Mberengwa District

Mberengwa is a district in Midlands province in Zimbabwe. The district is prone to droughts and high temperatures, but abundant in minerals like gold, iron ore, emeralds and also asbestos was mined before. Buchwa Mine, Vanguard Mine, Sandawana and C Mine are all located in Mberengwa. The name "Mberengwa" itself comes from the [Karanga phrase Mbere-yeingwa . Mount Mberengwa is one of the highest mountains in Zimbabwe but not as high as the mountains in the Eastern Highlands. Pre-Independence in 1980, the mountain and district was also called Belingwe.

Mberengwa District is also known for its riches in minerals and fauna. Gold is mined at C Mine and other small claims mines scattered around Mberengwa. Emeralds are also mined at Sandawana while Vanguard Mine was once a major player in asbestos production till the 1980s when Asbestos lost its importance to the world. Cattle ranching is a major farming activity.

The district has a number of missionary-run schools that run up to A-Level, notably Chegato and [[Musume] [Mnene].After 1980, the Government constructed a number of Rural Day Secondary Schools also known as "Upper Tops" among them Zvamagwiro, Mabika, Chizungu and Chomusenda Secondary Schools. These schools have help improve the educational standards as well as creating educational opportunities for many rural children. There are also missionary-run hospitals and clinics. Most of the schools and hospitals are run by the Lutheran Federation (Lutheran Churches). Non-governmental organizations like CARE have or have had programs operating there as well.

Soccer

Primary and secondary schools in Mberengwa compete yearly in football tournaments. There is a trophy won, originally funded by the Coca Cola Company. Soccer is the most favored sport in the district. Apart from soccer gollball is also a popular sport for the visually inpaired school children.Over the years basketball has also gained momentum especially amongst high Schools.Mission schools under the Evangelical Lutheran Church compete in the E L C Z sports tournament which are held yearly.They are rotated amongst the schools.Sporting activeties such as Soccer,Netball Basketball,volleyball etc are competed.One year focuses on track events then the next year focuses on field events.

Language

The languages spoken in Mberengwa are Shona and Ndebele. There is a sizable number of people who speak both languages fluently. The Karanga dialect of Shona spoken in Mberengwa also has a heavy Ndebele influence.The karanga dialect is dervived from the Masvingo province where the famous Great Zimbabwe Ruins lies.

Religion

The majority of the population is made up of christians. This was mainly influenced by the presence of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Zimbabwe (ELCZ). There is also a large group of traditional baremba (varemba) people. Cultural rites are still widely practiced in Mberengwa.

Coordinates: 20°29′S 29°55′E / 20.483°S 29.917°E / -20.483; 29.917