DYNAMOs coach Tonderayi Ndiraya has warned Castle Lager Premier Soccer League rivals to be wary of his young side next season after the team’s 19-match unbeaten run came to a halt against Caps United at the National Sports Stadium on Sunday.

By Munyaradzi Madzokere

The Harare giants had a difficult start to the season owing to a largely inexperienced side assembled by Lloyd Chigowe who lasted just four matches at the club.

But Ndiraya came in and moulded a formidable side that went on to put up an impressive run that has put them in contention for a top four finish. While he was dismayed by the defeat to Caps, Ndiraya warned that Dynamos will be difficult to beat next season.

“These are young boys. We fielded a largely young side which has really given hope to the institution with their progress. I have seen, especially from the past few games, that the team is on the right direction. I am sure with more experience, they will be difficult to stop next year,” Ndiraya told journalists on Sunday.

This season, Dynamos largely depended on young pedigree of, among others, Tinotenda Muringai (18), Nigel Katawa (19), Tawanda Chisi (19), Simbarashe Mupamawonde (19), Panashe Siziba (19) and Emmanuel Jalai who turned 20 in June.

Jarisson Selemani (21) was among the best performers at the club this season, while Kudzai Dhemere (21) has started in the last four matches and Cameroonian winger Junior Ngahan is also 21.

“I am impressed by how the team has really gone about the season. We must always be reminding each other of where we are coming from. These boys are young and I am hoping that they keep growing and they keep moving forward,” he said.

Dynamos sit eighth on the log with 44 points from 32 matches, two points behind fourth-placed ZPC Kariba.

In September, Mitchell Matarause delivered her baby boy by candlelight at a clinic in Harare, Zimbabwe’s capital.

By Farai matiashe

It was after sunset and the electricity supply had been cut.

“Midwives were using candles and torches for lighting,” said the 26-year-old, holding her second-born. “I delivered in the evening, there was no electricity.

“There was a candle on the table. I heard the midwives say that they could not see properly, so they had to use torches as additional light sources. As one midwife assisted me, the others held the torches.

“I was just praying I deliver well, without complications. I feared the worst and sighed with relief when it was over.”

High-quality maternal healthcare is difficult to access and provide in Zimbabwe, a country struggling with regular power outages — sophisticated equipment relies on electricity.

Women across the country have reported similar experiences to Matarause, relying on a small flame or a cellphone to provide enough light to give birth safely during power blackouts.

Earlier this year, the State-owned Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (Zesa) introduced 18-hour load-shedding after reducing electricity generation due to low water levels in Lake Kariba, its main source of power.

While the power is not switched off at large referral hospitals in Harare, such as Harare Central Hospital and Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals, it is cut at most facilities in residential suburbs and rural areas.

A midwife at Mufakose Polyclinic, where Matarause welcomed her child, said the team usually asks pregnant mothers to provide their own lighting.

“(We) ask them to bring bulbs with batteries as it is difficult to see when using candle lights,” she told Al Jazeera.

Most women in Zimbabwe deliver at State-run hospitals, which charge a small fee, about $200, that goes towards basic equipment.

The cost of giving birth at private hospitals is about $5 000, a sum that is out of reach for most — civil servants earn just $500 on average each month.

Zimbabwe turns to solar energy to reduce maternal mortality rate
Because of power outages, some hospitals purchase fuel at cost price from service stations for generators.

Power blackouts threaten to worsen maternal mortality rates, which the Zimbabwe Demographic and Health Survey estimates at 651 deaths per 100 000 live births.

According to Unicef, two regions, sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, account for 86% of maternal deaths worldwide.

The United Nations Population Fund describes Zimbabwe’s rate as “unacceptably high”, even as the last five to 10 years show a decline.

Some hospitals and clinics, including private facilities, use fuel generators, but this option is out of reach for many — diesel and petrol are expensive with a 300% inflation rate as of August 2019, according to the International Monetary Fund.

The fuel price is determined by the Zimbabwean dollar and US dollar interbank exchange rate.

