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Macheso explains new role

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SUNGURA musician Alick Macheso said he would take his new ambassadorial work to rural areas where there is need to assist the vulnerable.

SUNGURA musician Alick Macheso said he would take his new ambassadorial work to rural areas where there is need to assist the vulnerable.

Report by Tawanda Marwizi

The musician’s plans emerged when he was explaining his new role as the Red Cross Humanitarian ambassador.

In a wide-ranging interview with NewsDay before his departure to the United Kingdom, Macheso said he would take the work as far as his rural area in Musana.

“I understand that there is need to work with Red Cross very closely in assisting children who are vulnerable in the rural areas,” Macheso said.

Before his appointment, the musician had announced his intention to establish a children’s centre in his former hometown Chitungwiza.

“The idea came to me after I realised how street kids and children in rural areas were surviving — especially orphans — not knowing that I would be called to that position,” the soft spoken musician said.

He said they would also take the opportunity to assist different children and some old people in rural areas.

“I will take the opportunity to assist the elderly and opharns who are out there and need our help,” he said.

The Zimbabwe Red Cross Society national president Edison Mlambo said they have decided to give the musician that role after realising his passion to improve the lives of the people from Chitungwiza through charity shows.

“As a humanitarian organisation, we are touched by the work Macheso has been doing through holding annual benefit concerts for Chitungwiza General Hospital in the past few years and these concerts, which are his direct brainchild, have helped improve service delivery at Chitungwiza Hospital and also contributed to its recent ISO certification.”

He said they had also been pleased by the musician’s plea to assist the poor in the society.

“Macheso has also been paying school fees for orphaned children at Kushinga Phikelela College outside other individual philanthropic activities and we have been considering that, and we are honoured to have him as our humanitarian ambassador,” he added.