By Joyce Mukucha
A light of hope has shined on Mother of Peace Children’s Home in Mutoko as one of the state owned mobile telephony network providers, NetOne, in partnership with the Charles Manyuchi Boxing Academy donated groceries.
The donation which is in line with NetOne’s key pillars of assisting communities has been described as an early Christmas gift for the home. The NetOne One Care contribution included maize meal, tissue paper, sugar, sanitary wear, rice, cartons of soya means and tea leaves among an assortment of other items.
Speaking during the handover ceremony of the donation in Mutoko on the 7th of November 2019, the NetOne Zone 3 Commercial Manager Robson Mafongoyo said the company was determined to improve the well-being of communities, particularly the vulnerable orphans. He promised to give more to other vulnerable groups in as much as social corporate responsibility is concerned.
“As NetOne, we are the network that cares and we are very sensitive about the plight of people in different communities. Therefore, we take every opportunity to give a helping hand to the less privileged. This is just the beginning. NetOne has more to come concerning assisting the needy,” he said.
Mafongoyo added NetOne was grateful to partner with Manyuchi in offering the support which sought to improve children’s lives. He said his organisation was also set to carry out projects across all zones to assist the underprivileged.
Accepting the donation, Mother of Peace Founder member, Connerck Jean applauded the gesture and described NetOne and Charles Manyuchi Boxing Academy as “life savers.” However, she indicated that due to economic constraints that are currently prevailing in the country, the institution was encountering challenges pertaining extending quality education to the children and she appealed for other well-wishers to come in and offer any kind of assistance they can for the betterment of children’s lives.
She said the home needed substantial support to meet the running costs required to cater for children who have been re-integrated into wider families.
“We are grateful for this donation and I believe this has been done out of love and kindness. Words alone cannot describe how I feel towards the donation, I’m overwhelmed with joy. Continue to showcase love because it conquers everything and as long as love prevails, it leads to the betterment of our societies and development of the nation at large. NetOne and Charles Manyuchi Sports Academy, God bless you for such a caring heart.
“I’m also appealing for more assistance concerning education of these children. Due to the current financial hardships in Zimbabwe, it is becoming more difficult for us to cater for the children’s educational requirements because there is no adequate funding. We are carrying out farming projects for self-sustenance but there is lack of manpower which then limits the produce as well as the income,” said Jean.
Zimbabwe’s Boxing Star, Charles Manyuchi said with the little he had, he saw it important to join hands with NetOne in giving back to the community. He said he had the less-privileged at heart and the cooperation was meant to positively impact on the orphaned children.
“I’m not doing this because I have much but out of love. I grew up receiving care and support from different people who are kind at heart. That alone taught me a lesson and I became someone who is heavily touched by the vulnerable people especially orphans. This is not going to end on food stuffs. I’m planning to roll out pig and cow breeding projects for them so that they continue to be self-sustainable,” Manyuchi said
The children were overwhelmed with joy as the NetOne and Manyuchi team had an opportunity to mix and mingle with the children as well as having food together with the young souls after the donation.
Mother of Peace Children’s Home is a Private Voluntary Organisation (PVO), which was found in 1994 by the Roman Catholic Church in response to the HIV andAIDS pandemic in Zimbabwe which left many children orphaned. The organisation depends on donations from well-wishers and supporters for its survival. Currently, the institution caters for 25 children and accommodates 596 children at its school.
Besides receiving assistance from donations, the day to day operations of the home are sustained by donations and agricultural produce which they obtain from the farm.
