Fourteen Zimbabweans were on December 1 honoured at the first-ever NewsDay People’s Choice Awards for their outstanding voluntary work in different communities at a glittering ceremony held at the Meikles Hotel.
The seven first prize winners and an equal number of runners-up were nominated by their local communities in the competition.
Trevor Ncube, Chairman of Alpha Media Holdings (AMH), publishers of NewsDay, the Zimbabwe Independent and The Standard, said the awards were a “huge success”.
He commended the community projects initiated by the nominees.
“In the midst of political strife, economic collapse and social distress, somebody somewhere is doing something to help others and tonight those ‘somebodies’ aren’t just somewhere, they are here among us,” Ncube said.
His sentiments were echoed by AMH Chief Executive Raphael Khumalo, who described the initiative as unique.
“This is a unique occasion for those that, with no support, have used their own resources, precious hours and time for the benefit of others,” Khumalo said
The awards were in seven categories, namely Arts and Culture, Education, Technology and Infrastructure, Health and Social Welfare, Sports and Recreation, Junior Citizen and Environment and Agriculture.
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Ncube said the awards — whose winners were chosen by NewsDay readers — were meant to showcase those with a spirit of volunteerism.
“In NewsDay we wanted a platform on which Zimbabweans could talk to themselves. It is a paper that plays a role in nation building, reconciliation and reconstruction and the awards ceremony gives the readers a platform of creating Zimbabwean heroes,” he added.
The emotional awards ceremony touched various people who had attended the event. Bibeat Gondo who takes care of abandoned children — with the youngest child being less than a month old — touched many souls.
She walked away with more than $3 000, baby’s clothes, blankets, maize, meat, and 50 cases of Mazoe Orange crush which she received from stakeholders who were touched by her noble project.
An overwhelmed Gondo thanked NewsDay for having initiated the awards.
“This is unbelievable. I never thought I would receive so much support from fellow Zimbabweans and I am grateful for everything.
Thank you NewsDay for this programme,” she said. NewsDay — which only started publishing last year — has risen to become Zimbabwe’s most widely-read daily paper overtaking government dailies that have been in the business for more than 100 years.
