By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
Registration is now open for the Karanda Mission Hospital Charity Golf Day, set to take place on 18 September 2026 under the theme “Golfing for Good, Changing Lives at Karanda Mission Hospital.”
The fundraising initiative invites golfers and sponsors to rally behind one of Zimbabwe’s busiest mission hospitals, which serves a staggering 140,000 patients annually with just 165 beds and 278 staff members.
How to Participate
Individuals can register for US$50, while teams of four may enter for US$200. Sponsorship opportunities are available at various levels, including exhibition stands, holes, gin tents, and refreshments.
A charity auction will also feature an array of prizes, including hampers, electrical appliances, tools, and other donated items.
For sponsorship inquiries, organisers can be contacted on 0712519765, 0775697781, and 0774822170.
The Numbers Tell a Harrowing Story
Karanda Mission Hospital performs 51,000 outpatient consultations and 4,000 surgeries each year. By any measure, the numbers are staggering. Yet behind the statistics lies a daily struggle to keep the doors open and patients alive.
A Shelter Crisis
Karanda Mission Hospital Chaplain Reverend Mark Sikulao painted a heartbreaking picture of the challenges facing patients and their families.
“Most people here are economically poor. When they bring a sick relative, they cannot afford the US$35 lodges or even the US$5 per person at local shops. So they sleep outside the gate — in the cold, along the fence, sometimes in their cars if they have one,” Reverend Sikulao said.
“We find their blankets in the morning and bring them inside. Our shelter is too small. When it rains, we invite them into the shed, but it cannot hold everyone. We pray for a solution — a proper shelter divided for men and women, with more toilets. That is one of our biggest challenges.”
The Power Crisis
Hospital Superintendent Dr Takudzwa Sasa revealed the immense cost of keeping the hospital operational amid Zimbabwe’s chronic power shortages.
“We need about 500 litres of diesel a day — that’s around US$1,000 — just to keep the hospital running for a few hours,” Dr Sasa said.
“Karanda is on the national grid, but we don’t have a dedicated line like emergency services do. When there’s load-shedding, we lose power. We can’t tell a patient their caesarean is delayed because the generator ran out. We’ve been asking the Minister’s office for a dedicated line. It’s expensive, but we cannot compromise patient care.”
A Critical Safety Net in a Broken System
Zimbabwe’s public health system has collapsed due to corruption, lack of accountability, poor working conditions, and chronic shortages of funds, medicine, and equipment. The country is experiencing a severe “brain drain” as doctors and nurses leave in large numbers for better pay and working conditions abroad.
In this context, mission hospitals like Karanda have become critical safety nets. Patients travel from across the country — from Chipinge, Chiredzi, Bulawayo, and even Botswana and Mozambique — to seek care at a facility that refuses to turn anyone away.
A Call to Action
The charity golf day is more than a sporting event. It is a lifeline. Every swing, every sponsorship, and every auction bid brings Karanda closer to solving its shelter crisis, securing a dedicated power line, and continuing its life-saving work.
As Reverend Sikulao put it: “We pray for a solution.” The hope is that golfers, sponsors, and well-wishers will answer that prayer on 18 September.
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