By Tinomudaishe Muzanenhamo
Old Mutual Zimbabwe, through its digital financial services platform OMARI has donated 100 blankets to children at Matthew Rusike Children’s Home as part of its 2026 Winter Warmer Campaign in a bid to protect vulnerable children from the harsh winter conditions.
The donation forms part of the company’s nationwide corporate social responsibility programme which has already seen more than 2 000 blankets distributed to hospitals, old people’s homes and children’s institutions across Zimbabwe.
Speaking during the handover ceremony, OMARI Managing Director Arthur Mutsaudza said the initiative reflected Old Mutual’s commitment to improving the lives of the communities it serves.
“We are here today as Old Mutual and OMARI at Matthew Rusike Children’s Home as part of our corporate social responsibility programme.We know we are in winter and felt it was important to demonstrate the impact we make in our communities. We believe in creating positive and mutual futures for the communities and societies we serve,” he said.
Mutsaudza said Matthew Rusike Children’s Home was chosen because of the vital role it plays in providing care and protection for vulnerable children.
He added that the blankets would help ensure the children remained warm during the cold season.
“This is part of a broader campaign that we are implementing nationwide. To date, we have donated more than 2,000 blankets to hospitals, old people’s homes and facilities such as Matthew Rusike because we believe we have to play an active role in creating positive futures for our communities,” he said.
He said corporate social responsibility remained a key pillar of Old Mutual’s operations, arguing that stronger communities were essential for national development.
“If the community is stronger, we build a stronger nation where we all prosper and succeed,” Mutsaudza said.
Receiving the donation, Reverend Sarah Chiramba, Chaplain at Matthew Rusike Children’s Home, welcomed the support, saying it had come at a time when the institution was facing growing financial pressures.
She said the children’s home had been forced to reduce the number of children under its care from 100 to 61 because of limited resources.
“We have downsized the number of children from 100 to 61 due to challenges in paying caregivers and everyone who works around the home,” she said.
Rev Chiramba said many of the blankets the home had been using were old and worn out, leaving children exposed to the cold.
“Many of the blankets were worn thin, offering the children little protection against the cold. Receiving these blankets means a lot to us and to the children,” she said.
The Winter Warmer Campaign is one of several community outreach initiatives being implemented by Old Mutual Zimbabwe as part of its efforts to support vulnerable groups and promote sustainable social development across the country.
