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Herald Reporter
Several businessmen have been honoured with honourary doctorates by the International Institute of Philanthropy (IIP) for their enormous contributions to society.
Among them Kambucha Beverages Director Dr Eric Francis Niyonsaba (Dr Kambucha), Dr Mudiwahood, Geo Pomona Waste Management Chief Executive Officer and Executive Chairman Dr Dilesh Nguwaya among several others.
The doctors were awarded the Honorary Doctorates of Humane Letters (DHL) at a ceremony in Harare recently where International Institute of Philanthropy country representative Dr Enrico Maverick led the proceedings.
Speaking during the conferment ceremony, Dr Maverick said the doctorates celebrate those with dedication to making a positive impact on the world.
Dr Mavericks said IIP is a global network of individuals who believe that individuals should be celebrated for the contributions that they make to humanity.
“You do not sit for an exam to get an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters (DHL), neither do you apply. We find you hence the criteria we use is the story of your life.
“Whatever that you do within the community in which you live, the difference that you make is what we recognise and hence that is then we then come up with how an individual gets conferred with the doctorate,” he said.
Dr Eric Francis Niyonsaba said it is an honour to receive the certificate.
“I am happy to be recognised as a businessman and the social work I have been doing for the past seven years in trying to uplift the welfare of the masses,” he said.
Mudiwahood said he was also grateful for the honour, as it was explained to him by the Institution, that it is not an academic honour but a humanity and philanthropy honour.
“I am yet to complete my thesis for my PhD in Business Admin. So academically I am yet to earn the title Dr. This gesture of honoring and appreciating our efforts in helping and changing lives caught me by surprise.
“When we do these things we aren’t looking to be honoured, so I wasn’t expecting it. I have once turned few other honorary degrees, because of controversy that comes with it, I am highly learned, I am used to earning things so to be appreciated this way is new and I welcomed it,” he said.
Mudiwahood said they did emphasize the idea of honouring deserved people while they are still alive, well he thanks God for being honoured.
“Many thanks to Dr Maverick, the International Institute of Philanthropy and their affiliated Universities.
“Let us honour people, who are exceptional in our society having in mind this is not an academic honour but Philanthropy and humanity honour,” he said.
IIP is famed for recognising the greatest contributions to humanity and philanthropy having also conferred a doctorate to the late national hero and musical icon Dr Oliver Mtukudzi.
Online Reporter