The Zephania and Mildrate Matanga Medical Centre (ZMMMC) was founded in 2014 by Dr. Zephania Matanga and Mrs. Mildrate Matanga, with support from the Manitoba Council for International Cooperation, the Rotary Club of Winnipeg, and sponsorship from the Canadian Multicultural Disability Centre (Inc.). The Centre is located in Chirasauta Village, Zimbabwe — the birthplace of both Dr. and Mrs. Matanga.

Dr. Matanga was inspired to establish the Centre due to his personal life experience. He became visually impaired at the age of five as a result of measles, at a time when many children in the area were affected by measles and polio. Tragically, many lost their lives because there were no health facilities in the village. Dr. Matanga was among the few who survived. Despite his disability, and with the unwavering support of his parents, he was able to pursue his education and achieve great success in life.

After leaving the village many years earlier, Dr. Matanga had not imagined returning in any significant way. However, when he went back in 2007 for his mother’s funeral, community members approached him with heartfelt pleas for help, explaining that the village remained in the same state it was in during his childhood — still without essential facilities such as a clinic or a high school. Initially feeling overwhelmed, Dr. Matanga reflected deeply on their request. The words that came to his mind were: “There will always be poor people in the world; therefore, be openhanded toward those who are poor and needy.”

Moved by compassion and a renewed sense of purpose, Dr. Matanga returned to Canada determined to make a difference. He began mobilizing resources to address the health and educational needs of his home community, working tirelessly through partnerships with the Manitoba Council for International Cooperation and the Rotary Club of Winnipeg.

After fifteen years of dedication, persistence, and faith — often in the face of challenges — the Zephania and Mildrate Matanga Medical Centre received its first patients on July 27, 2022, during a series of outreach programs led by the Chikomba District Medical Office, and became fully operational on July 1, 2023.