Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. STANBIC Bank Zimbabwe has continued its support for the Albino Charity Organisation of Zimbabwe (ALCOZ) with a donation of goods worth US$30,000 that includes sunscreen lotions and sprays, sun hats, antiseptic soap and lip balms.
Stanbic Bank and ALCOZ are celebrating a remarkable 10-year journey of impact and inclusion.
To honour this milestone, Stanbic Bank has increased its support by boosting this year’s donation to US$30 000 from last year’s US$25 000 to show its deepening commitment.
Handing over the donation to ALCOZ in Chitungwiza on Wednesday, Stanbic Bank acting head of brand and marketing, Tariro Memo, praised ALCOZ for the work it continues to do and reaffirmed the bank’s growing respect and appreciation for the strength and spirit of Zimbabweans living with albinism.
“In recognition of the growing needs of the community, we have increased our support from US$25 000 last year to US$30 000 this year,” she said.
“We believe this increase is more than just a figure; it reflects our commitment to continue standing with you and ensuring your needs are met, particularly as the hot season sets in.”
Memo explained that Stanbic Bank appreciates that people living with albinism face unique challenges due to the absence of melanin in their skin.
“Protection from the sun is not a luxury but a necessity. By providing sunscreen, antiseptic soap, lip balm and sun hats, we hope to ease some of these daily struggles and allow our brothers and sisters to live healthier and safer lives,” she said.
“The increased support also ensures that people living with albinism, even in marginalised communities such as Binga, Matobo, Chiredzi, Gokwe, Chipinge and Mbire, receive the protection they need to live safely and with dignity.”
ALCOZ founder Loveness Mainato said the donation could not be timelier, coinciding with the onset of the hot season.
She noted that while the Chitungwiza community will be served, the donation will extend far beyond its borders.
With ALCOZ decentralising its distribution efforts, the initiative is set to reach underserved and marginalised communities across Zimbabwe, ensuring broader national impact.
“Stanbic Bank has just come in at the right time because we have already started receiving calls from the hottest regions that include Chipinge, Chiredzi and Binga,” Mainato said.
“People who need assistance in those areas are already complaining of the weather changes as they require these sunscreen lotions.”
Mainato further emphasised that sunscreen lotions are not just helpful, but vital.
She likened their importance to chronic disease medication, noting that just as such treatment should be taken consistently, sunscreen should be applied regularly to protect the skin and maintain good health.
“People with albinism have to continuously apply sunscreen lotions now and again to prevent them from getting the much-feared cancer that affects them,” she said.
“We are glad that Stanbic Bank is continuously to do a great job to protect them health wise.”
ALCOZ projects and programmes manager Tagarisa George Mafararikwa thanked Stanbic Bank for its valued support over the last decade, adding that the organisation looked forward to more years of the assistance.
“For us to go out there and do our outreach programmes to the various districts and provinces, we need these essential things,” he said.
“Now that they have come just in time for the hottest season of the year, we thank Stanbic Bank very much.”
To celebrate a decade of unwavering support, ALCOZ honoured Stanbic Bank with a trophy and a certificate of appreciation, marking 10 years of extraordinary corporate social responsibility and deep commitment to the albinism community.
It was more than a gesture but a tribute to a partnership that has transformed lives and stood the test of time.
The donation is expected to go a long way in alleviating the challenges faced by people with albinism, comprising SP50 sunscreen lotion and spray, antiseptic soap, sun hats and lip balm, each provided in quantities of a thousand.
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