'We had to step up' - Selfless uncle honoured with award after family tragedy
‘It was an intense decision – but we had to step up and do what we could.’
Those are the words of a selfless uncle who moved to the Black Country after a tragic double blow which saw his five nephews orphaned.
Gift Mpedzisi and his partner Ziyanda Mhambi quit their jobs and ended the lease on their home in Liverpool at short notice to start a new life in Tipton.
Their decision came after Gift’s five nephews were orphaned after their mother and father both died from cancer within five weeks of each other.
Makeda Ubiaro – Gift’s sister – died in July, with her husband Omena passing away at the start of September from the same disease.
In a heartbreaking video posted online from his hospital bed just days before his death, Mr Ubiaro said cancer was the ‘toughest thing’ he had ever had to face.
It left his sons Khariis, Josiah, Cairo, Ramiyah and Macaiah facing a future without either of their parents – and with the possibility they would be split up and taken into foster care.
Gift, 33, and his 36-year-old Ziyanda partner decided to do whatever they could to allow the boys to stay together.
That involved Gift quitting his degree at university of Liverpool and transferring to a criminology and law course at the University of Wolverhampton. While Ziyanda, who is now pregnant, also left a full-time job to move south to look after the boys.
The couple have now been honoured with this year’s Pride of Tipton award.
Gift explained: “After the tragedy happened the boys didn’t have anybody to look after them. During that period I was studying at university in Liverpool as well as working part-time while Ziyanda was working full-time.
“Social services had been alerted and were trying to take the kids into foster care. I asked where the boys were going to go – that’s when I realised they could be split up which was going to cause a lot of stress and tension for them.
“They grew up together as a family and that is the only thing they’ve known. I didn’t want them to be split up.
“It was an intense decision to leave Liverpool and move to Tipton – but we had to step up and do what we could. They needed somebody to look after them for their wellbeing and safeguarding.”
Since Gift and Ziyanda made the move to the Black Country the five boys have made great strides.
He told the Express & Star: “Everything is going really well and we are honoured and grateful to receive the award.
“As a human being it is always nice to be recognised, especially for doing a good thing. It makes you feel stronger.
“The boys were really honoured and really happy too. They’re doing absolutely fine now – very well. That is one of things that makes me happy. They do have sad moments where you wonder what they are thinking but overall they are doing absolutely fine.
“But we have tried to encourage them by saying [their mother and father] are looking down on them. Academically as well they have picked themselves up.”
Pride of Tipton organiser Paula Beddoe said: “The awards went really well – it was the fifth year we’ve been doing it.
“We keep thinking we’ve run out of stories but the people of Tipton have been amazing, the whole community has been brilliant.
"We had over 30 nominations and this year’s winner are all hugely deserving.”
The full list of award winners is as follows:
Pride of Tipton Award – Gift Mpedzisi and Ziyanda Mhambi.
Community Aid Award – ‘The Well’ (Tipton food bank/ Bill Newby).
Fundraising Award – Sally Gutteridge.
Overcoming Adversity – David Wilkinson.
Special Recognition Award – Beth Williams.
Inspirational Person – Tallat Mahmood.
Inspirational Young Person – James and Jessica McTaggart.
Good Neighbour – Maggie Stromska and Evelyn Playford.
Community Champions – Tipton Striders/Mike and Josie Mansell, and Barbara Cotham.
