How to strive in hard times
By Praise Rundofa
When life gives us a hard time we usually wish that such times never have happened. One day you have a job, the next you don’t, your car breaks down, house still incomplete, you don’t have enough saved up for your child’s fees for the term. These are some of the very real scenarios of challenges that we are exposed to. In the midst of these hard times Zimnat, has a way of making life better for you despite the complexity.
The basic step in dealing with hard times is to realize that some of them are real opportunities. Insecurity is a bitter pill to swallow but that fear can motivate someone to learn how to be resilient and adaptive to future highs and lows. Zimnat Microfinance offers clients business loans of up to RTGS$250,000 that can help one hedge against hard times; through facilities such as working capital financing, asset financing to mention but a few.
The Greek philosopher Epictetus, says "We cannot choose our external circumstances, but we can always choose how we respond to them." It's easy to forget that we have this choice when we're caught in the current situation - especially fear, despair, or anger. Our pain looms so large that it seems immutable we can always choose how we respond. And this choice begins in how we talk to ourselves about our circumstances and decisions we make in business. What we say to ourselves about what's happening to us has a profound impact on how we feel about it. Positive thinking is a strong force everyone can tap into. Do your thoughts nurture you and bring you hope for your future? If not, create a healthy belief system. Think uplifting thoughts, choose uplifting feelings and focus on creative ideas.
Life problems don't cause depression but it’s the inability to cope with the life problems that can lead to depression. To prepare for financial setbacks, we need to have prepared beforehand. Do we have an emergency fund? Do you have funds to cushion your business? Start simple by talking to Zimnat financial advisors for a solution.
When you are fretting and fearful, stop and think of Zimnat, a tried and tested brand that has been in existence for over 50 years and associated with the largest non-banking financial services group on the African continent Sanlam.
The more you acknowledge gratitude, the happier you will become. Gratitude heals. You can choose to focus on what’s missing in your life, but what you need instead is a solution. You can choose happiness now by choosing to make your life better with Zimnat.
Zimnat is a diversified Zimbabwean financial group associated with the Sanlam Group, which has four business units, namely Zimnat General Insurance, Zimnat Life Assurance, Zimnat Financial Services and Zimnat Asset Management.
Zimnat and THI exhibit together at Agrishow
Zimnat and THI insurance, which earlier this year entered into an underwriting management agency agreement with Zimnat General Insurance, are jointly participating in this year’s Agricultural Dealers’ and Managers’ Association Agrishow.
The agreement between THI and Zimnat General Insurance, which came into effect on January 1 this year, resulted in THI being underwritten by Zimnat in conjunction with Santam Agriculture, through Zimnat’s shareholder partnership with Sanlam, the largest non-banking financial institution in Africa.
THI’s agricultural insurance experience and Zimnat’s wide general insurance experience and partnership with Santam Agriculture, as well as the brand reputation of all three of these entities, have enhanced the insurance products and service they are able to offer farmers.
Farmers participating in the ADMA Agrishow will be able to discover some of the insurance benefits that the combined expertise and resources of Zimnat, Sanlam Agriculture and THI offer them.
THI, Zimnat and Santam Agriculture together have the resources to respond effectively to the changing insurance needs of Zimbabwean farmers and their upstream and downstream service suppliers.
There are many risks that farmers face, including variations in the weather and pest infestations that require good agricultural insurance policies.
There are also many other types of insurance policies offered by Zimnat, such as vehicle insurance and life assurance, that farmers could benefit from.
Zimnat Life, Zimnat Financial Services and the Funeral Services Group are participating in the Agrishow alongside Zimnat General Insurance and THI Insurance, enabling farmers to learn about not only the agricultural insurance products that THI and Zimnat offer them but about the full range of services Zimnat offers.
This includes vehicle insurance and other short-term insurance policies, as well as trade credit insurance, offered by Zimnat General Insurance, life assurance policies and retirement plans, funeral policies and services, and financial services, including loans and asset management, offered by Zimnat Financial Services.
Mobile agricultural laboratory brings technology to the field
The AgriShow held at Borrowdale Racecourse from Thursday last week until Saturday was an eye opener for those who attended it for the first time, with an impressive exhibition of agricultural equipment, much of which was large modern sophisticated machinery.
