Chronicle Editor
Harare Bureau
President Mnangagwa yesterday received a donation of 30 tonnes of mealie-meal from two wholesale companies, Gain Cash and Carry and N Richards Group, which is set to benefit the underprivileged as the private sector heeds the Second Republic’s call for increased Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
The donation was part of the two wholesalers’ CSR initiatives and will go a long way in cushioning vulnerable groups in society.
President Mnangagwa is on record urging private players to shift from being mere bystanders to active participants in the country’s development trajectory as the Second Republic continues to lift many out of abject poverty.
In an interview following the donation at State House, Gain Cash and Carry’s human resources director Ms Leonet Mavura said the wholesaler, which has 68 branches countrywide, was committed to improving the livelihoods of vulnerable groups in communities.
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“We are privileged to be here today with our partner NRG. We have come as part of our corporate social initiatives that we ordinarily do in our different setup to give a donation to His Excellency of 30 tonnes which is 3 000 bags of mealie meal.
“Our drive in doing this initiative is that we hope that they will be given to assist the underprivileged people in our society,” she said.
Ms Mavura said it was incumbent on the private sector to give back to communities from where they operate.
For Gain Cash and Carry, she said it was not just about making a profit but ensuring the underprivileged are cushioned from their plight.
“As corporates we want to show that we are corporate citizens, we care for our people and we want to assist; it’s not just about us making money from our customers but it’s about us giving back to the communities that we serve in.
“Between ourselves and NRG we do have a footprint almost everywhere in the country and it is our hope that what we have donated today will be given to those less privileged in the communities that we serve,” she said.
N Richards Group director Mr Archie Dongo weighed in saying the donation was a contribution to the Second Republic’s efforts in lifting the underprivileged from poverty.
“We have come here today to make this donation of 30 tonnes of mealie meal to the President because we know that as the President, he has a lot of people and organisations in need who are knocking at his door. And we have come with a contribution to say as Head of State we are gifting this to you to assist those you adjudge to be the most vulnerable and most in need.
“This is part of our Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives where we have come together with Gain Cash and Carry and said as wholesalers that are operating countrywide we would like to also come to the Head of the country who operates countrywide as well and make our contribution to his contributions to those who are in need,” he said.
Mr Dongo said rendering assistance to vulnerable groups was something N Richards Group was committed to doing on a constant basis.
“It is something that we would like to do more of as we grow our businesses and as our businesses prosper we will always be looking out for those that are underprivileged and making such contributions as we have always done,” he said.
President Mnangagwa continues to reiterate the importance of CSR initiatives by the private sector in the development of communities they operate from.
“I also take this opportunity to urge players in the private sector to invest in the communities in which they operate through implementing corporate social responsibility programmes. As you do so, the growth in your respective sectors must be reflective of the welfare of your employees, including through investing in their training and capacity building,” he said at the inaugural ED Mnangagwa Summit that was convened by the Confederation of Zimbabwe Retailers (CZR) last year.
Also present at the handover ceremony was CZR president Mr Denford Mutashu.
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