Mphoko lauds business

Vice President Phelekezela Mphoko has commended the business community for complementing Government efforts in alleviating poverty and improving the well-being of underprivileged children. He said this during the official opening of the NewStart Children's Home Nursery Extension in Waterfalls, Harare yesterday.

Mphoko said poverty alleviation and improving the well-being of children was also in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and, Zim-Asset, the blueprint on economic turnaround.

"We should support these orphans as we believe that every child is a child of God and precious in His eyes. All those who dump children should be severely punished because these children were created by God Himself for a special purpose as defined in his sovereign plan," he said.

Vice President Mphoko said institutions such as NewStart Children's Home Nursery should be supported as they help nurture children to be leaders of tomorrow.

"If nurtured properly, these children can grow to become good leaders. Clearly, the purpose of such homes is to give these children the opportunity to discover their abilities and their talent.

"I am well informed that the home caters for the three principles of child development, namely, intellectual development, spiritual development and physical development. Children should be allowed to excel in their area of talent for national development," he said.

To date, the centre has produced five tertiary education graduates and has various children who are in early childhood development up to high school. The director of the institution, Dr Saleem Farag, said the greatest investment one could make was to invest in children because they are the future of the nation.

"This is a very good investment. Children, if given the right opportunity can blossom just like anybody else. Failure to invest in children will result in them becoming thieves and prostitutes, and become liabilities to the country rather than useful assets. Put money in them and they can do amazing things," he said.

The NewStart Children's Home, Baby Centre and Clinic is a Seventh Day Adventist institution, that was opened in 2001 to take care of underprivileged children, including orphans.

The institution has over 100 children under its care and works with the Ministry of Public Service and Social Welfare and the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education.