By Nyasha Dube
In the midst of a devastating cholera outbreak that has rocked the country for months now, Zvishavane based For Girls Focus Trust has stepped up to bridge the gap between the apostolic sect and health authorities.
With their unique religious beliefs and a tendency to avoid mainstream healthcare, the apostolic sect members residing in Manjere area in the outskirts of the mining town had unfortunately become the epicenter of the outbreak a few months ago.
The area which is an illegal settlement, has no proper structures, no toilets and no safe water supply.
However, the dedicated organization has been working tirelessly to break down barriers and provide life-saving knowledge to this marginalized group, through conducting cleanup campaigns and educating the group on hygienic practices.
The apostolic sect, a religious community deeply rooted in tradition has long held a firm belief in divine healing and the power of prayer. As a result, seeking medical treatment has often been discouraged or even forbidden within their ranks.
This religious practice, combined with limited access to proper sanitation facilities, has made the apostolic sect particularly vulnerable to the spread of cholera.
Unconfirmed reports say that some families lost their loved ones to the disease in the past months, although the church leaders denied the claims.
“We are well aware of the cholera outbreak going on but we have our own health remedies that we follow in our church,” said one of the church leaders Silas Shoko, who is also a healer in the church.
Shoko also admitted that many members of the sect were affected by the medieval disease, although he said no deaths occurred.
“Health officials and local authorities approached us when they received news that many of our members were affected. We did listen to their concerns. Although we could not go to their hospitals we resorted to using gloves, gowns and oral rehydration solution as these are not medicine,” Shoko said.
One of the members Emmaculate Ndlovu who recovered from cholera also shared her experience,
“I had the symptoms as I was doing my domestic chores but I had no idea it was cholera. For a day I had diarrhea and I was vomiting. My children were also affected and all five of us were sick. Luckily we got help on time and no one lost their life,” she said.
Asked on the state of sanitation, Ndlovu said in their settlement they have no toilets, and they rely on river water for domestic use, which puts the whole community at high risk.
Cholera, a highly contagious waterborne disease, is also wreaking havoc in the whole of Zvishavane and Zimbabwe, with health officials admitting that the situation is bad.
The lack of awareness about the disease and its transmission, coupled with the reluctance to seek medical help, has further exacerbated the situation.
“We mainly have a challenge with the Marange apostolic sect but we have engaged them and equipped them with vital health information. They do not seek treatment openly so most of them end up seeking medical treatment in secret so that their peers do not see them,” said Zvishavane District Health Promotion Officer Rumbidzai Chikwana.
She added that the cholera situation in the mining town and surrounding areas continues to be worrisome as more areas in Mazvihwa as well as local high density surbubs like Mandava and Nill have been affected. She urged residents to timely seek help whenever they have cholera symptoms.
As of 23 January 2024, Zvishavane had recorded 124 deaths and 9 suspected deaths.
Recognizing the urgent need to address the situation, For Girls Focus Trust took it upon themselves to bridge the gap and provide crucial information to the apostolic sect.
“When cholera wreaked havoc in Manjere, a cholera task force was formed to address the situation. However, there was lack of willingness by the authorities to understand the ways and beliefs of the apostolic sect. This is where we came in as a mediator and tried to engage this group. They live in illegal settlements which makes the situation complex. We managed to reach out to the church leaders and educated them about cholera,” said Dourt Majoni the organisation’s founder.
Majoni added the big challenge is that members of the sect do not openly come forward when they are affected, which makes it difficult to manage the situation.
“Hiding sick people is not the solution as it only worsens the situation. What is needed is engagement from both sides so that they reach a common understanding. We managed to ensure that the leaders and healers get protective clothing for use when attending to patients. They can also borrow some precautionary measures such as isolation to prevent the rapid spread of the disease. With cholera it’s easier because all that is needed is to adhere to hygienic practices such as washing hands and drinking safe water,” Majoni said.