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BCC hands over donated COVID -19 materials to traders

Bulawayo City Council (BCC) yesterday handed over materials to fight COVID-19 on behalf of Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association (BVTA). This follows a handing over ceremony that was held at City Hall in partnership with Vendors Initiative for Socio – Economic Transformation, which has worked with BVTA in various initiatives in Harare and Bulawayo over the past years.  The materials included sanitizers, hand washing water dispenser buckets, face masks and information education materials. Sekusile informal traders told The Vendors Voice that they were happy with the materials received, because it was a challenge for them to purchase sanitizers and other materials to fight the spread of the virus. “We are happy that the Association has supported us with these materials, we were worried because we did not know how we were going to purchase all of these materials”, said Mr D. Mbavare, a Committee member at Sekusile Market. Speaking during the handover event at Sekusile Market, Councillor Rodney Jele told informal traders and council officials including health workers that he is happy that traders are now back to work and they can now support their families. He also urged informal economy workers to maintain physical and social distancing in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and to sell their wares in a clean environment as this will help them to attract more customers. Addressing the gathering, BVTA Information Officer Kwanele Moyo said that the materials handed over by the organisations will help traders fight the spread of the virus. The informal sector is among the sectors that were greatly affected by COVID -19 and is now re-opening following the relaxation of lockdown restrictions by the government and traders are expected to observe the recommended Wealth Health Organisation (WHO) measures.

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COVID19 initiative donates to Bulawayo vendors

Bulawayo vendors and informal traders breathed a sigh of relief after I Am4Byo Against COVID19 initiative made a timely intervention to donate food hampers to deal with the dire food shortage situation under the extended 14 Day lockdown period. It was smiles when hundreds of vendors and informal traders’ scars of losing income during lockdown were pacified through receiving food donations on Friday. Beneficiaries included less privileged like people with disabilities, orphans, widows and the aged from Entumbane, Njube and Lobengula Townships. The director of Zimbabwe Christian AllianceReverend Useni Sibanda, who chairs Social Welfare pillar in the initiative, said, “The food distribution is part of the I Am4Byo Against COVID19 which is a collective initiative by Bulawayo community that includes business, churches, NGOs, medical fraternity and CSOs. Most people live from hand to mouth especially those in the informal sector, so this intervention is critical to support them and it is important that no one dies from hunger and starvation.” Ntombikayise Ndlovu a member of Bulawayo Vendors and Traders Association said, “Vendors are very grateful for such a good gesture in the midst of COVID-19 pandemic were all their livelihoods are threatened because most vendors are not selling anything, we thank the organizers for recognising the plight of vendors during this difficult period.” The initiative’s Social Welfare arm is the one that is responsible for food distribution because food shortage and hunger are seen as part of the COVID -19 challenges. Many vendors and informal traders have already lost their little savings will not be able to re-start their businesses in the recovery period. Some will not be able to pay school fees for their children. Some are struggling to access medication. A lot of them are on imposed starvation since they are unable to go to the market, sell and replenish supplies after the little they bought has been exhausted. Speaking on the side-lines of the distribution exercise at the Entumbane Brethren in Christ Church, Miss Lashier Ncube, Business Developer at Turning Matabeleland Green and Hamara who donated vegetables said they believe that God has a new thing he wants to do to sustain Zimbabwe even amidst a crisis like COVID-19. Councillor Sinikiwe Mutanda for Ward 10 who was present at the food distribution exercise said, “The programme has helped us, the challenge was that people were not able to go to the Central Business District to look for mealie- meal”. She added that Entumbane Township has many old people and vendors who benefited from the programme. “This will help people to stay at home since a lot of people survive on hand to mouth. This programme came at the right time, it never discriminated on political affiliation and it benefited over 300 people in my ward,” she said. The food distribution is set to continue and it targets to feed 10 000 households in Bulawayo.

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