By Tendai Chisiri
coca-Cola Linc Zimbabwe Chapter and Minerva on Wednesday officially handed over items more than ZW$ 1, 284,089,25 million to furnish the Special Olympics Zimbabwe (SOZ) offices.
The hand over ceremony was held in the Capital.
Acting Director General of the Sports Recreation Commission (SRC), Sebastian Garikai speaking at the event commended the donation and applauded Special Olympics for changing the lives of people with intellectual disabilities through sport and recreation of which Zimbabwe is no exception. “As the SRC, we are quite aware of the sterling performances that were posted by the Special Olympics Team Zimbabwe during the World Special Olympics Games in Abu Dhabi in 2019″, he said. ” The Zimbabwe Special Olympics Team should always be given the support it deserves so that they can attain their goals”, he added.
SOZ National Director Mrs Lillian Chikara giving the speech Inclusive Sport said those with intellectual disabilities partner those without intellectual disability and engage in games.”Special Olympics is a global organization that serves more than 4 million athletes with intellectual disabilities and hundreds of thousands of volunteers and coaches each year” she said.”Since the establishment of Special Olympics in 1968, the number of people with and without disabilities has been growing, but the unmet need to reach more people with intellectual disabilities is staggers” she added.
Coca-Cola Women’s Linc Zimbabwe Chapter President and General Manger, Corporate Affairs Manager at Delta Patricia Murambinda said the Coca-Cola Women’s Linc is not new to social responsibility programmes..”This donation is coming just two months after the Coca-Cola Women’s Linc handed over a poultry project for Mutemwa Leprosy Center in Mutoko District, Mashonaland East Province”, she said.”This is a fulfillment of our burning desire as caring sisters,mothers and daughters to the community of intellectual disabled. We realized that SOZ needed a project that can bring forth other developments”, added Murambinda.
Minerva Rusk Advisors General Manager, Mr Solomon Mavuka was delighted in helping SOZ. “We feel very proud to be associated with this.For us , this is a small gesture to sport which plays an ambassadorial role for our country.This is very important for us to partner with Coca-Cola as we do business with Delta in so many ways so it is good for the two big brands to come together on such an occasion”, he said.
SOZ Board Chairman, Mr Clever Mugadza in his acceptance speech said,” Thank you for being more aware of those in need.As a funding partner and global sponsor of Special Olympics, Coca-Cola has been at the forefront of the movement to celebrate limitless potential of individuals with intellectual disabilities and the power of sport to bring together and ultimately transform lives”. This outstanding partnership is grounded in shared values of optimism acceptance and inclusion which Special Olympics and Coca-Cola have brought to communities across the globe over the last five decades”, he added.
Barbra Njovo an athlete and office assistant with SOZ thanked the noble gesture due be by Coca-Cola Women’s Linc and Minerva Risk Advisors. “I thank Coca-Cola and Minerva Zimbabwe for the generous donation that you have given us.Now our office is well furnished special thanks to you”, she said. We can now have our advancement games from 17th to the 20th of December this year”, she added. She also added that they are now in a joyous mood as they can hold the games which could not be held earlier on due to Covid-19 and lack of funding.
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