Martin Muleya
MUTARE-NetOne has deepened its commitment to community empowerment and healthcare by rolling out the Vadhumeni Vehutano initiative, using connectivity to bring essential health services closer to rural communities while creating sustainable livelihood opportunities for local health ambassadors.
The initiative is part of the telecommunications company’s NetOne at 30 Medical Outreach and Telemedicine Programme held at Musikavanhu last Saturday, where residents benefitted from free medical screenings, consultations and medicines.
The programme also connected the community to telemedicine services, enabling residents to access health professionals beyond the physical boundaries of their locality.
Speaking during the programme, Deputy Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Angeline Gata, applauded NetOne for leveraging technology to respond to community needs while empowering people at grassroots level.
Under the Vadhumeni Vehutano programme, trained community health ambassadors serve as a critical link between healthcare services and residents.
The ambassadors will conduct door-to-door visits, carrying out basic health checks, educate families on health and wellness, identifying potential health concerns and guiding residents towards appropriate medical care.
To support the programme, NetOne handed over 10 bicycles, blood pressure machines and glucometers to the Vadhumeni Vehutano.
The equipment will enable the ambassadors to travel across the community and conduct basic screenings at household level, helping to identify possible health concerns early.
Where necessary patients will be referred to health facilities or connected to healthcare professionals through telemedicine, effectively using technology as a bridge between rural communities and healthcare services.
Through OneMoney, the Vadhumeni Vehutano are also being empowered to operate as agents, giving them an additional source of income while providing essential financial services within their communities.
The dual-purpose model positions the ambassadors as both community health champions and digital financial service enablers, demonstrating how connectivity can address social and economic needs simultaneously.
NetOne Public Relations Manager Ernest Magadzire said the initiative reflected the company’s broader vision as it entered the next chapter of its 30-year journey. He noted that the initiative demonstrated NetOne’s core telecommunications business could be leveraged to create a broader social impact.
“At NetOne, we believe empowerment must go hand in hand with connectivity. The Vadhumeni Vehutano model allows us to use technology to improve access to healthcare while creating opportunities for people within communities to earn a living and serve their communities. This is meaningful connectivity in action. We are not simply building networks; we are building bridges. A bridge to healthcare, a bridge to financial inclusion and a bridge to opportunity,” Magadzire highlighted.
As NetOne celebrates 30 years of connecting Zimbabweans, the Vadhumeni Vehutano model, represents the company’s evolving role in society-using connectivity not only to communicate, but also to empower people, strengthen communities and make technology a tool for healthier and more prosperous lives.
