The Sunday News
Faith Chapuza, Sunday News Reporter
IT was all smiles as 51 inmates of Entembeni Old People’s Home in Luveve received Christmas goodies last Saturday from Equitrail Africa Parts as part of the company’s social responsibility thrust.
Entembeni Old People’s Home has a capacity to house 75 residents but at the moment it is home to 51 comprising 10 females and 41 males.
The institution relies on donor funding for its operations but not much has been coming due to closure of borders caused by the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
“Every donation that comes our way is greatly appreciated and we would like to thank Equitrail Africa Parts for the food and toiletries that they have donated today.
“Sponsorship from some of our partners overseas is drying up as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and it’s good when local companies and individuals are coming in to assist us,” said the institution’s administrator, Ms Naomi Khumalo.
Sunday News spoke to 85-year-old Mrs Percy Moyo who said she had just started staying at the institution for a week after she was kicked out of her late son’s homestead in rural Gwanda by her daughter-in law.
Equitrail Africa Parts Sales and Marketing Executive Mr Bhekilifa Mlilo hands over a donation to Entembeni Old People’s Home administrator Ms Naomi Khumalo last week. (Picture by Nkosizile Ndlovu)
“A well-wisher took me to some offices (Department of Social Welfare) in Bulawayo and they brought me here last week. I like it here very much because they take care of us unlike my daughter-in-law who ill-treated me on a daily basis until she kicked me out of my late son’s homestead in Mtshabezi,” said Mrs Moyo.
Mr John Ncube (73) said he has been living at Entembeni Old People’s home for the last four years.
“I used to work for a security company here in Bulawayo and retired some years ago but because I didn’t have a place to stay or anyone to look after me, I was brought here in 2016,” said Mr Ncube.
Equitrail Africa Parts official Thandizo Moyo said the donation was part of the company’s end of year contribution that they make to vulnerable members of the community.
“Every year we select an institution that caters for the less privileged to make a Christmas donation and this time we opted for Entembeni Old People’s Home,” she said.
The donation included bags of mealie-meal, sugar, rice, cooking oil and toiletries.
The institution appealed to the outside world to continue extending its giving hand so that they look after the residents well.
