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Herald Reporter
THE Chinese business community in the country yesterday donated an assortment of goods worth $110 000 to more than 100 people that were moved from the streets to shelters around Harare after President Mnangagwa announced a 21-day lockdown as part of measures to fight Covid-19.
The goods, comprising food, protective clothing and toiletries, were delivered to Mt Hampden Training Centre and Jamaica Inn National Training Centre for Rural Women where the people are being accommodated.
The Chinese business people also gave sugar, mealie-meal, instant porridge, cooking oil, sanitary wear and gloves and masks to frontline workers at the two centres.
A representative of the Chinese business community, Mr Lei Leo, said they were working with their local partners to assist the Government to ensure that the people in these centres are fed.
“Our donation is based on a list provided by our local partners, Eat Out Movement Zimbabwe. Today, we donated 100 litres of cooking oil, 100kg of sugar, 264 toothbrushes, bathing soaps, 600 bottles of water, 500 masks for the workers at the institutions, 50kg instant porridge, 20kg of salt and some vegetables, biscuits and snacks for the children,” said Mr Lei.
He said they were committed to continue assisting the Government in fighting the spread of the pandemic.
“This is the first load. We came here to find out what is required. We are now organising the second load,” he said.
Speaking at the same occasion, Eat Out Movement Zimbabwe administrator Mrs Patience Chigwida said they were working flat out to ensure all the people at the three centres were taken care of.
“We partnered the (the Department of Social Welfare) to ensure that the men, women and the children that were on the streets were removed during this period of the lockdown. All men above 18 are housed at Mt Hampden Vocational Training Centre. The children are at Beatrice Vocational Training Centre while the women are housed at Jamaica Inn National Training Centre for Rural Women outside Ruwa,” she said.
She said 14 women and five children are housed at Jamaica Inn.
She said that they were working to ensure that all the people accommodated at the three centres were equipped with life skills to better their lives.
“We have interviewed each of them and have an idea of what they want. Some want to be trained while others want to go back onto the streets. We are still trying to get them to understand that this an opportunity to transform their lives.”
Online Reporter