Chronicle Editor
Raymond Jaravaza, Chronicle Correspondent
WHILE some non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have been known over the years for pushing illegal regime change agendas by working hand in glove with nations that are hostile to Zimbabwe, one non-profit making organisation is at the forefront of complementing Government efforts to achieve food security in the country.
Smile for Africa, founded by youthful director Mr Albert Mavunga, has been at the forefront of equipping the youth with life skills through self-sustainable projects such as chicken rearing and pig farming for over 10 years.
On Tuesday, the faith-based organisation donated rice to 108 people living with disabilities at three different locations in Nketa suburb, Bulawayo.
“The President called upon organisations such as ours to be at the forefront of complementing Government’s efforts to achieve food security in all the communities across the country and Smile for Africa is doing just that.
“Community leaders in Nketa suburb asked us to source food parcels for people living with disabilities in the area and as you can see over 100 people, both young and the elderly, received rice donations.
“In the coming few weeks we will be moving to Matabeleland North and South Provinces for more donations. We are also moving ahead with our thrust to empower the youth by assisting them to start income generating projects, which can be done in small groups in the suburbs where the youths live,” said Mr Mavunga.
He called on other NGOs to also assist people living with disabilities, some of whom are the most vulnerable members of society hit hardest by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The donations don’t necessarily have to be huge consignments of food parcels per se; NGOs can start small, for instance by adopting a family and paying school fees for the kids. That kind of assistance goes a long way by educating future generations and lessening the financial burden on parents and guardians that are already struggling,” he said.
Sixty-six-year-old Mrs Viola Nuku, a war veteran and grandmother of seven, said life has been tough since the outbreak of the coronavirus in early 2020.
“Our livelihoods were disrupted by Covid-19 and a chicken rearing project that my eldest grandson had embarked on, with the assistance of Smile for Africa, collapsed leaving him and his colleagues in a far worse situation. I can’t thank them (Smile for Africa) enough for the timely donation and at the same time I would like to implore the Government to increase the monthly pensions paid to war veterans as the money is now too little for us to take care of our families,” said Mrs Nuku.-@RaymondJaravaza
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