The show, held by the Agricultural Dealers and Manufacturers Association (ADMA), attracted not only manufacturers of and dealers in farming equipment but many other companies that offer products and services to the agricultural sector.
Among the large exhibits was a 20 metre 30 tonne mobile agricultural laboratory designed to provide agricultural laboratory services in rural areas. The impressive laboratory was stationed at the Zimnat/THI Insurance stand.
The two companies showcased the mobile laboratory, in partnership with Santam Agriculture, a subsidiary of Sanlam, a South African company with which Zimnat is associated.
The laboratory is well equipped. All the equipment, apart from air conditioners, is run with solar power.
The laboratory truck includes a training room, which can be used for training groups of farmers and to introduce agriculture science to youths in remote areas. If the group is too large for the training room, those outside the truck can follow proceedings in the training room on two high definition televisions screens.
One of the main purposes of the mobile laboratory is to enable farmers to have soil and water tests done close to where they are, so they do not have to travel long distances to have such samples analysed. An analysis of soil samples is important for deciding on what fertiliser to use.
Zimnat General Insurance chief executive officer Stanley Mazorodze says the laboratory is intended not only to enable emerging farming businesses to do soil and water analysis but also to introduce technology to rural schoolchildren.
“The mobile laboratory enables us to bring appropriate technology to the field where it is needed most,” he said.
The Zimnat/THI stand had a rural feel to it, with bales of straw being used as seats. The two companies highlighted the agricultural insurance they offer and the benefits to be derived from the joint expertise and resources of Zimnat, Sanlam Agriculture and THI.
“THI, Zimnat and Santam Agriculture together have the resources to respond effectively to the changing insurance needs of Zimbabwean farmers and their upstream and downstream service suppliers,” Mr Mazorodze said.
There are many risks that farmers face, including variations in the weather and pest infestations that require good agricultural insurance policies, he pointed out.
Zimnat made use of its presence at the AgriShow to highlight other insurance policies that Zimnat offers, such as vehicle insurance, export credit insurance and life assurance, and the financial and asset management services provided by Zimnat Financial Services.
Zimnat Trade Credit Insurance stimulates exports
By Taurai Craig Museka
As Zimbabwe endeavours to stimulate economic growth, increasing trade is one of the major priorities of both the government and the private sector. Trading with international markets presents remarkable opportunities to earn foreign currency and grow the economy.
Zimnat General Insurance is assisting the nation in confronting the economic challenges it faces by providing Trade Credit Insurance to facilitate trade.
It is only through meaningful trade that the nation can increase its income and reduce poverty among its citizens. However, trade, particularly with international markets, presents risks. It is the priority of any economy, therefore, to recognise and manage any risk associated with trade.
Zimnat through its Trade Credit Insurance Division is assisting companies across all markets to reduce the risk associated with trade in both local and international markets.
Trade Credit Insurance is an insurance policy that is offered to businesses that wish to protect their accounts receivables from loss due to credit risks and in some instances political risks.
When a business offers deferred payment terms to its local or foreign buyers, there is a risk that the buyer might fail to pay at maturity, something that is common in any struggling economy.
A Trade Credit Insurance policy comes in to compensate businesses in the event that their foreign or local buyer fails to pay them due to insolvency, bankruptcy, protracted default and in some cases actions or inactions on the part of the buyer’s government.
Trade credit insurance is a proven tool used to mitigate risk associated with trade. The product is designed to give exporters confidence to increase export sales and establish a presence in export markets.
As an example, a Zimbabwean plastic bag manufacturer may use trade credit insurance in two ways.
Firstly, if it needs to access raw materials from a foreign supplier (foreign exporter) on credit, Zimnat can come in and offer trade credit insurance to that supplier. If the local buyer defaults on payment, Zimnat will compensate the foreign supplier.
Secondly, the plastic bag manufacturer can offer credit terms to its local or foreign buyers when it sells the finished product. To protect itself from the risk that its buyers might default on payment, it can take out a Zimnat Trade Credit Insurance policy, which entitles it to compensation in the event that the buyer has defaulted.
