The ManicaPost
Tendai Gukutikwa Business Correspondent
OIL processing giant Willowton Zimbabwe has continued with its social responsibility programme by ploughing back to the Mutare community.
The company is targeting public institutions, especially hospitals and schools. After refurbishing Mutare Provincial Hospital and Sakubva 1 High School early this year, the company on Tuesday donated hospital appliances worth hundreds of dollars to Sakubva Health Centre.
The plant’s finance manager, Mr Farai Sithole, and human resources manager Mr David Muzadzi handed over thermometers, a blood pressure monitoring machine and an office chair to Sakubva Health Centre’s acting administrator, Mr Phillip Gwangwaza.
In an interview on the sidelines of the donations, Mr Sithole said the company’s social responsibility programme was meant to recognise, appreciate and give back to the community where their consumers and workers hail from.
“It is our responsibility to empower the community around us. Sakubva is our immediate community and that is the reason why most of our programmes are concentrated there. Very soon we will be targeting other parts of the city and areas around Mutare,” he said.
Mr Muzadzi said money to buy the equipment was contributed by employees who identified areas in their communities that needed assistance. Through their “A dollar a month” donation programme, an employee voluntarily donates a dollar per month towards the good cause.
“We have approximately 140 employees and they all voluntarily contribute to the ‘A dollar a month’ scheme because they know that the community needs us. We cannot survive without the community as it cannot without us. These are the same institutions we get medical attention from, our children attend these schools and who else if not us should attend to the facilities’ needs,” said Mr Muzadzi.
He said this was only the beginning of a marriage between the health centre and Willowton. Mr Gwangwaza expressed gratitude for the donation.
Said Mr Gwangwaza: “The appliances are fundamental hospital appliances that will go a long way in improving service provision at the institution. They will also help us to give patients the appropriate and accurate diagnosis. We are so grateful that the employees had to part with their hard- earned cash and help the needy.” In July the company repainted Mutare Provincial Hospital’s male and female surgical wards, children’s ward, surgery and the Intensive Care Unit.
In addition, staff members also contributed towards the donation of 100 plates and 100 cups to assist in feeding the patients at the hospital. Willowton also managed to repaint two toilet blocks for both male and female students, two A-Level classroom blocks, repair shattered windows around the school and repaint the geographical weather station.
It also constructed an incinerator to promote health and wellness taking cognisance of the girl child since there was no proper and adequate facility to dispose of used sanitary ware. Willowton is a subsidiary of South Africa-based Willowton Group.
The group manufactures a wide range of products which include edible oils, margarine and spreads, toiletries, laundry and bathing soaps, candles, chocolates, baking and industrial fats.
