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PENSIONERS UPDATE
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All funds are received, receipted and then passed on the SOAP by Hope Unlimited Inc., a US based charity.
SOAP BULAWAYO UPDATE (June 2009)
Yesterday was the S.O.A.P. Bulawayo delivery day, this brought to mind that it was time to update you all once more. We are now delivering to 187 individuals and already I have the names of two more prospective recipients for July, this, just a week after completing my interviews for the June delivery. One of our latest recipients is a lady who has lived in the country for over 60 years and will be celebrating her 96th birthday very soon. This lady is fiercely independent and lives by herself in her own house. She is now our oldest recipient after our 101year old passed away a couple of years ago.
I myself deliver to 56 people, the mileage I cover is now 60 k’s or 40 miles within the city limits.
The National Railways of Zimbabwe have once again started paying out their pensioners, who probably make the majority of our recipients. The pensions seem to be between US$5 and US$14 each month depending on service, these pensions have to be paid into an account.. I was talking to one pensioner, who receives just US$9 monthly, His building society charges US$3.50 for each transaction and you have to have a minimum deposit in the account of US$20! So if he saves his pension for three months he will be able to take out US$3:50 in August.
Currently, a loaf of bread costs US$1 and a litre of milk US$1:25. The electricity supply company ZESA has asked individuals to ‘just’ pay US$40 each month, fortunately, at the moment they are not disconnecting supplies. This of course, if you have any supply at all. Recently, we were without any power for just over 60 hours. Rates bills in Bulawayo are around US$20 monthly with water charges about the same. Refuse collections have resumed from nothing for two years to one each month. If you can afford it, a basic medical insurance will cost you US$27:50 each month.This month, we were fortunate to be donated 100 kilo’s of minced beef and we also ordered and paid for 500 grams of chicken thighs and drumsticks for each person. This the first delivery of chicken for two years. At one time were donated chicken every two months or so. Unfortunately this supplier succumbed to the hard times and no longer exists.
I think it is fair to say that almost every one in Zimbabwe is having hard times and our regular donors within the country now number just three. It is only with the help from people fund raising and donating in the rest of the world that we can continue.
As always, we stress that it is YOU that enable us to carry on distributing groceries because of YOUR generosity. We thank YOU all once more for giving ‘our’ pensioners a little dignity and some hope in these very trying times.
Thank you and God bless you all.Dave Gill and Louise Campbell.
PHOTOS FROM THE MARCH DELIVERY IN BULAWAYO
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