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Mukudzei Chingwere Herald Reporter

Air Force of Zimbabwe (AFZ) Commander Air Marshal Elson Moyo has said the force will continue supporting the disabled through the AFZ Charity Fund.

The Fund aims to assist disadvantaged communities and needy individuals.

As part of its corporate social responsibility, the AFZ has rolled out a massive programme reaching out to the needy.

In an interview with The Herald after the donation of assistive devices at AFZ headquarters in Harare recently, Air Marshal Moyo said: “The critical issue about today’s event is that when we started the Air Force Commander’s Charity Fund, its main objective was to assist communities which are disadvantaged.

“Last year we realised that it is not only communities which have problems, there are also individuals who are in need of assistance.”

He said they partnered with the Ministry of Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare which deals with disadvantaged communities.

“If you saw the beneficiaries today, I was touched by that woman who has improvised protective devices for her knees for her to be able to move from point A to point B. We would not have been able to identify that person without the help of (the Ministry of Public Service) Labour and Social Welfare.

“From last year’s experience, we felt this had to be an annual event, and with assistance to other cooperating partners, we could actually reach to more people who are suffering out there. Disability is a problem because many people who are looking after these people do not have capacity to look after them, so that is why some of these people are being dumped into homes that are not able to care after the same people,” said Air Marshal Moyo.

He added they also have members who get injured at work and require assistance too, but said Government usually intervenes.

Air Marshal Moyo said despite support from Government and the corporate world, the AFZ will also support its members.

“We are at an advantage in that if I am disabled while I am at work, Government will continue looking after me. So our own disabled people are normally very well looked after, but at the same time, we do not forget them.

“This year we have our member, he retired from the Air Force, who got his legs amputated and there are people who assisted with a wheelchair and we are also assisting with modifying his home so that he can freely move in the house,” he said.