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Lifestyle Writer
A HARARE charity will today attempt to break the Guinness Book of Records on Pillow Fights by bringing together 5 000 fighters for a brawl. The current world record for the largest pillow fight was 3 706 people fighting concurrently on November 14, 2008, at Butlins in Minehead, Somerset, England, headlined by former X Factor singer Chico Slimani who also used the event to raise money for charity.
Although pillow fighting is not a common phenomenon in Zimbabwe, having been a preserve of children playing mock house, Harare’s With Love Foundation will this Saturday try to bring at least 5 000 pillow fighters at Old Hararians Sports Club and use the occasion to raise money to buy a Mobile Soup Kitchen for underprivileged children.
This initiative offers an opportunity to work in tandem with the Zimbabwean nation building policy as it targets people from all walks of life, namely academic institutions and varying fields of commerce and industry in Zim- babwe.
The main goals of the ‘Largest Pillow Fight Ever’ event are to fund-raise for the With Love Foundations’ programmes that benefit the underprivileged, orphaned, vulnerable children and provide publicity for the organisation at national and international levels, Lynnette Mahlaba, co-founder and project co-ordinator said. She said the soup kitchen, which is run once a week provides food packs to children for their sustenance the rest of the week.
Our intention is to purchase a mobile soup kitchen which costs US$10 000. This will allow us to reach more people who are in need. The ‘Largest Pillow Fight Ever’ is an event designed to raise awareness and support for the foundation’s programmes,” she said.
Chenaimoyo Mudede, also a co-founder said the With Love Mobile Soup Kitchen will provide free healthy, nutritious and appetizing meals for school children and marginalised Zimbabwean communities beginning with Mashonaland Central province.
“We intend to expand to Masvingo and Matabeleland provinces. Every person who comes is welcome, regardless of race, sex, age, colour, religion, nationality, disability or income,” she said.
According to Chenaimoyo, the foundation with the aid of various Government ministries, invited the Guinness Book of World Records to claim this event as a world record.
“The Guinness Book of World Records have given us the go-ahead (Claim ID: 418645), and The Book of African Records will be there to officiate this event. We are using this event as an opportunity to portray a positive light on our country and make history. African Book of Records will officiate the event and send all evidence including photo and video footage to the Guinness World Book of Records as well as an official statement to verify.
“We are making a new world record and helping people in the same breath . . . we need to access the hundreds of starving children out there . . . no child should go to sleep on an empty stomach,” she said.
She also urged people to donate pillows to an orphanage, old people’s home or institution of their choice.
Other programmes which fall under the foundation include Soup Kitchen; Zim Clean; One Million Pieces, Edudoption and an Arts Workshop.
“It costs US$1 000 to set up a fully functional soup kitchen then US$120 per day ensures up to 250 people are fed. Admission is US$1 for Children under 12 and US$2 for adults and the show starts at 12pm. Please remember to bring a pillow that will be donated to a charity of your choice after the event.
There is going to be lots of raffle prizes to be won and give-aways as well as a fun day for the whole family while making history,” Chenaimoyo said.
Online Reporter