ZAS: NetOne commends partnerships in transforming lives of people with albinism

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State-owned mobile telephony giant, NetOne, is participating at the 112th edition of the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show (ZAS) and has commended multi-stakeholder partnerships in addressing challenges faced by people with albinism.

A hive of activity at the NetOne stand at ZAS

“At the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show, we continue to collaborate with organisations like Albino Charity Organization of Zimbabwe, where as usual, we donate sun-screen creams, lip balms, and sun hats to people with albinism. I equally commend organisations like Zimplats who are doing the same initiatives. Multi-stakeholder partnerships go a long way in alleviating challenges faced by people with albinism,” said Mr. Raphael Mushanawani, the NetOne Group Chief Executive Officer.

On the other hand, mining conglomerate, Zimplats has made a call for people with albinism to visit its stand at the Zimbabwe Agricultural Show where it is giving out sun hats, lip balms, and other essentials.

Mr. Mushanawani reiterated the fact that corporate citizenship dictates that NetOne responds to its duty to transform lives and improve livelihoods by ensuring that the business uses the environment responsibly so that future generations have a clean and safe environment.

In that regard, over the past year, the company has been engaged in various community programs that transformed the lives of many Zimbabweans.

In the financial statement for the year 2021, NetOne revealed that it joined the Government in the fight against Covid-19. Together with its sister company TelOne (Private) Limited, it refurbished wards at Sally Mugabe Hospital, Mpilo Hospital, and Beatrice Infectious Diseases Hospital. Boreholes were drilled at the three hospitals to alleviate water shortages.

“We continue to repair the refurbished hospital wards ensuring that they are habitable. We also service and maintain the boreholes to ensure that there is clean and safe water at the hospitals. The Company participated in various initiatives aimed at protecting the environment like tree planting and national clean-up campaigns. Activities aimed at empowering the youth as well as improving the quality of education in the country were undertaken. The Company donated a classroom block at Bunsiwa Primary School in Binga. Donations were also made to old people’s homes, children’s homes, and homes that cater to the disabled,” the statement read.

Loveness Mainato, the Director of the Albino Charity Organization of Zimbabwe commended efforts by corporate giants like NetOne and Zimplats for helping people with albinism.

“As people with albinism, we face many challenges related to exposure to direct sunlight. We need essentials like sun-screen lotions and lip balms, as well as sunhats. The lip balms and sun-screen lotions are expensive and out of reach  for the majority of persons with albinism hence the support of corporate giants like NetOne and Zimplats is highly commendable,” Mainato said.