Chronicle Editor
Judith Phiri, Business Reporter
FOOD manufacturing giant, National Foods Limited (NFL) has donated food items and groceries worth US$4 500 to three children’s homes and an old people’s home in Bulawayo as part of its corporate social responsibility initiative.
Queen Elizabeth Adventist Home, Isaiah Children’s Home, Jairos Jiri and Ekuphumuleni Geriatric Nursing Home received food items and groceries that include rice, mealie-meal, instant porridge, salt, popcorn, sugar beans and baked beans on Friday at Queen Elizabeth Adventist Home.
Biscuits, soya delights, flour, tomato puree, jam, peanut butter and instant noodles among other things were also part of the food package.
In a speech, NFL Group Human Resources (HR) Executive Mrs Alice Pawarikanda said their objective was to plough back to the communities within which the company operates from to enhance lives, improve well-being as well as building lasting emotional capital.
“NFL engages in proactive initiatives which deliver an impact to the social-economic well-being of communities by way of investing in our society. We also participate in initiatives that are geared towards the preservation and long-term sustainability of the environment.
“NFL has taken an initiative to support 46 centres in vulnerable communities across the country monthly. These centres include orphanages, special needs groups, vulnerable women and children, schools, hospitals, churches, wildlife and other national social support,” said Mrs Pawarikanda.
NFL Sales Executive (southern region) Mr Phawulani Ngwenya said despite the company facing some challenges, giving back to the community remained a top priority.
“The year 2022 was a difficult year and our profits were not so impressive. The staff has had to really tighten their belts to make sure that we survive. But besides those cost-cutting measures, there is one thing that we have not stopped, and that is giving out to the needy. We have felt that is an obligation that we have as a people and as a society living in Zimbabwe,” said Mr Ngwenya.
He said NFL which has grown in leaps and bounds over the years was started in Bulawayo and has gone all the way up to the capital city, with the company having been established in 1920.
Jairos Jiri Bulawayo branch chairperson Mrs Sanele Mlauzi said they were honoured to receive the donation and expressed gratitude to NFL who have over the years continuously donated to them every month.
“With this kind of support, we will be able to provide even more assistance and resources to those who are struggling and make a real and lasting impact on their lives.”
Queen Elizabeth Adventist Home which was established in 1952 and is the oldest orphanage in Bulawayo has 33 children, 14 boys and 18 girls.
Isaiah Children’s Home was established in 2005 and works with orphaned and vulnerable children and has 23 children, 14 boys and nine girls.
Jairos Jiri was established in 1950 and it provides care to handicapped adults. It has 83 students, 52 boys and 31 girls.
Ekuphumuleni Geriatric Nursing was established in 2007 to give quality care to the elderly until they have recovered enough to return to their homes. The home has a capacity of 62 patients but at the present moment, it has 49.
NFL produces a broad range of basic foods including maize meal, flour, cooking oil, margarine, rice, salt, snacks, biscuits, pasta, sugar beans, baked beans, popcorn, as well as soap and a full range of animal feed, while it has manufacturing plants in Harare, Bulawayo and Mutare from which it distributes its products throughout Zimbabwe.
Bongani Ndlovu