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Talent Chimutambgi Herald Reporter
A local bakery, Natbake and the Grain Millers Association of Zimbabwe (GMAZ) yesterday donated goods worth $200 000 to a Harare man who got paralysed after he being involved in an accident in Kenya. The donations comprised an electric wheelchair, flour, bread, blankets, mealie-meal and adult diapers as well as a structure for a tuck-shop that was constructed at his home.

The two organisations made the donation after Mr Patrick Sibanda (36) made an appeal for medical assistance on ZBC TV.
Speaking during the handover ceremony yesterday, Natbake general manager Ms Annie Nhongo said the donation was part of her company’s corporate social responsibility.

“It is our pleasure as Natbake to be associated with this event which we are all gathered to witness the handing over of a donation which is worth over $200 000 to Mr Patrick Sibanda,” said Ms Nhongo.

“As a responsible company whose operations are sustained by communities who happen to be our customers, we had found it prudent to respond to Mr Sibanda’s appeal for assistance.

“We also believe in giving, we built him a tuck-shop, we are going to stock it with products like mealie-meal and flour so that he finds something to sustain himself,” said Ms Nhongo.

GMAZ public relations manager Mr Garikai Chaunza said that they had joined hands with Natbake to recover Mr Sibanda’s title deeds which had been taken by debt collectors over outstanding medical bills.

“The association in partnership with Natbake, a local black-owned bakery has managed to pay back US$1000 which was needed by the debt collectors for the release of Mr Sibanda’s title deeds,” said Mr Chaunza.

“Millers have also bought Mr Sibanda an electrically powered state of the art wheel-chair, built a tuck-shop for him and stocked it so that he gets something to sustain himself with,” he said.

Mr Sibanda thanked the companies for the gesture. “I want to thank both Natbake and GMAZ for such a gesture which I wasn’t expecting. I did not know that they would swiftly act and render assistance,” said Mr Sibanda.
Both companies pledged to continue rendering support to Mr Sibanda to ensure his needs are met.