By Moses Ziyambi
As part of a social responsibility programme, the Reformed Church University (RCU) recently partnered the City of Masvingo in a massive clean-up campaign that targeted some of the most littered places in the city.
Clad in their trademark yellow t/shirts and holding brooms, refuse bags and dust bins, dozens of members of the RCU took time to pick-up litter and sweep some of the dirtiest corners in the city.
They went around the city centre starting off at the civic centre where they picked-up litter and interacting with members of the public while singing Reformed Church hymns.
From there, they continued to Pick n Pay, OK Supermarket and Chitima market before going to Mucheke Old People’s Home where they made a donation.
In a press release, the university stressed the importance of a clean City of Masvingo that would not only be ‘a great place to work, live and play’ but would also attract tourists as a ‘world class, safe and healthy’ city.
“As the Reformed Church University, we believe that if we can change the habits and mind-sets of those people who indiscriminately and wilfully discard rubbish, we will be in a better position to invest in more important long-term recycling projects that will create employment and help save our city, the nation and the planet at large”, said Mr Stephen Chikozho, Deputy Director of Business Development, Information and Public Relations at RCU.
“With this clean-up campaign, the University, in partnership with the City of Masvingo, hopes to change the minds, attitudes and habits towards non-littering and illegal dumping, so that the City of Masvingo can do what they are paid to do by residents more efficiently and cost effectively”, continued Chikozho.
Speaking on at the sidelines of the clean-up campaign, Mr Sydney Ndhlovu, a member of the RCU, said the University was practising the responsibility that is expected of any institution that is rooted in society.
“We are here to play our part in creating the kind of clean surroundings that we would like to see in this city. It’s a responsibility for every one of us to make sure that we maintain a habitable environment free of litter”, said Ndhlovu.
After ending the clean-up campaign at the Chitima market, the group went to Mucheke Old People’s Home where they donated foodstuffs comprising Orange Crush, roller meal, laundry soap, 60 kilogrammes of rice, 20 kilogrammes of sugar and 12 litres of cooking oil.
Present during the donation was City of Masvingo Mayor, Mr Hubert Fidze, who thanked RCU for organising the clean-up campaign and showing generosity to less privileged members of society.
The Reformed Church University was formed out of a Charter given to the Reformed Church in Zimbabwe (RCZ) by the Zimbabwe Council for Higher Education (ZIMCHE) in 2010. Currently located at Morgenster Mission, about 35 km from Masvingo, the university is Zimbabwe’s fourth church-owned university.Local
