Thank You: Happy ending for Harare Girl
Early this month we highlighted the story of a 19-year-old girl who lost $162 to a group of conmen in Harare. Through the generosity of our readers we ran a GoFundMe appeal and were able to raise $325, double what she lost.
We then spent a couple of weeks trying to track her down.
Today, Friday 18 September, one of our readers supplied us with a name and telephone number. I spent the day talking to the young girl and her father and was able to carry out the necessary verification of her identity, her story and what happened.
Our original plan was to feature her on Nehanda TV, thanking those who contributed but the father has expressed reservations on the publicity this would bring to their family. At first the family were willing to turn down the donation wanting to avoid the publicity.
I had to assure them that we could protect her identity if the follow up publicity was going to get in the way of helping out. Below is a message from the father (name withheld).
“Our concerns are really on the publicity, appearing on TV or on the online publication again. I have read the story and seen the donations made and am really appreciative. I would like to personally contact and thank those who donated.
“After seeing the video, my heart ached in me. I didn’t know she cried that much and I am sure that’s why many people were touched.
“We were just apprehensive about her being contacted by strangers but after talking to you, the air has been cleared. If you can do an EcoCash Transfer we would appreciate.
“And if you have the email addresses of those who donated I would like to thank them personally, but without her picture circulating on the net again. Thanks.”
We have since wired $325 via World Remit to the father (converted from the £225 raised).
We have also decided to honour the wishes of the father and will withhold the name of the girl. Those who donated can however have access to this information. The father has already expressed a desire to contact each one of you personally.
This was a delicate balancing act, honouring the wishes by the family for privacy and an obligation to account for funds raised by our readers. Although her video is already in the public domain, publishing her name is not something she and her family want right now.
We would like to thank the following people for making this possible;
Danayi Gombera, Chipo Karonga, Mairos Kambarame, Violet Ben, Majaira Jairos, Baba Shami, Joseph Nyamnjiva, Richard Kachecha, Zimbo Live TV and many others who chose to remain anonymous or used aliases.
This is the second appeal run by Nehanda Radio. In March 2013, we published an appeal to Zimbabweans mainly in the UK to rally round and help Godfrey Karonga and his family acquire a V3 machine for his 13-year-old son Tinashe Karonga.
Tinashe suffered brain damage that left him paralysed. Physiotherapy specialists advised the family that a V3 machine would work on Tinashe’s veins and help improve his condition. The family needed about US$1200 to buy this machine.
Through the generosity of our readers who contributed, not only did we buy the machine but we surpassed the target and were able to give the family the balance in cash.
US$1713.10 was wired to Zimbabwe from the UK. Our team on the ground bought the Karonga family a V3 machine for US$1200 from Ceragem Zimbabwe.
