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Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
A Bulawayo woman has donated 800 pieces of cutlery to Mpilo Central Hospital in Bulawayo.
Ms Zaydah Randen who works for a local manufacturing company pooled funds together and purchased spoons, forks, knives, plastic dishes and buckets that she handed over to the hospital’s acting clinical director Dr Xolani Ndlovu.
“I came here to visit someone who was in the maternity ward last year and I saw a woman who had just been admitted and on admission she was hungry and the only thing that was available was porridge but there was no cutlery. I asked the nurse who was there and she said there were no spoons so she had to eat with her fingers.
“I was shocked at that response and I told them I was going to come back with cutlery, and I have come back now to assist,” she said.
Ms Randen said she, with the assistance of some of her friends used social media to mobilise donations of cutlery.
“I used social media to source some of the cutlery and a number of people came through from as far as Australia. They shipped through some cutlery that we have brought here today and I am grateful for their support as they hospital will now be able to give patients cutlery,” she said.
One of the people who partnered with her for this cause has pledged to do more for the institution.
“A lady from Australia has partnered me and said they want us to be a friend of the hospital and we donate more so we are currently on a mission to find out some of the things that the hospital uses from day to day so that we source what we have locally and from abroad. She said she did not know how she could assist but I have become the link that will assist,” said Ms Randen.
Dr Ndlovu said the gesture would help the institution in a great way.
“Such gestures are very welcome because as a public hospital we have challenges in terms of resources, this donation will have us redirect resources that were going to be used to purchase cutlery to more core business in terms of medicines.
This is not a small gesture; it’s a big one especially to the person who has to eat hot porridge with bare hands. We consider these as consumables.
I am happy the lady said this is not the first and last of her visits here. We encourage all people that have Mpilo at heart to come through and assist where ever they can,” said Dr Ndlovu.
Bongani Ndlovu