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Business Reporter

The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ), has extended a helping hand to the needy as part of its wider corporate social responsibility (CSR) programme.

Yesterday, the telecommunications sector regulator donated an assortment of foodstuffs and personal protective equipment to 50 individuals living with disability in Mutare.

The beneficiaries were identified by the Ministry of Public Works, Labour and Social Welfare.

POTRAZ director-general Dr Gift Machengete, said the authority is targeting to ease the burden brought about by the pandemic on vulnerable segments of society.

“It is without a doubt that people living with disability have been the hardest hit by the debilitating socio-economic effects of Covid-19. This is why as POTRAZ we have spared a thought for this vulnerable group of society and decided to lend a helping hand with this small gesture of a donation.

“This initiative is not unique to Manicaland Province, it is a nationwide programme where the Authority is assisting people living with disabilities to cope with the Covid-19 pandemic,” he said.

“Besides this Covid-19 related Corporate Social Responsibility (CRS) programme, the authority is also assisting other vulnerable groups such as the elderly, orphaned children and expecting mothers in different ways, as a way of giving back to the communities.

“To date, this on-going parallel CSR programme that is disassociated from the Covid-19 donations has seen six  provinces so far benefiting. Projects undertaken in these provinces namely Masvingo, Midlands, Matabeleland North, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland East and Mashonaland West include renovations of classrooms and children’s homes, water tank installations, donations of computers and foodstuffs among others.

“The Authority will run both the Covid-19 and the general CSR programmes concurrently until all provinces have benefited.”

In a speech read on her behalf by the Provincial Development Coordinator for Manicaland Province Mr Edgar Seenza, the Minister of State for Manicaland Provincial Affairs and Devolution Ellen Gwaradzimba thanked POTRAZ for its initiative.

“Our Province has had successive droughts over the past years, leaving many families in need of food aid. Further to that, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought other challenges and untold suffering to our people.

“While POTRAZ is playing a critical role in the fight against Covid-19 they are also playing an important role in fighting hunger and poverty in Zimbabwe through their CSR programmes.”

Last month POTRAZ was in Gwanda — Matabeleland South Province with this initiative and its next port of call will be Mashonaland West Province.