Stephen T Chifamba
Harare (NewsoftheSouth) – Several vulnerable groups in Manicaland province got a major boost when they received donations of personal protective equipment (PPE) from the Zimbabwe Red Cross Society and Coca-Cola Zimbabwe.
The two organisations have partnered in mitigating the spread of Covid-19 especially to the elders and vulnerable groups.
Some of the centers that got the donations include Zororai Old People’s Home, Chengetai Orphanage, Rukariro Rehabilitation Centre and Nzewe for the Deaf Centre.
The equipment included hand-washing buckets, hand sanitisers, liquid soap and gloves, among others.
Lately, Zimbabwe has been experiencing a surge in Covid-19 cases with Manicaland recording highest deaths in the past few days.
ZRCS communications manager Kim Stambuli said they have reached more than 35 old people’s homes through their partnership with Coca-Cola Foundation.
“With funding from our partner the Coca-Cola Foundation, we have reached out to 35 old people’s homes around the country reaching approximately 1 293 old persons in these institutions,” he said.
He said due to old age and underlying conditions that comes with it, old people get vulnerable to Covid-19 and there was need to intensify measures to mitigate the spread of the pandemic.
“ZRCS has been working with the government and partners in mitigating the spread of the novel virus by reaching out to the most vulnerable groups, including older people to recover from the effects of the pandemic.”
The donation is part of the US$100 000 package unveiled by the Coca-Cola Foundation to ZRCS in April.
One of the beneficiaries, Zororai Old People’s Home in Mutare, has 15 inmates with the oldest being 99 years old.
Like many old people’s homes in the country, the centre, which was established in 1962, relies on handouts from well-wishers.
“We survive on handouts from well-wishers and at the moment everyone has been affected by Covid-19 and this donation from Red Cross is timely,” said the home’s administrator Gondai Gondo.
“Economically, we used to run some income-generating activities like poultry and green marketing, but due to the lockdown, our market was severely affected, including Mutare Teachers College and Holiday Inn, among others.”
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