One of the financial institutions that have been actively participting in Covid-19 prevention programmes, ZB Financial Holdings(ZBFH) has urged the nation to remain watchful and observant of Covid-19 regulatory measures to consolidate the gains made so far, in the prevention of the pandemic.
The call comes at a time when Zimbabwe has recorded 95 new positive cases and one death which took the country’s total confirmed cases to 12 544 with 10 159 of these, having recovered while 326 died from the pandemic as of 23 December 2020, according to statistics from the Ministry of Health and Child Care.
The institution has been leading in assisting healthcare institutions, frontline workers, and vulnerable communities in the fight against Covid-19.
ZBFH Group Chief Executive Officer Ron Mutandagayi said as a company that has been taking crucial role and making concerted effort to fight against Covid-19, the efforts will be in vain if people fail to be observant and watchful in as much as preventing and fighting the pademic is concerned.
“As a company that has been taking a leading role in the fight against Covid-19, we feel that our efforts will be in vain if people start relaxing at a time when Zimbabwe and the world at large are facing a second wave of infections which have been described as deadlier than the first outbreak,” he said.
He encouraged all the ZBFH customers and stakeholders to observe Covid-19 stipulated regulations as spelt by the World Health Organisation and the Government of Zimbabwe through Ministry of Health and Child Care.
“We urge our customers and all stakeholders to follow the Covid-19 rules. These include the regular washing of hands with soap, hand sanitisation and proper wearing of face masks, especially in public places.
“We have been distributing washable face and surgical masks, hand sanitizers, gloves and other personal protective equipment to various institutions across the country. It is, however, worrying to note the current relaxation among members of the public, with many usually hanging their masks on the neck while others are congregating in large numbers quite oblivious of the dangers of Covid-19”.
Mutandagayi added that ZBFH was conscious of the fact that business exists and thrives from a healthy community thus, it was of paramount importance to take the health and welfare of customers and staff as a priority.
“As a corporate, we are investing heavily to promote the health care services for our communities especially on issues related to Covid-19.”
This year, ZBFH has committed more than ZW$4 million towards the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other medical requirements which are used in the Covid-19 fight including N95 and FFP2 face masks, surgical masks B/50, infrared thermometers, goggle glasses, theatre caps and gowns, surgical gloves, liquid soap and sodium hypochlorite.
This community social responsibility initiative, saw several health service facilities such as municipal polyclinics and other community institutions benefiting.
Some of the beneficiaries are Plumtree Town Council, Bulawayo City Council, Chinhoyi Town Council and Harare City Council’s Mbare, Epworth, Glenview and Highfield polyclinics.
Hospitals that also received assistance from ZBFH, include Harare’s St Anne’s Hospital, Karanda Mission Hospital in Mount Darwin, St Paul’s Musami Mission Hospital of Murehwa, Chinhoyi Provincial Hospital, Hartzell Hospital in Mutare, RCZ Morgenster Mission Hospital in Masvingo and ZAOGA’s Mbuya Dorcas Hospital in Harare.
Staff members at Plumtree Town Council test some of the Covid-19 equipment that was donated by ZBFH to the local authority. ZBFH says that the Group prioritises the health and welfare of the communities that they operate in, especially so, during this period of Covid-19.
Karanda Mission Hospital and ZBFH staff members, inspect some of the materials which ZBFH donated to the Mt Darwin-based institution.
St Paul’s Musami Mission Hospital in Murewa was among the rural-based hospitals that benefited from ZBFH’s Covid-19 PPE donation. Other hospitals that also benefited were Chinhoyi Provincial, Hartzell in Mutare, Morgenster Mission and Mbuya Dorcas Hospital in Harare.
In as much as participating in community is concerned, ZBFH also remains committed to uplifting communities.
Mutandagayi alluded to the fact that Corporate Social Responsibility is a key element in the execution of strategy at ZBFH.
“As a result, the organisation is committed to continuing to undertake Corporate Social Responsibility projects that are focused on creating a sustainable social and economic impact, empowering communities, and increasing environmental awareness.
“ZB Financial Holdings Limited (ZBFH) remains committed to uplifting communities through its corporate social investments,” he said.
He added that community social investment has become the heart, soul and the cornerstone of the company’s execution strategy.
“This year alone, several projects and initiatives with significant benefits to the communities in which the Group operates were implemented. They were focused on promoting health and wellness in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, creating a sustainable social and economic impact and empowering communities whilst engendering increased environmental awareness.”
According to him, these tenets have been incorporated in the ZBFH Group’s code of ethics and its corporate culture, including in how the Group develops and markets its products and services as well as deploying its channels and IT infrastructure.
In pursuit of a socially sustainable brand impact and to complement government’s efforts towards the fight against Coronavirus, the Group sourced PPE for various health service institutions around the country.
In 2019, the company launched the “Spread the Cheer campaign” that saw the leading financial institution assisting vulnerable communities such as children’s homes, elderly care centres and other vulnerable groups with grocery hampers.
ZBFH as one of the largest financial services providers in Zimbabwe, boasts of a diverse range of financial products and services that include savings, investments, structured finance, mortgage finance, property development, insurance, re-insurance , advisory and secretarial services, commercial lending , SME finance and consumer loans.
Through its banking arm ZB also runs Pauri/Khonapho agency banking that has enabled the provision of financial services in unbanked areas in line with the government’s thrust towards financial inclusion.
The bank offers a KYC Light product which is branded as the Pauri card that is linked to a mobile app and is targeted at the low end of the market; also in line with financial inclusion. Transaction charges on this account are very minimal and there are no monthly charges. The Pauri card is particularly ideal for recipients of government, donor funded and other institutional pay-outs which take place throughout the country.
ZB recently launched its VISA cards, Kesto Diaspora Banking, Hospital Cash plan, WhatsApp banking, Zimra Online payment facility and order finance which are all designed to offer customer convenience and enhanced experience especially during this Covid-19 pandemic.
ZB also boasts of regional dealings in Mozambique, Zambia, Ghana, Swaziland, Lesotho and Botswana through the ZB Reinsurance unit.
It remains focused on being a responsible corporate citizen whilst focusing on the provision of superior customer experience. ZB’s Contact Centre is available 24/7 to attend to customer queries from anywhere in the world via telephone calls, live chat, social media, emails and WhatsApp.
St Joseph’s Mission Hospital in Sakubva and Old Mutare Mission Hospital were among the ZB Bank beneficiaries of Covid-19 PPE and other materials.
In a bid to prevent the spread of Covid-19, ZBFH spread its helping hand across various provinces. Muzari Polyclinic in Chinhoyi, Mashonaland West Province was among the recipients of the donations.
In Masvingo province, Reformed Church of Zimbabwe (RCZ)’s Morgenster Mission Hospital received liquid soap, hand sanitisers and other PPE materials.
The ZBFH is also taking a lead role in spreading cheer campaign which saw Beitbridge communities receiving groceries from the leading financial institution.
ZBFH took the Spread the Cheer campaign to Bindura where groceries were also donated.