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Leonard Ncube in Victoria Falls
SOME former football administrators in Victoria Falls have donated mealie-meal to more than 100 vulnerable families in the resort town to help cushion them from effects of the Covid-19 lockdown.

About 130 beneficiaries were identified in Chinotimba suburb’s Railways section where there is a huge population of pensioners and elderly residents as well as in Mkhosana suburb’s Mfelandawonye section.

Former Wankie FC player Nyaro Mumba and former Busy Island player Thembani Sibanda, who are now both visually impaired, Jabulani Ndebele (Busy Island), Andrew Mpala and Dumisani Mathe (12 Stars) were among the beneficiaries.

Chinotimba Old People’s Home also benefitted.

United Kingdom-based Winsen Sibanda, the former Intundla player and manager, Whispher Mpala former Victoria Falls United manager, former 12 Stars coach Dumile Mpofu and former 12 Stars player Dumisani Mathe came up with the initiative.

Intundla, Busy Island and Victoria Falls United were among the first teams to play professional lower division football in Victoria Falls.

Each recipient family received a 10kg packet of mealie meal.

In an interview during the door-to-door delivery of the mealie meal, Mpala said the gesture is a way of giving back to the community that groomed them to become footballers.

“I have retired from football and am currently training to be a full time pastor, while Sibanda also left football when he moved to the UK. Sibanda is a well-known football administrator in this area. We sat down as legends and decided to help our community. We are what we are because of this same community that is now struggling because of Covid-19, hence we decided to give back the little that we can,” said Mpala.

Mpofu said they targeted Railways section because that’s where Sibanda grew up.

Victoria Falls Ward 5 councillor Richard Mguni, who was part of the door-to-door distribution, commended the gesture saying it will go a long way in cushioning the vulnerable and restoring hope among residents.

“We reached 130 families in Railways section as each got 10kg of mealie meal. We also donated to Chinotimba Old People’s Home and we are so grateful to the donors,” Mguni said.

One of the beneficiaries Bekezela Sithole (46), an unemployed widow from Chinotimba, said she was grateful for the donation as she had run out of mealie meal with her three minor children, while a National Railways of Zimbabwe pensioner Lovemore Rabson Jambo (65) said he had been struggling to buy basics for his orphaned grandchildren. – @ncubeleon