At the time of writing, petrol was trading at around $16,6 a litre, while diesel was up at $17,43.
At Chiredzi Hospital, a government-run facility almost 500km southeast of Harare, when authorities fail to purchase fuel for generators, midwives do whatever it takes to save lives.

“Hospitals need to provide comprehensive obstetric (and newborn care), among other things such as responding to emergencies and doing surgery.

“That’s where the power issues come in. With the current cost of diesel to run generators, the situation is dire,” Chiredzi district acting medical officer, David Tarumbwa, said.

“We buy fuel straight from service stations at cost price, no subsidies. It’s not sustainable. You can’t run a generator for 12 hours daily. The next thing is, it breaks down.”

When they do not have generators, the doctors and nurses “explore whatever options will be available”.

Emmanuel Mahlangu, president of the Zimbabwe Confederation of Midwives, explained: “It is important to differentiate between normal pregnancy and childbirth with complicated pregnancy and childbirth. Eighty-seven percent of pregnancies and childbirths are normal.

“A normal childbirth occurring during the day may actually go through without much use of electricity. However, if it were to occur in the night, the priority is lighting.

“A complicated delivery may require electricity for resuscitation of the baby, warmth from radiant heaters, lights and operative delivery.”

Against this backdrop, new technology that does not rely on fuel is being tried out.

Zimbabwe turns to solar energy to reduce maternal mortality rate
Solar panels have been installed at several health facilities across the country in an attempt to overcome the negative impact of power shortages.

We Care Solar, a California-based NGO, and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) are working with the government to install solar power systems in clinics and hospitals nationwide.

We Care Solar has struck a partnership with local NGO ZimEnergy Eco Foundation, providing compact rugged solar electric systems called solar suitcases.

Designed in 2010, these “suitcases” provide bright lights and foetal heart monitoring.

More than 4 000 health centres in Africa and Asia have been equipped with this technology.

Since 2016, We Care Solar has supported 136 maternal health facilities with reliable lighting and electricity in Zimbabwe, in the provinces of Matabeleland South, Mashonaland East and Masvingo and aims to extend its project to other clinics across the country.

“Before year-end, we aim to officially launch the Light Every Birth campaign in collaboration with the Health ministry,” We Care Solar Zimbabwe programme manager Shamiso Moyo said. “We aim to install the solar system at a total of 1 000 clinics.”

UNDP also partnered with the Health ministry on a Solar For Health Project and installed solar systems at 405 institutions across the country to ensure uninterrupted power, including at maternity wards.

“They are now primarily running on solar and only using the mains electricity grid as backup. The systems vary in capacity, depending on the size of the medical facility. Smaller clinics are now running on 5kW or 7kW, while larger clinics and district hospitals run on 10kW, 15kW or even 40kW systems,” said UNDP Zimbabwe resident representative Georges van Montfort.

He hoped that eventually, no woman would ever have to deliver by candlelight again.

As the rest of the country waits, however, Mahlangu said that while the use of candle and cellphone lights during delivery is not recommended, midwives will continue to use whatever means they have to offer women support during their critical hours in labour.

“Midwives cannot leave a woman unattended because of lack of electricity,” he said, “And childbirth will not stop because there is no electricity.”

— Al Jazeera News

LOCAL modelling and fashion agency, Model Guide, recently launched a clothing label to promote African beauty and talent.

BY CHELSEA MUSAFARE

The platform is about fashion where different models from the agency will showcase their brand to different designers across the world.

In an interview with NewsDay Life & Style yesterday, business entrepreneur and founder of the agency, Lewis Nyamakosi, said the idea to launch the clothing label was inspired by his desire to see models wearing classic and durable material.

“We have a variety of clothing in stock which includes crop tops, T-shirts and caps. All of our stuff is manufactured locally and is readily available,” he said.

“Our T-shirts are going for US$8, crop tops US$6 and caps US$4. The clothes can be accessed through the Fashion Police Joina City or directly through me.”

