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Judge Jarachara, Chronicle Reporter
ENTEMBENI Old People’s Home in Bulawayo has been hit by donor fatigue which has seen the institution struggling to pay workers and fund its projects.

The home, situated in Old Luveve suburb in Bulawayo, has been forced to stagger employees’ salaries since the end of last year.

The new board chairperson Mr Newman Sibanda said the issue of donor withdrawal from the home could have destructive effects if not urgently addressed.

“Even though I came into this office recently I must admit that the withdrawal of donors from the institution is a cause for concern to us as management.

This has gone a long way in distracting the system of payment of salaries to our hard-working staff who are taking very good care of the old people we have at the home. Some are ending up having their salaries staggered,” he said.

The chairperson lamented that projects at the home were not running at full capacity due to lack of funding.

“The home has some projects like the poultry project and we also have a farm.

“These should be operational and at full capacity so as to sustain the home, but due to lack of funding it is just producing very few, not even enough for consumption,” said the chairperson.

However, Mr Sibanda promised to see to it that the home is back to normalcy through engagement with the home’s former donors and new ones.

He said since he became the chairperson a fortnight ago, he has received favourable responses from the donors he engaged so far.

The home’s administrator Ms Naome Mhlanga said the home as a non-profit making institution has no capacity to cater for the workers’ salaries but rely on donations.

“The home at the moment is operating normally since all the workers are reporting for duty despite the challenges, we are having which is the withdrawal of donors.

“The withdrawal of donors has had a powerful effect on the home as it has caused it to default in the payment of the homes’ workers.

“Such a challenge is a big one and if not addressed, it will end up affecting the whole system especially the care of the elderly will be compromised,” she said.

The home appealed to donors who can come to the rescue in the payment of salaries and the provision of poultry feeds and the resuscitation of all other projects the home is running so as to ensure self-sustenance and stability in their day-to-day operations.
@jdgjarachara