Stephen Chadenga
Zanu PF Midlands women’s league provincial member and Gweru philanthropist Zezai Makomo has embarked on an empowerment programme to uplift the lives of vulnerable households through the provision of food, drug awareness campaigns and fighting gender based violence.
Makomo who has been described by her peers as a woman with “a midas touch” and “warm heart” started her empowerment drive before the festive season and has to date continued with the programme.
Zezy babie, as she is known in her circles said her empowerment programme was inspired by President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s Vision 2030 of “leaving no-one and no place behind.”
Speaking at one food handover engagement in Gweru Urban constituency’s ward 1, Makomo said less privileged people were often looked down upon and left behind in socio-economic empowerment programmes.
“We have orphans, widows, single mothers and the elderly in our communities and they have been left behind in socio-economic empowerment programmes,”she said.
“People usually remember them only during Christmas through food hampers but few would go the extra mile of ensuring that they are other facets of life like education campaigns in drug and substance abuse a s gender based violence among other areas of social upliftment.
“President ED Mnangagwa has reiterated that as we embark on the Vision 2030 journey we should leave no -one and no place behind an this is what has inspired me as l embark on this philanthropic work.”
Makomo has reached out to the vulnerable groups including those who are not members of her Zanu PF party.
“I am Zanu PF but when l help those in my party it’s a call for them too see the goodness of the ruling party,”she said.
Since the festive season Makomo has donated food hampers worth thousands of dollars as well as opening economic empowerment doors to widows and single mothers.
She said economic upliftment of vulnerable communities should not be a “once off thing only done during Christmas and quickly forgotten.”
“The festive season is only a short period but the empowerment drive should be a lifetime goal,”she said.