Tyrone Havnar visit to Ngomahuru Psychiatric Hospital-20 December 2017

A Day at Ngomahuru Psychiatric Hospital

Nestled about 52 kilometers outside Masvingo, Ngomahuru Psychiatric Hospital carries with it a deep and layered history. First built in the 1920s by the Dutch Reformed Church as a leprosy center, it later became a tuberculosis sanatorium before being converted into a psychiatric hospital in 1969. For decades, it has stood as one of Zimbabwe’s key mental health institutions, serving patients from Masvingo and beyond. The hospital is a place where resilience and compassion meet every single day.

On 20 December 2017, I visited Ngomahuru under the banners of I Reach Out My Hand Africa and Christian Citizen Initiative Worldwide. Our mission was simple yet meaningful: to deliver food supplies and to spend time learning how the institution functions.

Walking Through the Gates

Africans in 21st century

As we arrived, I carried with me both excitement and humility. Bringing food supplies might seem like a small gesture, but in a place like Ngomahuru, even a bag of mealie-meal or a bottle of cooking oil becomes a symbol of care. I was welcomed with warmth, and what struck me first was how the Zimbabwean government has managed to keep the facility in good condition, despite the ever-present financial and logistical challenges.

The wards were clean, the grounds orderly, and there was a sense of routine and structure. But beyond the walls and the routines lay the real heart of Ngomahuru the people.

Meeting the Caregivers

Touring the institution gave me a glimpse into a world that requires extraordinary strength. The staff from nurses to attendants to administrators carry out work that few would be willing to do, day after day. Mental health care is not glamorous. It is often misunderstood, underfunded, and overlooked. Yet here I saw men and women showing up with patience, endurance, and compassion.

I must say, this work is not for the faint-hearted. It requires a calm spirit, steady nerves, and a heart full of empathy. Watching them interact with patients, I could tell that their service goes far beyond professional duty it is a calling.

The Gift of Giving

As we delivered the food supplies, I realized how much of a difference such contributions make. Food may seem ordinary, but in an institution like this, it becomes extraordinary. It means patients eat with dignity. It gives the staff one less worry to carry. It is a reminder that society has not forgotten them.

That simple act of giving humbled me. It reminded me that kindness doesn’t need to be big or complicated — it just needs to be genuine.

My Reflection

I left Ngomahuru with a heart that was both heavy and hopeful. Heavy, because I had seen the weight of caring for people society often sidelines. But hopeful, because I had also seen resilience, patience and love alive in that hospital.

To the staff at Ngomahuru, I sayThank you for your courage, your patience and your daily sacrifice. Yours is a complicated job, but you do it with a grace that deserves recognition.

My visit taught me that compassion is simple. It is about showing up, lending a hand, saying thank you, and refusing to forget those who are most vulnerable.

On that December day in 2017, Ngomahuru Psychiatric Hospital reminded me of the kind of world we must keep building, one where no one is forgotten, and where kindness always finds a way.