ZPS charity fund launched

and adoption of underprivileged families.
Speaking during the launch of the ZPS Commissioner’s Goodwill Trust Fund, at the weekend, Commissioner of Prisons Retired Major General Paradzayi Zimondi urged all stakeholders to play their roles in complementing their efforts. ZPS, he said, introduced a staff benefit fund to assist in financing their needs.
“This programme is primarily meant to assist our officers to construct their own houses so that they have own accommodation for residing upon retirement from the service.
“Our staff has since been experiencing shortage of accommodation due to insufficient funding from the fiscus thus we have looked for legal ways through which we can raise funds in assisting our officers.
“I am delighted that our officers are standing firm and being able to execute their main duty of preventing escapes and rehabilitation of inmates diligently,” he said.
Maj Gen Zimondi added that his organisation also has a social responsibility in meeting the welfare of disadvantaged officers, their children, orphans, widows and widowers of deceased members of staff despite a backdrop of budgetary constraints.
“This target group has not been assisted to live normal lives they were used to before their loved ones departed. The life they were used to can never be realised without the input of the employer they devotedly entrusted their lifetime.
“It is the wish of ZPS to create a humane and sustainable living for widows, widowers and the incapacitated while orphans are recognised through education assistance and availing equal opportunities for their upbringing and realisation of lifetime dreams,” he said.
Maj Gen Zimondi said teamwork was crucial especially when fighting for a cause.
“ZPS does not work in isolation thus we partnered with the corporate world and came up with a programme that will assist us solve the problems that we are facing to come to fruition.
“The fund is envisaged to spread the light of kindness by mobilising funds through various activities which is going to benefit 600 beneficiaries.
“Hopefully this charitable drive shall be extended in future in uplifting the educational standards of Prison schools,” he said. The prisons boss expressed concern over children serving in prison saying they were still being weaned and some have no willing relatives to take care of them while their mothers serve their time in prison.
“These children in prison really need our intervention to ensure that they live like their counterparts outside prison walls,” he said.
“Consequently the fund shall provide material, mental, physical and social needs of these underprivileged children.”
The ZPS Commissioner’s Fund is chaired by businessman and Intertfin boss Mr Farai Rwodzi. The other board members are, Mr Moses Chingwena, owner of Croco Motors, Mr Kumbirai Katsande of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries, National Blood Services Zimbabwe public relations manager Ms Esther Masunda, Zimpapers group chief executive Mr Justin Mutasa, FBC Holdings Group non-executive chairman Mr Herbert Nkala, Prisons Deputy Commissioner Fadzai Mupfure and retired Deputy Commissioner Milton Siziba.