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Chairperson's Message 2010

Greetings to you, my fathers and mothers, my uncles and aunts, my brothers and sisters and last but not least our youth and children.

I pay my respects and homage to our founder members that lit this torch in 2001. I also give praise to the past chair persons and executives who at a great sacrifice of their own money, time and skills have so commendably kept that torch burning.

Allow me to introduce to you, your Executive Committee for 2010/2011. Humbly yours, Gamaliel P. Mahachi as the Chair, Mrs. Lilian Magaya as the Secretary, Mrs. Sara Gondo as the Treasurer, Mr. Tanaka Bere as the Head of the Fundraising Committee, Mr. Tafadzwa Muzofa as the head of the Youth and Children’s Services,Mr. C. Mazhandu as the head of Bereavement, Mrs. J. Mubvumbi as the head of Family and settlement and Mr. Alex Siriya and Mr. dean Nyirenda are the Committee members.

History
The first organized community of Zimbabweans living in Hamilton, Ontario is generally believed to have begun in early 2001. Most of them refugees, these intrepid Zimbabweans were families and single young men and women who had departed their country for reasons that have since become all too obvious to the world. The nostalgia of reminiscing about these pioneering Zimbabweans brings mixed feelings. Many will recall when people would rummage through the phone book, looking for any last name that sounded Zimbabwean, and how, upon finding such names, these lonely souls would frantically call the number, sometimes to be met with the familiar Zimbabwean accent but sadly sometimes, to be met with the voice of a stranger who would, with exasperation remonstrate; “my name is Dubé not Dube” or “Zhou not Zhou” (for many a Canadian and Chinese bear these last names).