GWERU – The Gweru Mayor’s Christmas Cheer Fund for 2018 has surpassed its initial $30,000 target following a $20,000 donation by Glow Petroleum owner Aaron Chinhara on Saturday.

The donation was made at a fundraising dinner held at Gweru Polytechnic College, to add on the $12,000 that had already been raised.

Gweru Mayor Josiah Makombe has since revised the target figure upward to $50,000.

Speaking during the fundraising dinner, Makombe said: “This year’s Mayor’s Christmas Cheer Fund is different from others in the past. When we launched it, we raised almost $12,000, something that has never happened in Gweru.

“When we launched it I said the target figure was $30,000 but because people who came were so many, I was tempted to raise it to $50,000.

“At the same time looking at our economy we also realised that $30,000 will not help us much so we raised the figure, but officially we are working on the $30,000 mark.

“So I believe we will surpass that $30,000 tonight without any labour.”

Chinhara, who was Guest of Honour, said he understands the need to give to the underprivileged because he knows how it feels not to have anything at Christmas.

“Sometimes I give so much that my company complains that I will make them broke. At times I give until my family complains that I’m taking what is theirs, but I’ve realised because of the poverty that I grew up in, that there is need for everyone who has extra to give than to throw into the bins,” Chinhara said.

Saturday began with the Mayor’s Golf Tournament where several golfers took part and the winners were presented with prizes at the dinner. Some of the golfers donated their prizes to be auctioned with the money going towards the Cheer Fund.

The Mayor’s Cheer Fund is an annual event that seeks to raise funds to give to those underprivileged in society. Proceeds will benefit institutions such as schools for the mentally and physically challenged, old people’s and children’s homes, orphans and destitutes in the City of Gweru. It has also been used to pay school fees for disadvantaged children, among many other uses.

MIMOSA Mines donated $2,000, Midlands State University gave $2,000, First Mutual weighed in with $1,250, Duly’s Motors $400, Jomo Mashoko $200 and Sheasham $100 among several other donations.

TM Group, through its subsidiary, the Zimbabwe General Medical Aid Fund, pledged to build a hospital worth half a million, if the City availed land to do so.