
Ten students who survived the deadly Cyclone Idai disaster in Manicaland in March, received a rare Christmas treat last Saturday when they were flown to China’s Zhejiang province for the festive holiday.
The visit was organised by the Chinese Embassy in Zimbabwe and the Zhejiang provincial government as part of therapy to the young survivors of the disaster.
Cyclone Idai induced rains that hit hard parts of Chipinge and Chimanimani at the beginning of the year left at least 340 people dead or missing and affected several thousands in Zimbabwe.
Some villages were completely wiped out by the disaster.
Speaking to The Sunday Mail just before departure for China, one of the students, Tariro Mutiro (15) from Mutambara High School, was excited about the journey.
“I’m feeling great because it is my first time to travel abroad. I am very excited and hope to learn new things in China,” she said.
“They told us that they will teach us how we can develop Manicaland and other ways of restoring our communities after the cyclone destruction.
“I hope sharing our experiences of the disaster with other young people will provide some kind of therapy that some of us really need after seeing so much deaths and destruction at a young age.”
Another student Salem Matsatsa (16) from Rusitu High School was also excited about boarding a plane for the first time.
“It is my first time to board a plane, so the excitement is overwhelming. I am looking forward to learning a lot of things when I get there. I am particularly keen to compare our education system with the Chinese,” he said.
The patron of the Chinese trip, who is also Mutambara High School deputy head, Ms Wimbainashe Zviuya, said the students deserved the trip after the Cyclone Idai trauma.
“It is some form of therapy for the trauma caused during the Cyclone Idai disaster,” she said.
“Most of the children, especially those who were in the boarding schools in Chimanimani District, Rusitu, Mutambara and Biriiri, were affected by the floods
“We are also taking it as a vacation for them. It is a great honour, having Christmas beyond our borders.”
Chinese Embassy political section director Ms Guo Jing said the visit was testimony of the good bilateral ties between Zimbabwe and China.
“Today, we are very happy to see 10 children from Manicaland Province, especially from Chimanimani and Chipinge, led by their teacher paying a visit to China,” she said.
“Over the past several months, with the guidance of our ambassador, our embassy has been in close contact with Zimbabwe Government as well as the Chinese side especially the Zhejiang government and the Zhejiang foreign office and today, we finally have this visit. We organised the visit to show our friendship and solidarity with Zimbabwe.”
Ms Guo said the Chinese government was particularly touched by the plight of students after the Cyclone Idai disaster.
The students are expected back home this week after a tour of Chinese historical and cultural resorts.
