adminAuxilia Katongomara Chronicle Reporter
HOLIDAY Inn hotel has donated linen, bath mats and towels worth thousands of dollars to three children’s homes in Bulawayo as part of its social responsibility programme. It was all joy and smiles as representatives from Emthunzini Wethemba, Mustard Seed and St Francis children’s homes received the goods at a colourful handover ceremony held at the hotel in the city on Friday.
Holiday Inn Managing Director Mr Edwin Shangwa said the group (Africa Sun Limited) has continued to support communities in which it operates. “We’re here to witness yet another commitment and continued support to the community in which Holiday Inn Bulawayo operates.
‘‘The group has continued to plough back into the community in which it operates to improve their livelihood,” he said. Mr Shangwa handed over duvet covers, bath towels, hand towels, bath mats, face towels, fitted sheets and double sheets. Ms Anita Dick from Emthunzini Wethemba Children’s Home thanked the hotel for the donation.
“On behalf of the board, staff and children of Emthunzini Wethemba we want to say thank you very much to Holiday Inn. Words can’t express our gratitude. We hope it’s not the last time they’re thinking of us, we ask God to bless them,” said Ms Dick.
Emthunzini Wethemba orphanage is located in Mzilikazi suburb. The children who live at the orphanage come to the home from the social welfare department, the streets of Bulawayo, or from the Mpilo Hospital Opportunistic Infections clinic when the hospital learns that a child has lost his or her parents or caregivers to Aids.
Mustard Seed Communities is an orphanage in Bulawayo established in July 2002 to assist with the care of children affected by HIV/Aids. It accommodates 200 children and provides them with basic education as well as two daily meals.
St Francis Home is a home for children who are mentally challenged and some have severe physical handicaps. It is an annex of Ingutsheni Central Hospital where many of the children are bed-ridden, wheelchair bound and often abandoned. The home is the only one of its kind in the country.
St Francis Home, built in 1958, falls under the aegis of the Ministry of Health and Child Care but is staffed by the Ecclesiastic Sisters of the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood.
The children’s homes rely on donations to fend for the children they look after. Mr Shangwa said his organisation has this year distributed $93,544 to various charity institutions through the charity and corporate casinos from Harare Sun Casinos.
Among the charity projects are their sponsorship of school fees for three disadvantaged students at Mosi oa Tunya High School in Victoria Falls, donation of bedding and bath towels to the adult ward at St Giles Medical Rehabilitation centre among others.
Online Reporter