The Sunday News
Clinton Moyo and Sisa Sihwa, Sunday News Reporters
LIQUID Telecom Company last week donated 11 fire extinguishers to Emthunzini Wethemba Children’s Home in Bulawayo, averting a possible closure of the institution.
The Bulawayo Fire Brigade had threatened to close the institution citing lack of fire prevention mechanisms.
Speaking during the donation, Emthunzini Wethemba Children’s Home administrator Mrs Anita Maria Dick said she was overwhelmed by the donation.
“I am ecstatic, actually I am over the moon because now I can sleep knowing we have fire extinguishers and children’s safety is guaranteed in the event of a fire. You know we were always in fear that we would lose these children if a fire was to break out. We do not encourage them to have matchsticks or candles but children will always be children and they will always find ways of getting what you forbid them to have,” she said.
The company also donated clothes, exercise books and provided lunch for the children.
Liquid Telecom marketing manager Mrs Lilian Nyangoni said one of their colleagues, Mr Ruben Marimba, had initiated the donation.
“After winning the Econet Victoria Falls Comrades Marathon in July, Ruben advised us to make a donation to Emthunzini Wethemba where he usually helps out with some of his colleagues. We saw that it was for a good cause because the city council and the fire brigade had said the home will have to close if they do not have new fire extinguishers,” said Mrs Nyangoni.
Meanwhile, Ecobank yesterday also donated seven tanks to Sigombe Primary School in Nkulumane.
The headmistress of Sigombe Primary School, Mrs Ellen Ngwenya, said the relationship between the bank and the school has grown over the years.
“Since we are banking with them and they are ploughing back to the school we are pleased with the bank. Our relationship with Ecobank has strengthened our dual corporate responsibilities.” she said.
Mrs Ngwenya said the water tanks will go a long way in providing clean and safe drinking water to the school, while assisting in other projects that the school has embarked on like its nutrition garden.
Ecobank head of local corporates and SMEs Mr Heresy Herry said the initiative by the bank was a countrywide project.
‘We have a team in Chitungwidza and Mutoko because this is a group wide initiative by all the other Ecobank affiliates in different countries. They are engaged in similar projects working with targeted
partners,” he said.
The bank is also supporting 10 full year scholarships to pupils at the school.
