MUTASA, MANICALAND — For a mother in a rural community, healthcare is not a statistic.
It is the reassurance of having a sick child seen by a health professional. It is the relief of accessing care without travelling for hours. It is the hope of knowing that someone cares.
This was the human story in Mutasa District as NetOne, through its NetOne @30 Medical Outreach Initiative, brought healthcare services closer to communities as part of its Health & Care pillar.
Implemented in partnership with ZimSmart Villages, the outreach forms part of a nationwide initiative targeting 30 districts and approximately 90,000 households, with an anticipated 3,000 households reached in each district.
The programme was graced by Minister of Defence, Hon. Cde. Oppah Muchinguri, and attended by Minister of State for Manicaland Province, Hon. Mugadza, who commended NetOne for placing communities at the centre of its 30th anniversary celebrations.
HEALTHY COMMUNITIES, A STRONGER ZIMBABWE
Minister Muchinguri said initiatives that bring essential services closer to communities complement the country’s development aspirations.
“As we pursue the aspirations of Vision 2030 and implement the National Development Strategy 2, we must continue to harness innovation, technology and partnerships to improve the quality of life of our people. Healthcare is fundamental to development because healthy communities are better positioned to participate meaningfully in the social and economic development of our country.”
She commended the collaboration between Government, the private sector and development partners in supporting communities and advancing national development.
30 DISTRICTS. 90,000 HOUSEHOLDS. ONE HUMAN PURPOSE.
For NetOne, the 90,000 households are more than a number.
Behind every household is a family.
Behind every family is a story.
And behind every story is a future that deserves the opportunity to be healthier and more secure.
Speaking on behalf of NetOne, Public Relations Manager Ernest Magadzire said the company wanted its 30th anniversary to demonstrate that connectivity could have a much deeper meaning.
“For 30 years, NetOne has connected Zimbabweans. As we celebrate this milestone, we want connectivity to mean more than communication. We want it to connect people to healthcare, information, opportunity and essential services, especially in communities that need them most.”
He said the Mutasa outreach reflected NetOne’s determination to ensure that the benefits of development reach communities across Zimbabwe.
“When a mother can access healthcare closer to home, when a child receives care, when a family receives information that can protect their health — that is connectivity making a difference. That is what we mean when we say we want to go beyond connectivity.”
TURNING TECHNOLOGY INTO HOPE
For Tawanda Njerere, Chief Operations Officer of ZimSmart Villages, the initiative demonstrates how technology can help overcome geographical barriers to healthcare.
“Technology only becomes meaningful when it solves a real problem for people. Through our collaboration with NetOne, we are using connectivity as a bridge between rural communities and healthcare professionals, helping bring healthcare closer to the people.”
The partnership is also supporting the broader use of telemedicine and digital-health solutions, enabling communities to access healthcare services while reducing the burden created by distance.
FROM CONNECTIVITY TO CARE
For three decades, NetOne has connected Zimbabweans — families, businesses, students, farmers and communities.
Now, that connection is increasingly being translated into care, opportunity and social impact.
A network can connect a mother to her family.
It can connect a farmer to a market.
It can connect a student to knowledge.
And it can connect a patient in a remote community to healthcare.
That is where “The World In One” takes on a deeper meaning.
It is about bringing possibilities closer to people.
The initiative contributes to the aspirations of Vision 2030 and NDS2, while supporting SDG 3 — Good Health and Well-being, SDG 10 — Reduced Inequalities and SDG 17 — Partnerships for the Goals.
But perhaps the most powerful measure of the Mutasa outreach was not found in a report or a statistic.
It was in the faces of people who came seeking help — and left knowing that someone cared enough to bring healthcare closer to them.
As NetOne celebrates 30 years of connecting Zimbabwe, the message from Mutasa is simple:
Connectivity must improve lives.
30 years of connecting.
30 years of caring.
30 years of transforming lives.
NetOne @30 — The World In One.
