Renowned Zimbabwean writer, Charles Mungoshi, is in need of repeat operation, after doctors at a government hospital inserted a shunt to drain water from his brain last year. The shunt is not working, so liquid building up in his skull and putting pressure on his brain.

Mungoshi, who turned 69 in December, was then seen by private doctors towards the end of 2016 and their conclusion was that the operation needed to be redone. The procedure can be done in Zimbabwe and the estimated cost is US$9,000.

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The author has been dogged by ill health for many years, but the situation worsened in May 2010 when he suffered a stroke and went into a coma for close to two months. When he came to, he was unable to speak properly or to walk.

It later turned out that there was a build up of liquid in his brain which was causing his speech and mobility issues.

His wife, Jesesi Mungoshi, told Zimbo Jam that the operation needed to be done as quickly as possible, “The situation is getting worse. The doctors said that the more liquid builds up in his brain the worse it will be for him. We’d like to get this operation done soon.”

Mrs Mungoshi and her sister Fungisai Siggins, with the help of Zimbo Jam and UZ Literature lecturer, Memory Chirere are working to raise the money needed, along with other friends and family.

Siggins is setting up a GoFundMe campaign. In the meantime, anyone who wants to assist can send money via Ecocash to Jesesi Mungoshi on 0774054341.

“Any help we can get to raise the money needed is appreciated,” said Mrs Mungoshi.

Mungoshi’s works include short stories and novels in both Shona and English. He has a wide range, including anti-colonial writings and children’s books. While the colonial regime initially banned his work, he now writes about post-colonial oppression as well.

 

Charles Mungosh Ecocash

In 2013, he released another novel, Branching Streams Flow in the Dark, which his family said took him 21 years to finish due to health problems.

He has won numerous awards,  including the Noma Award in 1992 and the Commonwealth Writers Prize (Africa Region), twice in the years 1988 and 1998.

Two of his novels, one in Shona and the other in English, both published in 1975, won the International PEN Awards.

His first Shona novel was Makunungunu Maodzamoyo followed by the English short collection Some Kinds of Wounds. His collection of short stories, Coming of the Dry Season, was banned by the colonial regime. After independence though, it became a high school set book and was read by tens of thousands of young Zimbabweans.

His other Shona novel, Kunyarara Hakusi Kutaura, won several awards.

Jesesi Mungoshi is also well known around Zimbabwe and became a household name after she starred in the well-known Zimbabwean film Neria.

(Biographical information: Wikipedia & Jesesi Mungoshi)

HOW YOU CAN HELP

You can Ecocash your contribution to
Jesesi Mungoshi on 0774054341.