Trade credit insurance therefore assists buyers by providing them with time to generate income from sales before paying for the products and it assists sellers by giving them the peace of mind of knowing that they will receive compensation if their customer defaults.
In the Zimbabwean scenario, local businesses can use trade credit insurance to access different products and raw materials from foreign suppliers without the need to pay for them upfront or produce letters of credit.
Trade credit insurance can also assist local manufacturers by enabling them to sell their products on credit to foreign markets that they would otherwise perceive as risky knowing that payment is guaranteed and consequently growing their exports.
Trade credit insurance is therefore more than just an insurance policy. It is a financial instrument, particularly for exporters, for managing risks. Trade Credit Insurance kicks in when buyers are unwilling or unable to provide any form of security for their credit sales by way of bank guarantees or letters of credit.
As Zimbabwe’s banking sector battles with decreased liquidity and a low appetite for lending, Zimnat’s Trade Credit Insurance can become a substitute for banks’ letters of credit.
Where foreign suppliers exporting into Zimbabwe wish to facilitate business by offering credit terms to their customers in Zimbabwe, they can use trade credit insurance as security in case a Zimbabwean buyer fails to pay the debt.
Zimnat Trade Credit Insurance, which is situated in Belvedere, Harare, has established relationships with local and foreign reinsurers with which it shares the risk of trade losses, which makes it well equipped to absorb the losses that can occur in any currency.
Where businesses want to enter into new markets, issues to do with buyer reliability always arise. Apart from compensating businesses when they are faced with credit losses, Zimnat’s Trade Credit Division assists in gathering information about local and foreign buyers and markets all over the world.
Zimnat is an associate of the Sanlam Group, one of Africa’s largest financial services groups, which gives it access to information on millions of companies worldwide.
Zimnat Trade Credit Insurance assists businesses in gathering information on foreign buyers and exports markets that they wish to enter.
It provides businesses with professional credit risk expertise, credit management and collection assistance. Thus companies do away with the need to hire third party debt collectors at a cost.
Another benefit businesses can obtain from the Zimnat Trade Credit Insurance is that it unlocks credit value with financial institutions. The Zimnat Trade Credit Insurance policy can give businesses access to receivables financing and improved credit terms from lending institutions.
Trade Credit Insurance is made for uncertain times to ensure the continuity of any business. The establishment by Zimnat of a dedicated Trade Credit Insurance division that focuses solely on assisting Zimbabwean businesses to obtain much-needed protection when they venture into the export market is designed to enable the private sector to play a crucial role in assisting the government to turn around the economy.
Fore more information please call us now on (242) 741461 or our toll free number 08080063/4/6 or visit our website www.zimnat.co.zw
Zimnat offers expenses paid participation in Capetown marathon
Zimnat is offering its lucky social media followers an all-expenses-paid trip to Capetown. Winners of this competition will participate in the annual Sanlam Marathon to be held next month. The Capetown marathon runs from September 22 to 23. It is the only Gold status marathon on the African continent. The Capetown marathon attracts over 23 international running clubs annually. This includes a world-class elite field of athletes and more than 15 000 runners.
As a way of making life better, Zimnat will be giving away an all-expenses-paid trip to three lucky winners – two social media followers. To top it off one member of staff will also participate in the Capetown marathon.
How you can win
To stand a chance to win interested candidates should follow and tag Zimnat’s social media pages. They are then expected to post a video or picture of how one would get ready for a marathon with a partner or a friend.
Alternatively, would-be winners can post and tag Zimnat in a video of them sharing a story about someone who has been instrumental in their success.
This is in line with this year’s theme – #LifeIsAMarathon, you can’t do it alone. Zimnat and Sanlam strongly believe in teamwork and working together towards achieving life goals and targets.
Winning criteria
The winners will be selected by the general public by tallying up the post with the most likes.
Zimnat’s social media pages can be accessed on https://www.facebook.com/Zimnat/, https://twitter.com/zimnatofficial, https://zw.linkedin.com/company/zimnat.
Zimnat will also be giving away some branded running vests until the start of the marathon so everyone is guaranteed a share of the give-aways.
The giveaway competition will run until 20 August to give enough time to prepare travel and living arrangements for the winners.
