Econet, Turnall boost fight against cholera
ECONET Wireless Zimbabwe is set to embark on a month-long clean-up campaign of the City of Harare, targeting Budiriro and Glen View — the epicentres of the recent cholera outbreak.
This comes as pipe and roofing material maker, Turnall Holdings has donated an assortment of water and sewer pipes to Harare City Council, responding to the Government’s appeal for assistance to contain the cholera outbreak.
A spokesman for Econet confirmed the development, saying the initiative would be officially launched in Glen View today by the company’s chief executive officer Mr Douglas Mboweni, along with senior Government and City of Harare officials.
“We are stepping up our intervention by launching a large clean-up campaign whose footprint will be the suburbs of Budiriro and Glen View in Harare which have been the worst affected by the cholera outbreak,” the spokesman said.
“Our aim is for us to help make a sustainable impact in fighting this epidemic, and to ensure we prevent it from happening again.
“To that end, we have taken the approach of engaging the community at large — churches, schools and local civic groups — to ensure ownership and sustainability, to impact behaviour at the local level, and to restore community pride.”
Mr Mboweni said Econet had mobilised 20 skip bins for the campaign.
The company is also deploying two dedicated refuse trucks to collect and depose of garbage in the two suburbs.
The spokesman said Econet had already engaged over 200 local volunteers in Glen View and Budiriro and trained them in environmental awareness and basic public hygiene behaviours, including safe litter disposal practices anti-litter monitoring.
According to the Government, council requires at least $6 million to revamp sewer and water reticulation infrastructure in the hotspots of Glen View and Budiriro.
Turnall managing director Ms Roselyn Chisveto said her organisation was donating an assortment of pipes worth $20 000 and the company would also participate in clean-up initiatives to mark the company’s 75-year anniversary.
“We are participating as Turnall in the initiative which has been undertaken by Government and in particular City of Harare in an effort to contain the chol- era and typhoid disease outbreak that have hit our beloved Sunshine City,” she said.
“As you are aware that Turnall is the leading manufacturer of pipe and roofing materials. We are proud to be participating with one of our leading products, the water and sewer reticulation pipe. We have found it pertinent for us to come and participate like any other corporate so that we fight against the cholera and typhoid epidemic.
“As Turnall we are really saddened by the deaths which have occurred. We as management have made a deliberate decision to participate so that together we can contain the disease for a worthy cause.”
Ms Chisveto said Turnall derives its livelihood and profits from the communities hence the company felt obliged to support the city officials and the other corporates in fighting cholera.
Deputy mayor Councillor Enock Mupamawonde said the city was grateful for the timely donation.
“We are very grateful to be here at Turnall Holdings receiving this important donation,” he said.
“The company is joining a long list of corporates who have so far participated and intervened in the effort to curb and contain this deadly disease which is an ancient disease that should not affect us.
“It is important that in receiving such philanthropic gesture from Turnall. It is in response of government’s declaration of the disease as a national disaster which has seen so many individuals and companies coming in to assist.
“Going forward we will be in a position to replace our pipes and improve on sanitation.”