I've started gathering Neighbourhood Heroes stories from students here in Zimbabwe. Of course I've spoken to students at Sihlengeni High School where I have been working on a Rotary project to install new computer and science labs.

By the way I just today learned the difference between a secondary school and a high school. A secondary school only teaches to Fourth Form, a high school teaches Sixth Form students preparing them for college or university.

Next term Sihlengeni Secondary School will become a high school thanks in large part to the improvements we have made over the past two years. Those in Nanaimo who contributed to these efforts should be very pleased with the results we have achieved.

I've also been invited to speak to several classes at the Christian Brothers College in Bulawayo. This is a private boarding school that attracts well to do boys of all races, a very interesting group of young men.

It will be exciting to compare the stories written by these "Big City Boys" with Sihlengeni's "Country Boys".

You'll be able to read these stories on our Neighbourhood Heroes web site when I receive them. I'll let you know when they arrive.

Today I drove out to visit Tebogo Mpofu, the student I and several friends are sponsoring at Usher Institute, a Salvation Army girls boarding school about 50 kilometres outside Bulawayo. Four or five classes gathered in the church and showed great interest in the Neighbourhood Heroes project. I'm sure their stories will be most interesting as well.

It's my theory that Neighbourhood Heroes are pretty much the same all over the world . the same kind of love and support being offered to themselves and others. The interesting thing will be to see how that love and support is expressed in different cultures.

The first story I received was from my friend Thandi Ngwenja's younger sister, Thande Iwenkosi Ngwenja, a seventeen year old Upper 6 student at Iz Majo High School here in Bulawayo.

Here is her story.

The hero in my life, one who has made a lasting impression with her teachings, commandeered respect and adulation with her actions, and utmost respect and love with her selflessness, is my mom.

She has made me what I am today. She has strained, persevered, strived and struggled, not only for me but for every one of her relatives and children.

I find it befitting to term her a hero for she is a cut above all I have seen so far.

When she was younger, my mom did not work in any white collar job because in Africa then women were not given a chance to reach toward greater heights. She sold vegetables at one time and grew them in the garden for us to eat and have clothes, and she sold clothes for us to get school fees, uniforms, and stationary. Never once did I hear her complain.

In all this she took time to take us to church, soothed our hurts, and answered our questions about life.

She taught herself at the same time working towards her education. She went up to a diploma in education and managed to get us all through school.

My mom taught me to be selfless, to think of others before myself as she did, to persevere no matter how tough the going gets, and that in the end one will realize the fruits of that patience. She also taught me that to love others besides yourself helps you find peace with yourself.

Mummy I thank God for you. You are a gem. I only hope the Lord will keep me and help me to give back what you had to forgo to make me what I am today. I love you and thank you so very much. God bless you.

Thande Iwenkosi Ngwenja

If you would like to add your support, you can send a cheque made out to "Rotary Club of Nanaimo North (Zimbabwe)". The address is PO Box 223, Nanaimo, B.C., V9R 5K9. They will forward the money to our project account in Zimbabwe.