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Some of the elderly people waiting to receive their hampers during a Christmas party hosted by Golden Harmony Enterprises of Plumtree at Madlambudzi business centre in Bulilima District on Wednesday

Nyaradzo Bakari recently in Plumtree
A TOTAL of 600 elderly people received free grocery hampers at an early Christmas luncheon organised by a prominent local businessman Mr Michael Sibanda at Madlambuzi shopping centre in Bulilima District on Wednesday.

Mr Sibanda, the owner of Golden Harmony retail stores, joined hands with 16 Bulawayo companies and a local partner to mobilise the groceries and funding for the event. Representatives from participating corporates spent the day with the elderly, who are aged 75 and above and had lunch with them.

Among the beneficiaries was a 104-year Gogo Bafoli Ndlovu from Madlambuzi area. The elderly were also given a cake and treated with some refreshments.

Participating entities included; ZB Bank, PPC, Fortwell Wholesalers, United Refineries, Tanganda Tea, Delta Beverages, CPS, CC Sales, Tongaat Hulett, Multi Juice, Wholesale Beef (Mvutshwa), Meadows, Datlabs, Kango, Golden Harmony, WFDR Risk Services, Gain Cash & Carry and Abuka Marketing.
Mr Sibanda has been organising Christmas parties for the elderly in the district for the past 10 years. In his address he said hosting a Christmas party for the elderly was part of corporate social responsibility.

“It is an initiative I took with my wife to remember the less fortunate especially children and elderly, who are forgotten most of the time.

“When I started I went around donating in schools and with time other companies joined in. So I decided to do it for the elderly in the community,” said Mr Sibanda.

“This is part of our corporate social responsibility as Golden Harmony and I am grateful that a lot of companies joined this year to support us. I would not have managed to do all this alone.”

Speaking at the same event, URL chief executive officer Mr Busisa Moyo, who comes from the area, said: “Christmas time is a time of giving, so this is our way, as United Refineries, of giving to the community. We are honouring the elderly as it should be society’s responsibility to look after them.”

One of the beneficiaries a 99-year old Ms Agness Mankumba expressed gratitude to the companies for a timely donation.

“We greatly appreciate that Golden Harmony and other companies remembered us. It is rare for people brought up in the community to return and give back but he has done it, he has been feeding us for years and we are grateful.

“Many of us are old and cannot do a lot of things ourselves so it brings joy to know that someone thinks of us,” she said.

ZB contributed $ 1 000, which was also used to buy groceries for the elderly. Mr Sibanda is a prominent businessperson in Plumtree who runs several retail shops in the town and surrounding rural areas. — @NyarieBakie.