The Capetown marathon is a great chance to travel and sightsee with a partner or friend. It also provides an opportunity to cultivate a culture of fitness. This opportunity is open anyone who would love to start a health-conscious journey.
Zimnat is associated with Sanlam, the largest non-banking financial institution on the continent. The company offers businesses and individuals a variety of products including motor insurance, home insurance, life assurance, travel insurance, funeral cover, health and accident insurance, pension schemes, unit trusts and private wealth management.
2019 Thematic Campaign Highlights
By Shingirai Mazambani
Last year, we launched a thematic campaign titled ‘Making Life Better.’ The objective of the campaign being to drive the Zimnat Group purpose. The campaign which ran in the mainstream media covering radio, press, digital and TV won various awards at the Marketers Association of Zimbabwe Exceptional Marketing Awards for 2019.
In May, this year we launched a continuation of the campaign, with the focus now on Zimnat makes life better, with the focus being on the practical ways Zimnat lives its purpose. Again the campaign covers print, digital radio, TV and billboards.
The most exciting and innovative billboard is the one that has been placed along Borrowdale Road, just before the Borrowdale Race Course facing traffic going towards town. The billboard shows boulders falling and a car accidentally crashing into the boulders and carries the message ‘Whatever life delivers, Zimnat makes it better. The communication being that should life throw challenges at you, Zimnat will make the situation better.
What is very exciting about the billboard is that it is 3D to represent the actual container and boulders falling. It also uses an actual car wreck in this execution, which is permanently stationed at the billboard. This an innovative execution that has never been done in Zimbabwe. What is also unique about these billboards it that they bring home the reality of why one would need to be insured. They are dramatic and drive the message home.
Below are some of the adverts and billboards that are part of this years; thematic campaign.
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Events
By Shingirai Mazambani
In April this year, the Zimnat Group participated at the annual Zimbabwe International Trade Fair held from the 22nd to the 28th of April 2019 under the theme ‘Propagating Industrial Growth through Trade and Investment.
The exhibition, which was the 1st for the Zimnat Group, saw a number of customers visiting the stand to interact with the brand, understand more about the products and services on offer as well for sign up’s.
Visitors also got an opportunity to interact with the Bulawayo Team which was manning the stand from the different business units within the group.
Activities that took place at the stand included a daily quiz, with winners able to pop a balloon to find out what prize they had won, and a ‘sign up and win’ promotion where customers who signed up for an insurance policy at the stand walked away with a Zimnat branded gift.
There were also Zimnat branded gifts for those who referred the person signing up for a policy.
There was a Zimnat virtual reality showroom, to give potential customers an idea of what to expect at a Zimnat office.
Those who needed to renew their motor vehicle insurance and license their vehicles were able to do so, through an automatic vehicle licensing machine.
The exhibition, saw Zimnat walking away with two awards; a silver medal in the ‘Best Zimbabwean Medical Aid and Related Exhibit and a bronze medal for the Best Zimbabwean Motor Trade Exhibit.
“I think we can feel proud of the fact that we came second in one category and third in another even though we had never exhibited at the trade fair before,” commented Zimnat Group Marketing Executive Angela Mpala, in an interview.
“Even more important for us than the awards we won was the interaction we were able to have with our customers and potential customers, who flocked to the stand to learn more about the products and services we offer, to renew or take out policies or to take part in the competitions taking place there,” she said.
The participation at the years’ ZITF was inspired by the desire to make lives better and to interact with customers and potential customers attending it. Below are some of the pictures of the stand and the customers who interacted with the Zimnat Team.
ADMA
The Zimnat group in partnership with THI, also participated at the recently held Agricultural Dealers and Manufacturers Association (ADMA) Agrishow. The show, attracted manufacturers and dealers of farming equipment as well as other companies that offer products and services to the agricultural sector.
Among the large exhibits that were there was a 20 metre 30 tonne mobile agricultural laboratory designed to provide agricultural laboratory services in rural areas. The impressive laboratory was stationed at the Zimnat/THI Insurance stand.
The two companies showcased the mobile laboratory, in partnership with Santam Agriculture, a subsidiary of Sanlam. The laboratory which is well equipped, is predominantly run with solar power and includes a training room, which can be used for training groups of farmers and to introduce agriculture science to youths in remote areas. If the group is too large for the training room, those outside the truck can follow proceedings in the training room on two high definition televisions screens.
