Ruth Hwara was laid to rest in Hwedza. Journalist Zigo took time to speak with family members at the funeral.
Some expressed that Ruth died because of stress which emanated from Social media. Many scolded her whilst others believed that her family took the money donated for her and decided to keep it for themselves.
Ruth Hwara’s story, which captured the attention of the Zimbabwean community and the broader diaspora, has now ended in sorrow, overshadowed by a scandal involving the misuse of funds.
For over a year, a GoFundMe campaign raised substantial amounts of money, with the explicit purpose of covering the costs of Ruth’s kidney operation in India. However, despite the large sum collected, Ruth was never taken to India for the surgery that might have saved her life.
According to Zim Eye In the weeks leading up to her death, Ruth’s condition deteriorated rapidly. Despite the substantial funds that were available, no evidence suggests that any significant portion of the money was used to improve her medical care or to secure her transport to India. Instead, the funds seem to have vanished, with no clear explanation or accountability from those who were responsible for managing the campaign.
The lack of transparency has sparked outrage among the donors who contributed to the GoFundMe campaign, many of whom feel deceived and betrayed. One donor, speaking to ZimEye, expressed their frustration: “We gave money to save a life, but instead, we are left with nothing but grief and unanswered questions. The fact that Ruth never even made it to India is unforgivable. We demand to know where our money went.”
