Zimpapers donates to cultural trust

Zimpapers CEO Mr Justin Mutasa hands ten thousand dollars donation to David Mubayiwa of the Sabhuku Vharazipi fame, for them to improve their acts

Harare
Leading publishing company Zimpapers yesterday donated $10 000 to Ziya Cultural Trust so that it could re-produce and encrypt DVDs of its film Sabhuku Vharazipi 2.
Zimpapers group chief executive Mr Justin Mutasa said the donation was in line with the company’s policy to promote local artistes.
“We want to thank you for the creativity you have shown,” he said. “We know that pirates are always going to be there but we feel that the money will help you. This is part of Zimpapers’ corporate social responsibility.

“We are promoting the 75 percent local content policy. Local artistes should benefit from the sweat of their creativity. As Zimbabweans we should free ourselves from the idea that best films are produced in Hollywood only.”

The donation comes after Information, Media and Broadcasting Services secretary George Charamba was touched by the hardships faced by the group to produce Sabhuku Vharazipi and started sourcing financial assistance.

Speaking on behalf of Mr Charamba, Rural Communications Services director in the ministry, Mr Regis Chikowore, said the donation would significantly help the group.

“When we were watching the premier of the film with Cde Charamba, we were very impressed at the same time touched by the plight of the actors,” he said. “We also got to know that their first project was heavily pirated.

“The Ministry of Information, Media and Broadcasting Services invited the group for further discussions. Then the ministry felt that they had to do something. They indicated that they needed resources to encrypt their product and the ministry reached out to different organisations that culminated in this donation.”

Ziya Cultural Trust director Mr David Dzatsunga said the money would be used in producing the DVDs of Sabhuku Vharazipi 2.
“Since our first project was pirated, we hope this time we are wiser and the money is going to be used in a helpful manner. It is a very big step forward in promoting our local actors,” he said.

Sabhuku Vharazipi 2 was successfully launched last Wednesday in Harare and revolves around the character Sabhuku Vharazipi, a corrupt and selfish village head who manipulates the distribution of food and other inputs.