One of the main purposes of the mobile laboratory is to enable farmers to have soil and water tests done close to where they are, so they do not have to travel long distances to have such samples analysed. An analysis of soil samples is important for deciding on what fertiliser to use.
In an interview, Zimnat General Insurance Chief Executive Officer Stanley Mazorodze says the laboratory is intended not only to enable emerging farming businesses to do soil and water analysis but also to introduce technology to rural schoolchildren.
“The mobile laboratory enables us to bring appropriate technology to the field where it is needed most,” he said.
The Zimnat/THI stand also had a rural feel to it, with bales of straw being used as seats. Below are some of the pictures of the exhibition.
Awards
In Q2, we celebrated 2 awards awarded at the 2019 Zimbabwe International Trade Fair
- Best Zimbabwean Medical Aid and Related Exhibit
- Bronze medal for the Best Zimbabwean Motor Trade Exhibit awarded at the 2019 Zimbabwe International Trade Fair
We were also awarded for the second time in a row for ‘Winner in the Short Term Insurance Top Companies Survey’
Congratulations to the team and may we keep the Zimnat flag flying high!
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Zimnat innovating funding options for Zimbabwean businesses
By Taurai Craig Museka
As Zimbabwe looks to map its way to economic recovery with the aim to realise a better balance of payments, export development initiatives have become a priority for both the government and private sector. Zimnat is on an innovation drive to develop insurance products that can assist businesses that have for long struggled to grow their manufacturing base and export markets. With the new products Zimnat hopes to obviate some of the obstacles to development resulting from the lack of funding and working capital.
Businesses operating in any struggling economy are exposed to the harsh reality of limited access to funding, in such fluid environments risk mitigation measures take precedence amongst investors and banks. This desire to reduce risk usually outweighs the appetite for profits on the money therefore making it difficult for businesses to get funding necessary for capacitation to meet export demand. Contrary to developed nations where Export Credit Agencies (ECAs) are given a task by governments to support development of exports through provision of export financing and various insurance and guarantees, Zimnat has taken the task to strengthen the export position of domestic companies. Through the provision of insurance, guarantees and partnerships with various funders Zimnat is able to make life better for all its stakeholders both individual and legal entities.
The foreign currency constraints in Zimbabwe are leaving many businesses with the difficult task of sourcing for funds to pay for their foreign currency obligations to settle input costs. Through the Trade Credit Insurance Division, Zimnat is assisting businesses in entering into more foreign markets, which would normally be difficult or risky to venture into. As an organisation that is associated with Africa’s largest non-banking financial services provider (Sanlam), Zimnat has a rich market intelligence pool on global markets that can assist any business without fear of defaults on exports. Furthermore Zimnat offers export trade credit insurance policies that compensate businesses in the event that the producer’s clients both local and international default payment for goods sold on credit terms.
The goal of any business in any difficult environment is cost containment. Zimnat Trade Credit Insurance policies do not just compensate businesses in the event of a default by their debtors, the policies also offer cost minimisation through reduction of the bad debt reserves. The policy allows the exporting business to share the cost of market vetting with Zimnat to ensure that business minimise their costs and be cost competitive internationally. Zimnat also eliminates the need for hiring lawyers or debt collectors in the event of a default by a debtor, as they take over the credit management and debt collection function at no extra cost.
With the aid of partnerships with strong financial backing, Zimnat is able to provide comfort to trade financiers by making available invoice-discounting arrangements that are also known as factoring. Such arrangements make life better for most Zimbabwean businesses which have low credit ratings, which make it difficult to access funds from banks. Businesses are able to turn what would have otherwise been a credit sale into a cash-upfront sale through invoice discounting. A business can wait for 30 days on a credit sale and risk the loss of value through inflation on a sale made, they receive cash up front by opting to have their invoices discounted by Zimnat. Through the trade credit insurance Zimnat has essentially made it easier for businesses to have funding necessary for restocking. The insurance policy will essentially cover the financier from the risk of losing money when a debtor defaults after the 30 days or the terms of the invoice have ended.