Nyamakosi, who is also a computer engineer, programmer and graphic designer, said his agency also managed professional and experienced models.

“We have about 15 models we manage as we are highly selective. We consider three things which are confidence, as one should be able to walk, speak and represent a brand with confidence and ability since one should be able to work under minimum supervision and being photogenic,” he said.

“People can book skilled and qualified models that have what it takes to push a brand. They can hire them for photo shoots, commercials (adverts), pageants and videos. This, however, benefits the models as we scout for legitimate deals in commercials, music videos and beauty contests.”

Nyamakosi described his agency as an environment where models can be groomed to defend themselves and fight abuse.

“We are hoping to create a setting where models are free to do their modelling business without being labelled prostitutes. A platform where models are paid what they deserve, not just working for free,” he said.

Apart from the modelling agency, Nyamakosi also runs an online magazine titled Model Guide which is distributed for free on different social media platforms in PDF format.

LOS ANGELES-BASED Zimbabwean musician-cum-producer Tinashe “Bantu” Sibanda has flown the country’s flag high after being nominated for Grammy awards in the Music for Visual Media category following release of his recent project — Familia — a collaboration with Trinidad and Tobago-born rapper Nicki Minaj and Puerto Rican rapper and singer Anuel AA.

BY FREEMAN MAKOPA

The nominated song for the Grammy awards scheduled for January 26, 2020, is a soundtrack for the American animated superhero film Spiderman: Into the spider verse.

The Holiday hitmaker told NewsDay Life & Style yesterday that he was excited because it was his second time to be nominated after the 2017 nomination in the Best Compilation Soundtrack for Visual Media category.

“I feel blessed and I am so excited that I have been nominated. The nomination was a dream come true as I always wished to reach these heights. It gives me strength to continue working hard and aiming high,” he said.

“This was a dream for me as somebody who grew up in Zimbabwe watching the Grammy awards every year on television. This is an honour as I just woke up to the nomination and I want to thank God.”

Bantu shot to the limelight in 2016 with the single Holiday, an up-tempo love song that fused bright electronic club sounds with African rhythms.

The song was paired with a provocative video depicting a young African couple clashing with rebel fighters. Subsequent singles Roll With Me that features Shungudzo and ZieZie and Juice followed a similar trajectory, with emphasis on vibrant reggae rhythms.

Bantu has worked with top artistes in the mould of Chris Brown, Rita Ora, Maroon 5, Mr Eazi, Ice Prince, Fifith Harmony, J Balvin, among others.

He has also collaborated with countryman Dr Chaii and continues to produce unique and chart-topping songs with top musicians across genres.

LOCAL clergyman Tafadzwa Ruwambara (32) recently launched his debut publication titled The Cactus Creed at a Harare hotel.

BY LIFE & STYLE REPORTER

Ruwambara said he was excited by the development which marked the beginning of his journey as an author.

“I feel excited to have achieved this feat because writing is my first love and I remember as early as Form Three I was already producing some manuscripts related to the topic,” he said.
”Again I feel challenged because this book should be the first of many to come.”
Speaking on the sidelines of the launch, Ruwambara said the book, which was published by Esteem Communications, a local public relations and brand development company, focused on hope and endurance.

“The book focuses on two major things namely hope and endurance. It emphasises that one can still make it in spite of the environment. Yes, we are operating in difficult times but the message in The Cactus Creed is that divine power coupled with human effort can achieve a lot,” he said.

Ruwambara thanked the publishing company, friends, family, members of his church as well as various partners who made his dream possible.

“It is a dream come true and I just can’t wait for the second publication to be published next year. I am already working on it and I hope it surpasses the previous project,” he said.
Esteem Communications managing director, Sympathy Sibanda-Mazuruse, said they were happy to be part of Ruwambara’s success story.

“We are the dream factory and we are happy for Tafadzwa as he embarks on his journey as a fully -fledged author. Even more encouraging is the fact that his book carries the message of hope. We wish him the best in his endeavours and it is our hope that his message continues to inspire many,” she said.