Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
IN an effort to cushion informal traders who were affected by the Covid-19 induced lockdown in Victoria Falls, a leading tour operator has come up with a Mother’s Day package set to raise $51 000 worth of grocery vouchers for 340 female vendors.

This project which started on Mother’s Day yesterday, is a partnership between Wild Horizons, OK Supermarket and Victoria Falls Municipality.

The vouchers will be given to the beneficiaries this week.

Members of the public are being asked to buy a grocery voucher from OK Supermarket worth a minimum of $150 which is then donated to registered female vendors in Victoria Falls who lost their income as a result of the lockdown.

In an interview, Wild Horizons corporate affairs director Mrs Barbara Murasiranwa said it was a small token of appreciation to put a smile on women who have no income as a result of the lockdown.

She said an article published in the Chronicle on May 9 about Victoria Falls Municipality introducing a roster system for vendors at designated markets to enforce social distancing motivated the idea.

Most of the vendors have given up and relocated to the rural areas because of loss of income, according to the story.

“We are raising funds through OK vouchers for 340 female vendors this Mother’s Day. We were touched by the Chronicle story hence we want to raise $51 000. This is a collective idea by Wild Horizons employees, myself, my son Tinashe and wife Gloria Murasiranwa and Jessica White. My son and his wife wanted to honour me by donating a gift to registered female vendors after we read the Chronicle story.

“We realised we could not do this alone and we took it up with Wild Horizons who agreed to partner with Victoria Falls Municipality and OK. The municipality came up with a list of 340 registered female vendors and we engaged OK Supermarket Victoria Falls branch to receive the funds on our behalf, “ said Mrs Murasiranwa. — @ncubeleon