City of Masvingo COVID – 19 Fundraising Launch a Resounding Success
The City of Masvingo COVID – 19 Fundraising Launch that was held in the Civic Centre Hall on Wednesday the 1st of July, 2020 was a resounding success with overwhelming support from the corporate world and local institutions.
The launch was aimed at raising funds towards the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) and other essential materials to help capacitate local treatment and isolation facilities.
Addressing the corporate representatives who attended the launch, City of Masvingo, Acting Town clerk reiterated the need for a collaborative approach in the fight against the pandemic.
‘There is great need for a collaborative approach if we are to deal with this pandemic in a professional, holistic and sustainable way. We are launching this COVID – 19 Support Fund in order to raise the resources required to assist the City Council as well as assist Masvingo Provincial Taskforce in the fight against this pandemic. We are getting resources from both the National Taskforce and the Provincial Taskforce but these resources are not enough to sustain everyday activities of the Isolation Centre. Top on our priority is PPE. There is need for enough personal protective equipment to adequately protect our front line workers’, he said.
The Acting Chief Environmental Health Officer, Mr Ngonidzashe Maphamula also narrated the challenges being faced by both the patients and front line workers at the Isolation Centre. In his speech he gave a summary of the COVID – 19 pandemic in the country and Masvingo district.
His Worship, The Mayor for Masvingo City Council, Cllr Collen Maboke commended the business community for supporting the noble cause in the fight against the novel COVID – 19 pandemic. He went on to commend management for clearly articulating their vision, outlining the trajectory the organisation intends to take in order to fight the pandemic without having to burden the ratepayers.
The Mayor, further noted that unity is a prerequisite for the city’s development and that both the private and public sectors had an important role to play in development.
Apart from contributing significantly towards the fight against the COVID – 19 pandemic by offering one of its clinics as an Isolation Facility, the City of Masvingo has contributed with human capital working at centre.
The fundraising launch whose key sponsors were ZB Bank, Regency Hotels and Leisure Group, Auto Disc Kinge, Hevoi fm, GZU Campus Radio, The Mirror among others, attracted a number of participants and donors within and outside Masvingo. Other companies which pledged include; N Richards Group and Victoria Hardware. Council and management also contributed towards the worthy cause.