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Midlands Bureau
THE Zimbabwe Red Cross Society (ZRCS) yesterday donated groceries and sanitisers to seven old people’s homes in the Midlands province.

The donation was made a month after the society donated personal protective equipment (PPE) to 35 old people’s homes across the country as part of its partnership with the Coca- Cola Foundation.

This time around, the ZRCS has partnered the Finish Red Cross that has been running the Echo- Finish Red Cross food security programme to assist 35 old people’s homes countrywide with food.

ZPCS Midlands province manager Mr Leke Ncube hands over Covid 19 food relief to Mr Henry Stratford at Rugare old people’s homes in Amaveni, Kwekwe.

Seven of the old people’s homes are in in Gweru, Kwekwe and Zvishavane.

Mr Henry Stratford, an inmate at Rugare Old People’s Home in Amaveni suburb Kwekwe commended ZRCS for the assistance.

“This is indeed a welcome development for us inmates who will have food on our table because of this donation. We survive on handouts from well-wishers and at the moment everyone has been affected by Covid-19 and ZRCS has come at a good time,” he said.

In an interview on the sidelines of the donation, ZRCS Midlands provincial manager Mr Leke Ncube said they had noted that most of the people and companies that previously assisted old people’s homes have been negatively affected by Covid-19.

“We are coming to assist our elderly people considering that they have no one to run to as almost everyone is crying about the negative effects of Covid-19. So, this donation of foodstuffs such as cooking oil and beans is aimed at giving them some food so that they have food on their table at all times,” he said.

Mr Ncube said they had also donated food items and PPE’s to Sebakwe Primary School quarantine centre.

He said those at quarantine centres also need food and PPE’s to mitigate against the spread of Covid-19. Through its partnership with Coca-Cola Foundation, the ZRCS will also undertake testing of Covid-19 at Zimbabwe Red Cross clinics countrywide.

Last week, the ZRCS also donated ventilators to the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) in Bulawayo and Parirenyatwa Group of Hospitals in Harare.