More than burying the dead
WHEN the human body shuts down, it marks the end of the world for the departed soul, with the next logical thing for those left behind being that of taking the remains to their final resting place.
While the burial rites might differ according to religion, race, tribe, creed, et cetera, our view is that funerals are not conducted for the lifeless body but for the living to allow those left behind to find emotional closure.
Hence from day one in 2001 when we entered Zimbabwe’s funeral industry, we resolved to make funerals much more than mere burials of the dead.
The cardinal rule we came up with then was, focus on the living to help them bear the pain and grief of losing loved ones.
This guiding principle has remained in force two decades on, revolutionising the industry with groundbreaking initiatives that removed the burden of going through the loss of a loved one from the immediate family to your Sahwira Mukuru/Umgane Omkhulu, as we are affectionately known for being your closest friend in your time of need.
Unlike the practice before our entry when the preoccupation was to merely bury the dead, we chose to provide the much-needed padded shoulder.
We thus became the bearers of love and hope, and led the way with the provision of buses as transport for mourners, tents and chairs, water bowsers, floodlights and other conveniences that made up for the infrastructural inadequacies confronting our public utilities.
Not surprisingly, we adopted the moniker “Sahwira Mukuru, Umgane Omkhulu”, which means loving trusted friend, because that was and still is the essence and character of our service.
Another guiding principle that set us apart from our competitors was our inspired decision to conduct funerals in line with our cultural practices and tradition — Maringe netsika dzedu or Kuhambelana lesintu sethu!
This came as a culture shock to our industry peers who were still to see the light and had gotten accustomed to burying our loved ones in a way that was far removed from our cultural beliefs and traditions.
For us at Nyaradzo, as has been the case among the indigenous people since time immemorial, the burial of loved ones is done with dignity and decency to give the surviving family and friends a positive lasting memory of their dear departed.
We, therefore, feel duty-bound to ensure that when we bury someone, loved ones go back home with positive lasting memories. Over the last two decades, it has become apparent to us that when a burial is imbued with dignity and decency, it leaves family and friends with a sense of peace and comfort.
There are so many other innovations and improvements that we have pioneered in the last two decades. These include, but not limited to;
● Counselling services: We became the first Zimbabwean funeral services provider to introduce free counselling services to our clients. Not only are we in the business of giving your loved one a decent send-off, we are also in the business of ensuring a quality life to the living by offering them bereaved professional counselling services. We are there to hold your hand in your time of need as you come to terms with your loss and as you struggle to move on following a bereavement.
● Tailor-made solutions: Customer service is at the heart of everything we do. We endeavour to provide relevant solutions for everyone. At Nyaradzo, we understand that every client is different and requires a product tailor-made to meet their individual preference. In line with this, our plans are flexible and affordable, providing burial and funeral services to our policyholders as well as offering services to non-policyholders.
● Repatriation and expatriation: Through Nyaradzo Life Assurance Company, we have the Sahwira International Plan that is tailored for those based in the diaspora. It provides funeral cover and repatriation services to Zimbabweans based abroad.
● Caskets and coffins: Nyaradzo Funeral Services offers a variety of caskets and coffins, all manufactured in-house by Calundike Exports. To our policyholders we offer four types namely: the two-tier Kudu Coffin, the two-tier Kudu Casket, the three-tier White Casket and the Stand White Dome Casket.
● Branded products: At our one stop shop for all things Nyaradzo, you can find branded T-shirts, caps, hats, zambias, doeks, umbrellas and many more.
At our service centres, which are more than 42 countrywide, we offer the following:
● Body removals 24/7
● Mortuary services — storage, body preservation and preparation
● Burial, cremation and incineration
● Coffins, caskets and ash urns
● Blankets, laces, reed mats and floral tributes
● Exhumations
● Memorial tributes
● Repatriations and expatriation
● Funeral documentation
● Hearses and buses
● Video recording and photography