On Saturday 12 October 2013, CBZ Kwame Nkrumah Branch visited Tanyaradzwa Children’s home in Mrewa on a Corporate Social Responsibility initiative program in line with one of the bank’s principles of Social Responsibility, which is dedicated to being a responsible and good corporate citizen.

The Centre started by Priscilla Makombe and Brian Chitekwe started operating in 2005 from their family home. Initially, the initiative was to assist to children from a local school with school fees, uniforms, stationery, food and eventually accommodation as some of the children stayed 7km away from the school. The number of children needing assistance and staying with the couple at their family home increased rapidly to around 86, prompting the couple to seek assistance for land from village heads to build a proper children’s home. 14 Hectares were allocated to the organisation by the village head who then advised the Executive Committee to approach Mrewa Rural District Council to obtain a lease which was granted. The organisation is required to pay $1705.00 annually to the District Council for the lease. Currently, Tanyaradzwa Child Care Centre is caring for 152 children, 8o of them being residents of the children’s home. The other 72 are being cared for through the organisation’s Community Based Care Programme.

CBZ Bank, Kwame Nkrumah branch identified various needs with most emphasis on self sustaining projects and donated USDi 30o for Tanyaradzwa Children’s Home to start a poultry project. The Kwame Nkrumah team also contributed boxes of old clothing and cash towards the purchasing of 2 boxes of cooking oil, 40kg sugar, flour, oranges and sweets.

The Visit

The team arrived at the Centre at around 02:00pm for the event and was welcomed by the children who could not hide their joy upon seeing their visitors. The children provided entertainment through song and dance followed by fun games with the visiting CBZ Bank team.