{"id":1536,"date":"2025-12-23T19:48:32","date_gmt":"2025-12-23T19:48:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/?p=1536"},"modified":"2025-12-23T19:48:32","modified_gmt":"2025-12-23T19:48:32","slug":"mayors-cheer-fund-brings-christmas-relief-to-vulnerable-groups-in-mutare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/2025\/12\/23\/mayors-cheer-fund-brings-christmas-relief-to-vulnerable-groups-in-mutare\/","title":{"rendered":"Mayor\u2019s Cheer Fund Brings Christmas Relief to Vulnerable Groups in Mutare"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

By Fanuel Chinowaita<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
TC B. K. Chafesuka<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
\"\"
DM J. Nyamhoka<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mutare<\/strong>, 23 December 2025<\/strong>\u2013 Scores of less privileged residents, including people living with disabilities, the elderly and orphans, on Monday received food hampers under the Mayor\u2019s Cheer Fund programme held at Mutare Hall, in an initiative aimed at ensuring vulnerable groups enjoy the festive season with dignity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Addressing beneficiaries, Mutare Town Clerk Blessing K. Chafesuka said the programme, formerly known as the Christmas Cheer Fund, had been rebranded to reflect its broader social support mandate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is time to share. This programme strengthens the relationship between Residents and Council,\u201d said Chafesuka. \u201cIt is no longer called the Christmas Cheer Fund but the Mayor\u2019s Cheer Fund. If resources permit, we will continue supporting each other throughout the year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chafesuka said Council was also running an education support scheme targeting vulnerable children who are failing to pay school fees.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe have a bursary for students who cannot afford fees. Some children are already going to school through the Mayor\u2019s bursary \u2013 at primary, secondary and even university level,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He added that fundraising efforts were ongoing to expand the programme\u2019s reach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYesterday we held a golf tournament to raise funds for the Mayor\u2019s programme. Through these efforts, we intend to buy wheelchairs, crutches and other assistive devices,\u201d Chafesuka said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mayor, Councillor Simon Chabuka, was represented at the event by Deputy Mayor Alderman John Nyamhoka, who said the initiative was a long-standing Council tradition that must be sustained beyond the current leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis programme has a history even before we came into Council. We do not want to be remembered as leaders who failed to continue it,\u201d Nyamhoka said. \u201cThe Mayor\u2019s Cheer Fund must go on even after we leave office.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nyamhoka revealed that unlike in previous years when the programme relied heavily on external donations, the 2025 edition was funded directly by Council.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe used to receive these goods through donations, but unfortunately those who used to support us are also struggling. All the groceries you see today were bought using Council funds \u2013 money that comes from you,\u201d he said. \u201cI urge residents to continue paying whatever little they have to Council so that such programmes can continue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the beneficiaries, Rutendo Makamure, welcomed the initiative, saying it had positively impacted many vulnerable households in Mutare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis programme has helped many people in the community,\u201d she said. \u201cWe are grateful, but we also appeal to the City fathers to prioritise people living with disabilities by buying wheelchairs and crutches.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mayor\u2019s Cheer Fund is part of Mutare City Council\u2019s social welfare initiatives targeting vulnerable communities, particularly during the festive season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Fanuel Chinowaita Mutare, 23 December 2025\u2013 Scores of less privileged residents, including people living with disabilities, the elderly and orphans, on Monday received food hampers under the Mayor\u2019s Cheer Fund programme held at Mutare Hall, in an initiative aimed at ensuring vulnerable groups enjoy the festive season with dignity. Addressing beneficiaries, Mutare Town Clerk…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1536","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-local-news"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1536","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1536"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1536\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1540,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1536\/revisions\/1540"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1536"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1536"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1536"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}