adminalong Fourth Street in the Central Business District of Harare.
The Roadport terminal is usually a hive of activity during weekends with litter bugs causing havoc at the terminus.
On Saturday, close to 20 members of Zim Praise took up rubbish bins, rubber gloves and brooms to clean the taxi rank.
Walking under the theme, “Uniting Nations Through Music”, the Zim Praise choir, which was dressed in white T-shirts, took time off their usual music rehearsals to embark on the clean-up campaign in a gesture that showed a true Christian spirit for a gospel music choir.
Wellington Kwanda, who is the chief operations officer of Zim Praise, said the clean-up campaign was an important event for his group as it afforded them a chance to interact with their fans, adding that the campaign was part of their community-based programmes.
“This event is important to us because it gives us time to interact with our fans, as we are a musical group that is still growing. It is also part of our community-based programme,” Kwanda said.
He said Zim Praise had other community-based programmes which included visits to schools, children’s and old people’s homes where, among other things, they donate various food items.
“We do not only minister to people through gospel music but we also visit different schools where we counsel students on such issues as abstaining from alcohol and drugs. In institutions such as children’s homes and old people’s homes, we have donated some food items,” he said. Zim Praise was joined by a Mutare-based non-profit organisation, Girl Guides Association of Zimbabwe, which was celebrating 100 years since its inception in 1912.
The organisation, which was led by a team of volunteers seeking to promote the rights of the girl child in Zimbabwe, had more than 60 students drawn from schools in different provinces, who participated in the clean-up campaign.
Mrs Bvumbe, the chief commissioner of the Girl Guides Association of Zimbabwe, said it was important for her organisation to celebrate its 100 years of existence through a clean-up campaign together with Zim Praise in order to promote a cleaner environment for Zimbabweans.
“We are celebrating 100 years of existence as Girl Guides Association of Zimbabwe. So this is our centenary year and that is why we came here, to promote a cleaner environment among Zimbabweans,” Mrs Bvumbe said. Zim Praise is not new on the gospel music scene in Zimbabwe. Formed in 2007, the group has three albums — Zim Praise Volume 1 recorded in 2007; Zim Praise Volume 2 in 2009 and Zim Praise Volume 3, which was launched in 2011.
Mcdonald Chidavaenzi, who founded Zim Praise, said his group was interdenominational, adding that it afforded artistes, both established and upcoming, a platform to speak the same language which is worshipping through music.
“In Zim Praise we have a selection of talented members who are also artistes chosen from different churches. We speak the same language which is worship through music,” said Chidavaenzi.
Several artistes who have made it big in gospel music came through Zim Praise. These include Olinda Marowa, Pride Priestly, Sabastian Magacha, Thembalami, Wellington Mukwenda, Bethany Pasinawako and many others.
Currently, Zim Praise is preparing for it’s fourth DVD album which will be recorded live at the Harare International Conference Centre on July 22 this year.
Other highlights from Zim Praise include their “Women of Faith” CD which is set for release next month.
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