The Sunday News
Sports Reporter
Zimnat’s first charity marathon, which was held at Barclays Sports Club in Harare last Saturday managed to raise almost the whole amount originally quoted for 30-year-old Bulawayo resident Cebisani Ndlovu’s spinal cord surgery.
When Ndlovu approached Zimnat for assistance, the amount needed at that time for the surgery at Mater Dei Hospital was $7 500. The marathon raised almost $7 000.
Ndlovu, who holds a Bachelor of Commerce (B.Com.) Honours degree in Risk Management and Insurance, has difficulty in walking, even with the aid of crutches, which he first started using in Form One.
Moved by his plight, Zimnat decided to hold a charity marathon to raise as much of the money as possible. Hundreds of people were touched by Zimnat’s plea to assist Ndlovu, as evidenced by the turnout for the run, with 740 people taking part in the half-marathon or runs over shorter distances and others donating towards the cause.
Participants also had an opportunity to talk to Ndlovu and have pictures taken with him, as he came to witness the marathon.
The races, which started at 5.30am, were pegged at 5km, 10km and 21km, with the majority of people taking part in the 5km run. Zimnat has paid out $550 of this amount for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scan, which will facilitate an updated quotation for the surgery required.
“The response to our plea for members of the public to take part in this marathon to help Mr Ndlovu was overwhelming,” commented Zimnat group marketing executive Angela Mpala.
“Zimnat is driven by a passion to empower companies and clients to reach their full potential and to making life better for others. We would like to thank all those who participated in the marathon or made donations towards this cause for helping us to make life better for Mr Ndlovu,” she said.