As lending standards get increasingly tighter due to an increase in non-performing loans, Zimnat is encouraging private lenders to provide funding for small, medium and large businesses through the issuance of various credit guarantees. Zimnat will guarantee repayment of borrowed amounts in case the businesses default. Businesses without a credit history or collateral are able to secure funding using guarantees provided by Zimnat. Other guarantees issued by Zimnat have also made it possible for businesses particularly in manufacturing, agriculture, construction and mining to upgrade their equipment, machinery and infrastructure.
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Economic Highlights
By Tatenda Makoni
The second quarter of the year saw a lot of changes on the monetary policy front which were building up on SI33/2019 which removed the fixed 1:1 exchange rate between the USD and the RTGS dollar and an opening of an official interbank exchange rate at 1:2.5 to the USD. However, the parallel market exchange rate continued to deteriorate opening the 2nd quarter at 1:4 to the US dollar and trading at 1:10 by mid-June 2019. Prices soon caught up driven by the cost push inflation as there was limited availability of forex on the interbank market and official annual inflation reached an all-time post dollarisation high of 98%, just a few points away from the hyper-inflationary mark of 100%.
The Zimbabwean government entered into an IMF Staff Monitored Program in which the IMF would assist government with technical advice on tackling market distortions e.g. subsidies, fuel arbitrage, and improving the efficiency of the formal forex market. The program is to run between May 2019 and March 2020. On 20 May 2019, there was the removal of the 1:1 exchange rate for fuel procurements as government moved to stem arbitrage opportunities and loopholes which were helping to sustain the parallel market. Fuel prices increased from $3.36 and $3.22 for petrol and diesel respectively to $4.97 and $4.89 and going forward, the RBZ directed that procurement of fuel by the Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) was to be done through the interbank foreign exchange market. As the foreign exchange rates continue to deteriorate, it is not clear at this juncture how much of that increase will be passed on to consumers. The energy sector has been highly regulated by the government. Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company (ZETDC) struggles to meet demand at current tariffs. Although current energy prices are unsustainable for providers, an increase would undoubtable stoke inflation.
The increase in fuel prices and subsequently inflation was not met by a corresponding increase in wages. The result was a serious erosion in the purchasing power of consumers and a cry to be compensated in USD wages and salaries as almost all commodities were now pegged to the USD. The response from the authorities was the removal of the multi-currency system and an enforcement of the Zimbabwe dollar as the legal tender in the country via SI142/2019 on 24 June 2019. The statutory instrument was intended not only to limit local forex demand for local transactions, but also to channel hard currency towards the formal system. There was further liberation of the forex market through removal of 2.5% limit on margin of movement for exchange trades at the interbank market and allowing a fully market driven market.
In 2018, the country produced record 252 million kilograms of flue-cured tobacco, generating at least US$1 billion in foreign currency earnings. However, the 2018/19 season has been below par because of the change in payment modalities (part payment in local currency) and partly due to unfavourable weather conditions. In its June 2019 report, the Zimbabwe Tobacco Association said early indications were that tobacco production and US dollar earnings from tobacco in the 2018/19 season would decline compared to prior year. As at 12 June 2019, deliveries were down 11% in volume at 171.2 million kilograms. The average price mid-June was US$1.85/kg, against US$2.87/kg a year ago.
The country racked in US$3, 2 billion from mineral exports in 2018, of which US$1, 1 billion was from gold. The experience for 2019 is likely to fall below expectations given the declining deliveries to Fidelity Printers which in the five months to May dropped by 20% to 10.8tonnes from 13.59tonnes in the same period last year. Gold miners are compelled by exchange control regulations to surrender 45% of their export proceeds to the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) and this low retention level has negative impacts on the mines ability to meet its working capital requirements and encourages deliveries to be made outside the formal channels especially for small scale miners. In addition to foreign currency constraints, erratic supply of electricity is disrupting production.
Looking ahead, the cost of living in Zimbabwe is likely to remain pegged to the US dollar and the prevailing exchange rate. Whether or not the exchange will stabilise is difficult to predict at this point. Key variables in the economic equation include, overall confidence in the local currency, fiscal and monetary discipline by government, political reforms and doing business reforms, to name a few, all of which are important factors determining the success or failure of the resurrected Zimbabwe Dollar.
