Courtesy of NetOne’s quest to improve people’s livelihoods through availing a habitable environment, today a new and trendy looking Sunningdale Community Hall was unveiled.
Officially unveiling the new look building, Mr. Lazarus Muchenje, the Chief Executive Officer of NetOne, in a speech read on his behalf by Dr. Eldrette Shereni, the Head of Public Relations, said the place now resonates with the community and his organisation was greatly honoured to have delivered the new refreshing and trendy look to the community hall.
“In line with our Corporate Social Investment pillar, that focuses on developing sustainable cities and communities, Sustainable Development Goal Number 11, NetOne is keen on positively impacting the lives of the Sunningdale Community. The City of Harare is working on attaining world-class city status by 2025. As NetOne, we will walk the journey with the council as we are the citizens of this town,” Mr Muchenje said.
He revealed that through a broader partnership with the City of Harare, NetOne will be assisting the city by attending to some of the critical needs on council properties.
“What we are witnessing today is a result of that partnership. The development of youths is closer to our hearts as the network that cares. To ensure that the youths of Sunningdale are not left out, NetOne deliberately contracted some youths from your community to do the graphic designs you are seeing today.
“Ladies and gentlemen, these are the works of your kith and kin. The youths also happen to be beneficiaries of this hall. They use the hall as their offices and NetOne is happy to be part of their success story.”
The hall houses over 75 children who attend preschool and more than 2600 people visit the centre every month. These people are directly benefiting from the hall and through NetOne’s intervention, the place is now more habitable.
Many people from other districts outside Sunningdale also benefit from the facilities there. People from parts of Waterfalls, Ardbennie, St Martins and Prospect visit the centre.
Mr Muchenje urged the community, as the owners of the place, to continue looking after it to help make Harare City attain world-class status by 2025.
Mayor of City of Harare, Councillor Herbert Gomba, appreciated the gesture shown by NetOne not only towards the Sunningdale Community but to the City of Harare as whole.
“Indeed a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. What we are witnessing today is a result of a partnership that the City has entered with NetOne under its Smart Cities banner.
“The desire by NetOne to positively influence people’s lives and change their stories is unquestionable. As the City of Harare we applaud you for your exceptional Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives,” Mayor Gomba said.
The City Of Harare has been a recipient of NetOne goodwill in the past. NetOne came to the aid of Edith Opperman Maternity Clinic by providing blankets and wheelchairs, planting trees at Stodart Hall in Mbare and planting trees at St Giles Rehabilitation Centre.
“Our vision is to become a world-class city by 2025 and as the city, alone we cannot realise this vision, thus such partnerships as these are key to the attainment of our vision.
“When I first saw the refreshing look on this Sunningdale Community Hall, with these eye-catching graphics, I felt a sense of pride. Most of our infrastructure is now worn out and with such friends like NetOne; our vision will be a reality.”
Through the local Councillor, Mr Madzingira, Mayor Gomba urged the Sunningdale Community to look after the complex and ensure that the new standards set by NetOne are maintained.