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Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
IT was all smiles for more than 200 elderly people in Manjolo area, Binga, on Saturday when Triumph Africa donated personal protective equipment (PPEs) and foodstuffs.

The charitable trust, working in Zimbabwe, Malawi and Sierra Leone also took time to educate the beneficiaries who were drawn from Manjolo and Sikalenge areas under Chief Sikalenge, about Covid-19, how to use the PPEs and prevention of spread of the disease.

The donation comprised a 10kg bag of mealie-meal, a packet of beans, a bar of soap, masks and a 20-litre bucket with a tap for each of the 210 beneficiaries.

The buckets with a tap are meant to ensure that each household has a running water device to wash hands.

Washing hands with running water and soap, wearing face masks and practising social distancing are some of the precautionary measures put in place to prevent the spread of the pandemic.

Speaking during the handover of the donation, Triumph Africa legal consultant Mr Ntando Ndlovu said the charitable trust is also doing similar programmes in Chinhoyi in Mashonaland West and Shurugwi in Midlands.

“We are a charitable trust that promotes and advocates for the welfare of communities. It is in our heart to make sure the elderly are well taken care of. We are honoured to be here in Binga this season for response activities to Covid-19. We have been here since June 2019 doing other programmes in partnership with other organisations.

“We have done our best in preparing for Covid-19 response and have trained volunteers to be able to raise awareness and respond to effects of Covid-19, in cooperation with a Bulawayo Nursing school who did the training. We are here to raise awareness about what Covid-19 can do and what we can do as people. As much as it can kill, there is a lot we can also do individually to avoid catching it and dying from it,” said Mr Ndlovu.

He and his team of volunteers demonstrated to the elderly how they should wash hands or sanitise as well as how they should wear face masks.

Beneficiaries were aged 55 and above.

“We have taken it upon ourselves to ensure that the elderly in Binga are not affected in any way hence we are giving foods and PPEs. We know that some may not have food because we are in lockdown hence, we want you to at least have something at home,” he said.

The elderly was encouraged to stand in a bee line as they entered the hall where the event took place.

Their temperature was checked at the entrance where demonstrations were also done to them on how they should wash hands, sanitise and wear masks.

A nurse was also helping ask questions on each elderly’s health history to check for symptoms of the pandemic.

A representative from the Binga District Development Coordinator’s office Mr Mgcini Vela welcomed the gesture saying it empowers the community.

Chief Sikalenge said while the community has been receiving awareness from health officials, such efforts by civic groups will buttress villagers’ understanding of the pandemic.

One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Belita Muleya (66) of Sikalenge village said: “I am happy to receive these food items. I have seven grandchildren that I am taking care of and this will surely add to what we have and push us through.” — @ncubeleon