CONFECTIONERY company, Bakers Inn, on Monday donated food hampers to Jambezi villagers in Matabeleland North, where thousands of people face hunger following last year’s poor harvests.
BY NQOBANI NDLOVU
Bakers Inn chief executive officer, Ngoni Mazango said the donation forms part of the company’s on-going outreach programme targeting drought-hit areas of Matabeleland North and South.
The company donated food hampers comprising of 50kg mealie-meal, 10kg sugar, 5kg flour, sugar beans, kapenta, bread and other goodies worth nearly $30 000.
“We saw it fit to do this outreach programme to plough back to the needy communities. We are targeting the less privileged of communities, as they are the most hit as far as hunger is concerned. They should not be left to starve,” he told Southern Eye in an interview.
“We realise that other corporates focus on Harare forgetting where there is a need. We believe that, look, in Matabeleland North and South, these are the most hit areas as far as the droughts are concerned and we are here to complement government efforts in trying to feed the people of Matabeleland North.”
Mazango challenged other corporates to chip in with food aid to avert hunger related deaths.
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“It is not about just making money, but also about giving back where there is need. If we don’t think of them [hunger-hit communities] as corporates, who will? We are chipping in to also bridge the gap where the government is assisting. It is a programme, an ongoing programme that we have started,” he said.
Hunger stalks villagers in rural Matabeleland and despite government indicating that no-one will starve — the situation on the ground is critical. A recent survey conducted by the Southern Eye revealed that many families were skipping meals to save the little they have.
Recently, Education Ministry officials in Matabeleland were quoted in the State media saying over 6 000 school children have dropped out of school due to hunger, while others were evidently failing to concentrate in class on empty stomachs.
The officials said as a result, they have allowed schools in the region to knock off early, as allowing normal learning hours to continue was useless, since the students would be hungry and failing to concentrate.