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Our CSR Initiatives in Quarter 2
By Shingirai Mazambani
Our purpose as a brand is to make life better and we aim to do this in every way possible. In the 1st half of the year, we were involved in various initiatives which helped us make a difference in people’s lives. Some of the initiatives we undertook include;
Melfort Old People's Home
Donation of free insurance cover for two vehicles belonging to Melfort Old People’s Home located along Mutare Road. The home, currently accommodates 60 elderly residents from different places including Harare Hospital, Marondera Hospital as well as the Ministry of Social Welfare.
The Chairperson of Melfort Old People’s Home had approached Zimnat for vehicle Insurance after the institution had received the 2 cars as a donation to ensure cover in the event of any accidents.
As a business, we also discovered that there are a lot of other challenges that the home is facing and will look at them in the future to make life better for them. Below is an image taken during the donation;
Masawara Donation to Cyclone Idai Victims
It was a fulfilling experience for the Masawara Group to be involved in assisting those that were affected by Cyclone Idai which hit the country on the night of the 15th of March 2019. The cyclone, which affected the eastern parts of the country, left hundreds dead and thousands displaced.
On the 21st of March, volunteers within the Masawara Group got together to pack over 500 relief packs consisting of two blankets, two buckets, 10 litres of water, 4kgs sugar, 4kgs rice, four litres of cooking oil, 10kg mealie meal, one pack of matemba, four plastic plates, four spoons, four cups, two bars of soap, two packets of diapers and three packs of sanitary wear. These items were packed in a plastic bin that could be re-used to store food or water.
In addition, staff members throughout the country also donated clothes and nonperishable food items to assist those who had been affected by the cyclone.
The food packs and all that had been collected were then handed over to the Minister of Public Service, Labor and Social Welfare, Sekai Nzenza and Deputy Minister in the Ministry of Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Jennifer Mhlanga for distribution.
Below are pictures from the handover;
Looking on are management and members of staff from the Masawara group of companies as well press. The room is filled with the relief packs being handed over to the Minister and deputy minister.
Zimnat and Sanlam bring relief to Cyclone Idai affected schools
Having been touched by the plight of those affected by Cyclone Idai, Sanlam also partnered with Zimnat to assist schools that had been hit by the cyclone, through purchasing roofing materials for 3 schools in Manicaland.
The first school to receive the donation was Gatsi Community Primary School located in Tamba, Ward 6 Mutasa District. The school received roofing materials worth ZW$60 000 which included 60 roofing sheets, 320 units of roofing timber and 30kg roofing nails. The donation was towards repair of staff quarters damaged by the cyclone.
The schools’ headmaster, Collins Mapaya, expressed his appreciation of the donation, without which, he said, the school would have been unable to repair the damages. Zimnat Mutare branch representatives Andrew Muhwandagara and Bothwell Chingorivo handed over the material on behalf of Zimnat and Sanlam.
A similar donation was also made to Muchadziya Primary School located in the Ngorima Tribal Trust lands of Muchadziya village of the Chimanimani District. The school, which has an enrolment of 1220 learners, had a classroom block blown away leaving a class of Grade 4 learners without a roof to shelter them from the bitter cold of the Manicaland winters. In a bid to restore normalcy to the pupils the school was using 2 tents as a temporary arrangement.
Speaking at the handover ceremony, the school headmaster Amos Gwatida said the donation from Zimnat and Sanlam came at an opportune moment as winter was fast approaching. The school was struggling to resource for warm shelter to house the students.
Buwu Primary School, in Mutasa District, was the third school in Chimanimani that Zimnat and Sanlam assisted. The school received 25 roofing sheets, 30 units of timber and 5kg of roofing nails to help in roofing.
The school had two classroom blocks’ roofs blown away during the cyclone and had resorted to hot seating as a coping mechanism to accommodate all the children.
Receiving the roofing materials from Zimnat officials, head teacher Constance Mukura explained the challenges she faced in trying to accommodate the children whose classrooms had been rendered unsafe.
“The school has been forced to implement hot seating in order to accommodate the other learners without safe facilities. However, this has been challenging as with winter the sun sets earlier forcing the young pupils to travel in the dark,” she said.
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