By Anyway Yotamu and Tatenda Mujeyi
Seed Co Zimbabwe has extended its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to selected charitable organisations on the 11th of December 2019 at the company’s Stapleford offices in Harare.
The largest seed company in the Southern African region has partnered with Mutemwa Leprosy Center, Mother of Peace, Mashambanzou Care Trust and Jairosi Jiri Home from Mutoko district under Mashonaland East province by donating 2 tonnes of maize meal and 200 kgs of maize seed to these institutions. The organisations are expected to plant 2 hectares each and they will be given support from SeedCo Agronomist in their provinces.
In her remarks at the event, Seed Co Group Head of Public Relations Ms Marjorie Mutemererwa said: “Our corporate social responsibility policy aims to bring transformation to lives. CSR is an integral part of of our values. Giving back is what makes us the home of bumper harvest. We have over the years adopted various strategies in an effort to bridge the gap between those who have more and those who have less.” Mutemererwa said.
Besides these initiatives, SeedCo is also pushing efforts to ensure that there is food security it the country. SeedCo continues to stand with its mission statement which reads: “Seed, Feed and Lead in Zimbabwe, Africa and Beyond “.
Mutemererwa added that the company is continuing with its educational initiatives which focuses on paying school fees for students from primary school to tertiary institutions. Some of the beneficiaries are pupils from St Marnocks Primary and Secondary schools in their backyard.
“The company also has partnerships with Takanyi Garanganga a professional tennis player, the Zimbabwe Rugby Union, St Georges College Rugby team , Churchill High school and Harare Children’s Home, Kasipiti Children’s Home, Capota School for the Blind, and Banket Hospital among others. ” she said.
The recipients appreciated the gesture and reiterated the continued benefits they had realised from this Corporate.Social responsibility facility from SeedCo.
“We appreciate this noble gesture and guarantee that we will full utilise this resource to feed as well as facilitate self sustainable farming for Mashambanzou Care Trust patients,” Casper Hera the Programs Officer for Mashambanzou said.
“We are proud to be associated with Seedco as we have been benefitting continually through this program. We managed to support a couple of our institutions from last year’s harvest and we hope to realise the same this farming season,” Grace Kamanga, the Resource Mobilisation Executive said.
The donation will go a long way in facilitating for availability of food in the social welfare facilities at a time the food prices are continually increasing.