By Byron Mutingwende
Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe has embarked on a community initiative meant to promote physical wellness as a key pillar for the people’s health and safety.
Through the “Run for a Good Cause” event held at at Belgravia Sports Club in Harare on Saturday 8 July 2017, in line with Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe’s Corporate Social Responsibility pillar, the company extended its commitment to create shared value, in the communities it serves, by partnering with suppliers, contractors and stakeholders to raise funds for a good cause.
The funds raised were used to procure blankets for the elderly and school shoes for primary school children in Caledonia, Mabvuku, Tafara and Chishawasha.
Speaking soon after the completion of the run while officially handing over the blankets and shoes to beneficiaries, Precious Nyika, the Human Resources Director of Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe said promoting physical wellness was a key pillar for the people’s health and safety.
“More importantly, Run for a Good Cause unites Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe and its stakeholders around the common purpose of creating shared value for the community. As an organisation, Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe seeks to develop in a sustainable manner while improving the lives of the community around our operations.
“We recognise that the prevailing economic situation has left many grandparents saddled with the responsibility of caring for young children of school-going age. We therefore selected these two vulnerable groups as the beneficiaries of the 2017 Run for a Good Cause by purchasing blankets for the elderly and school shoes for pupils in primary school,” Nyika said.
Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe procured 150 blankets and 200 pairs of school shoes. With the support of its contractors, suppliers and customers, a total of 416 blankets and 351 pairs of school shoes were purchased.
Furthermore, the employees of Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe conducted a clothes drive to collect previously loved clothes to help orphans in Mabvuku and Tafara to stay warm the chilly winter.
The beneficiary organisations of the donation included the Mavambo Orphan Care, St Joseph’s Primary School, St Peter Claver Primary School and the Mabvuku Social Services Department.
Nyika urged those present to continue to actively care for their wellness through exercise. “It is also my sincere hope that the seed that Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe has sown for giving back to the community will grow and I look forward to seeing you all again in the 2018 Run for A Good Cause,” she said.
The ‘Run for a Good Cause’ event was divided into three categories: the 2,5Km walk, the 5km and 10km run and attracted the participation of over twenty (20) corporate organisations.
With a well-balanced presence in 90 countries and a focus on cement, aggregates and concrete, LafargeHolcim (SIX Swiss Exchange, Euronext Paris: LHN) is the world leader in the building materials industry. The Group has 100,000 employees around the world and combined net sales of CHF 29.5 billion in 2015. LafargeHolcim is the industry benchmark in R&D and serves from the individual homebuilder to the largest and most complex project with the widest range of value-adding products, innovative services and comprehensive building solutions. With a commitment to drive sustainable solutions for better building and infrastructure and to contribute to a higher quality of life, the Group is best positioned to meet the challenges of increasing urbanisation.
Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe is one the leading cement and allied products producers in Zimbabwe. The now Swiss headquartered company was established in the country in 1956, first as Salisbury Portland Cement then owned by the United Kingdom based Associated Portland and Manufactures Association. It was listed on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange in 1980, and subsequently changed its name to Circle Cement in 1982 in line with the change in the holding company name to Blue Circle Industries Plc. Circle Cement officially changed its name to Lafarge Cement Zimbabwe in 2007 and relisted on the Zimbabwe Stock Exchange. The company has made a tremendous contribution to the country’s construction industry. Landmark construction projects in the country including the Kariba Dam, Cahora Bassa Dam, major high rising buildings and bridges were built with our cement which attests to the fact that we have a tried and tested product.
The company has recorded remarkable growth in the past few years and has two mining operations where limestone is extracted. These include Mbubu in Mashonaland East Province and Sternblick quarry in Harare.