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Danisa Masuku
Many of us generally claim to do their bit for charity while even more justify their lack of support for the downtrodden citing economic challenges.
But there are quite a few who wear charity on their sleeve, go out of their way to do what they can to raise money to give cheer to our under-privileged and those that are either incapacitated or unable to fend for themselves!
One such angel is a lady from Lobengula West who has begun an initiative to raise money to fund a Christmas cheer for the elderly at the end of the year. Diana Chinunda, popularly known as Big D, is a wife and mother of two lively daughters who has taken it upon herself to mitigate the suffering of the impoverished especially during the festive season.
Big D started this initiative three years ago initially to help victims of domestic abuse whose husbands were absconding from their responsibility to fend for their families.
“I started this thing three years ago through helping women in my neighbourhood who were being abused or neglected by their husbands and I’ve been at it ever since,” Big D said.
For Big D, helping others is a given, a genetic compulsion having been raised in a family whose key moral was that a helping hand must always be given to anyone in need of it. She was raised to help anyone who needed help as did her parents.
“I began doing this charity work because of the way I was raised. I decided to help people especially those who have marital problems. I’ve helped my neighbours and even a few of the ladies within my group,” she said.
“My parents never ever turned away a person in need from family members to complete strangers.”
Over the years, the number of charity comrades working with Big D has swelled to over 150 which have been broken to smaller groups for particular projects. In her group, Big D works with 11 other ladies whose key function is to raise funds to help the impoverished, victims of domestic abuse and the elderly.
Big D and her Mother Theresa-type friends are members of a money savings club that meet every Sunday at her house for their club business. The ladies also then discuss their charity work and contribute towards whatever project they are looking to support. They are all members of a money saving club and have committed to contributing towards Big D’s charity work. The ladies contribute US$16 or 20 percent of their dues from the club towards charity work.
“Our group meets every Sunday at my house. We then use the club meetings to also discuss our charity work. Every Sunday, the ladies make pledges towards charity and discuss activities we can partake in to raise more funds,” Big D said.
Big D revealed that the group was working on raising funds towards holding a Christmas party for the elderly who live at Intemba Old People’s Home.
“Currently we have set in motion plans to raise money which will be used to host a special Christmas party for the elderly that stay at Intemba Old People’s Home. I believe they will enjoy the vibe I am planning for them this Christmas. My friends and I will cook, provide music and Christmas presents to the home’s residents for Christmas,” she said.
Big D is now looking for business premises to lease with a view of expanding the club’s fundraising activities. She is also formally registering a Non-Governmental Organisation to enable them to operate within the framework of other like-minded civic organisations.
“The biggest challenge I am facing right now is that I don’t have a place to organise and host our fundraising activities. At the moment we meet at my house but this is not the most convenient as it is in a residential area and sometimes my neighbours rightfully complain. So I am looking for a place to rent especially in the city centre where we can do our things properly,” Big D shared.
This year, Big D and her friends have not quite been able to raise as much funds as they ordinarily do due to the enforcement of the lockdown guidelines as a result of the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Online Reporter