By Byron Mutingwende
Leading mobile telephony company, NetOne has once again stamped its authority as an institution that moves in sync with the community by playing its part in the fight against cholera.
In an interview with Spiked Online Media during a massive clean up campaign in Budiriro 5 that started at seven o’clock in the morning until midday on Tuesday 25 September 2018, Mr Brian Mutandiro, the NetOne Chief Commercial Officer said his institution identified itself as one thing with the community.
“As NetOne, we are one with the community since our work is within and among the local people. When cholera affected suburbs like Budiriro and Glenview, the challenge became our own since we are part of the community.
“In demonstrating our oneness with the community, we have dedicated the entire day today to come and help in this massive clean-up campaign starting here at Current Shopping Centre in Budiriro 5 and other places like Glenview and Mbare,” Mr Mutandiro said.
NetOne, being the great givers that they are, donated one million litres of treated water and some water tanks to communities at the centre of the cholera outbreak.
Dr Eldrette Shereni, the NetOne Marketing and Public Relations Manager revealed that the donation was one aspect of NetOne’s massive corporate social responsibility programmes the institution embarks on in various communities in its quest to be one of the leading corporates that prioritise people’s wellbeing.
“We believe that what we are doing will go a long way in complementing in the fight against the spread of water-borne diseases like cholera and typhoid that are directly linked to hygiene and a clean environment.
“We have put a 10 000 litre water tank at St Faith’s Anglican Church in Budiriro and another one at the Assemblies of God Church in Budiriro 5. As a predominantly Christian nation, people gather in large numbers at churches hence our decision to prioritise churches,” Dr Shereni said.
The schools that benefitted from the donation of the water tanks include Budiriro 1 Primary School and Budiriro 1 High School. Another highly populated area that got a water tank is the Glenview 8 Home Industries Complex frequented by hundreds of thousands of people who visit the area to buy furniture.
The Budiriro 5 Satellite Clinic was also blessed with a water tank courtesy of NetOne and so was the Matapi Police Camp in Mbare.
“We are also going to hold regular clean up campaigns in these areas and others outside Harare. The clean up campaigns also run concurrently with road shows to raise awareness on preventing and eradicating cholera,” Dr Shereni added.
Participants at the road show got away with fabulous water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) prizes that include the water treatment chemical Water Guard and hand sanitisers, among others.
Meanwhile, in the quest to boost the cholera fund, NetOne has rolled out an SMS platform whereby the telephone company will deduct once cent from every SMS sent towards fighting the pandemic.