Innscor Africa - Head Office
Strategic Approach
“In our passion for empowering and supporting our communities”, Innscor Africa Limited (“IAL”) assists through financial support to its dedicated community initiatives in areas of youth empowerment, health, animal welfare and sustainable practices.
During the current financial year, IAL contributed to organisations that primarily focus in areas of sports and recreation, environment, arts, animal welfare and health initiatives in vulnerable communities.
Investment in Sports and Recreation
IAL/Baker’s Inn Future League (BIFL)
IAL relaunched the “Futures Friendly League”, a league aimed at growing the game of cricket by fostering talent at U14 and U17 level. The league runs most weekends and incorporates several players and sports academies from less privileged backgrounds.
The Bakers Inn Futures League has produced several talented cricketers that have gone on to represent their age group at national one such player being Kirby Madaramete, an U15 player selected for the Zimbabwe U19 squad.
The Alistair Campbell High-Performance Programme teams up with development academy teams from around Harare to give the opportunity to develop cricketers to play against quality opposition most weekends, learning and receiving guidance and support from top coaches. Several players from disadvantaged backgrounds are actively involved in the league, receiving intensive coaching and exposure to the game at a grassroots level and, thus, ensuring the longevity of the national game. The league continues to grow this initiative and seek opportunities to support less privileged communities. An example is the hosting of Eden Children’s Village Orphanage.
With the explosion of woman’s sport around the globe, it has been gratifying to see both girls and boys participating in both age groups. Kelis Ndhlovu and Nyasha Gwanzura, Lady Chevrons players, along with several other girls are also playing in the league. The league has started their woman cricket pathway for dedicated sessions for lady’s players.
Another exciting facet of the league is live scoring, with every game scored in real-time on the Zimbabwe Cricket app, and IAL looks forward to further enhancing the development of talented, young cricket players in the Country through this exciting partnership.
Investment in Animal Welfare
The Blue Cross Adventure Challenge
2023 will be the 28th consecutive Blue Cross Adventure Challenge and IAL’s 5th consecutive year supporting this prestigious animal welfare event. Blue Cross contributions have raised the profile of the event, and hence the success of its fundraising for animal welfare throughout Zimbabwe.
The Blue Cross takes place in August each year, and is a unique athletic adventure, taking participants from the lowest point in Zimbabwe, being the Save River near Mahenye, to the highest point, being the peak of Mt. Nyangani. The entire event follows off road dirt tracks and trails that pass through some of the most remote areas of our beautiful Eastern districts, some of it literally on our border with Mozambique.
The Blue Cross is a half-adventure and half-fundraising event. 100% of the funds raised were directed towards animal welfare initiatives.
The Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (“SPCA”) is the primary benefactor to the Blue Cross event. The SPCA is true to its mantra of “no animal is turned away”; the organisation is focused on ensuring the populace receives the necessary educational support to enable correct animal care and cruelty prevention while providing solace and re-homing of stray animals in rural and urban areas.
The welfare of livestock, whether raised for consumptive purposes or as working animals such as donkeys and oxen, is a vital economic enabler to rural Zimbabweans. The SPCA is closely associated and supportive of animal welfare organisations situated in the Country, such as Veterinarians for Animal Welfare Zimbabwe (“VAWZ”) and Matabeleland Animal Rescue & Equine Sanctuary (“MARES”), and collectively assist in providing our rural and urban populations with much-needed support and education through targeted outreach programs, focused, but not limited to spaying and neutering, preventative rabies measures, and correct harnessing.
Many SPCAs act as the official municipal pound; however, financial support via municipal funding is non-existent. As a result, the SPCA fully relies on charitable donations through concerned corporate entities and individuals and through fundraising initiatives, highlighting the importance and relevance of events such as the Blue Cross. IAL continued to support the worthy causes of SPCA through its involvement with Blue Cross’s social responsibility. The commitment and passion with which these organisations are managed are greatly appreciated.
The Group views the work undertaken by the SPCA and related animal welfare organisations as paramount and endeavors to provide ongoing support for the overall betterment of our communities, of which animal welfare is vital. IAL will continue to play a pivotal role in ensuring the SPCA receives the necessary resources to execute its mandate.
Investment in Our Environment
Friends of the Environment (“FOTE”)
IAL remains committed to contributing towards fighting global warming and climate change through supporting tree planting initiatives. The partnership with Friends of the Environment (“FOTE”) allowed the organisation to join other environmentally like-minded institutions in commemorating the National Tree Planting Day (NTPD).
IAL contributed towards the of the 2022 Annual Walkathon from Gokomere through Masvingo CBD to Bikita, a distance of 105km, which took place from 30 November to 3 December 2022. The Walkathon is an environmental awareness campaign that alerts communities about challenges such as deforestation, global warming and climate change, at the same time capacitating them to build resilience and adaption to such vices through tree planting and conservation. During the Walkathon Week, more than 47 000 trees were planted in different communities throughout the country.
Between July 2022 to June 2023, FOTE and its partners planted 1 235 000 trees. FOTE and its partners such as IAL have planted more than 40 million trees over the past decade countrywide in the ecosystems’ restoration drive.
IAL will continue to work with FOTE on various levels as part of its sustainable initiatives for the environment.
Investment in Arts and Culture Support
National Institute of Allied Arts (NIAA) – Visual and Arts Festival
IAL is proud to be associated with The National Institute of Allied Arts (NIAA) and sponsors the Visual and Arts Festival.
NIAA received an amazing array of imaginative work from primary schools nationwide, amounting to 968 entries. An impressive 177 students were awarded Honours, and 417 Highly Commended. Senior entries amounted to 176, possibly indicative of a resettling period, post-Covid. Concerted efforts are made when designing the curriculum to ensure that as little additional work is required by high school teachers and students, beyond their respective school programmes. 39 entrants were awarded Honours, and 60 were Highly Commended, an impressive result.
The response to this year’s curriculum and festival had been extraordinary, with the intrinsic growth coming out of online learning methods during the Covid era – where students, teachers and families had also shown, and developed, huge and courageous resilience in the face of adversity, managing to gather their creative strengths, individuality, and unique abilities and showcased highly commendable submissions. IAL has been proud to sponsor such young and enthusiastic individuals for almost a decade.
Investment in Medical and Health Support
Kidzcan Zimbabwe
KidzCan Zimbabwe, a registered Humanitarian Child - Centered Private Voluntary Organisation dedicated to increasing the survival rate of children suffering from cancer and blood-related disorders in Zimbabwe, a loving and caring environment. IAL is proudly associated with the great cause that Kidzcan gives, providing financial assistance towards procurement of drugs and health service equipment.
Global Cleft and Cranio-facial Foundation
IAL has proudly partnered with the Global Cleft and Cranio-facial Foundation to change the lives of families with children born with cleft lip and/or palate. Together with Providence Human Capital’s Health Division, the Foundation provides an all-encompassing support to the family unit of the patient. The first batch of operations took place in July 2023. IAL is proud to be associated with this great cause, and to support the local doctors, nurses and other health personnel that offer themselves to help the needy.
Long Service Award & Retiree
In line with acknowledging our long-serving members of staff across the Group, IAL Head Office awarded Collence Chigangaidze a 15-yearserving award.
Collence Chigangaidze receiving his 15 year long service award from Raymond Nyamuziwa - Group Treasurer
In addition, Kenneth Mathuthu retired after serving IAL Head Office within the support department for 20 years.
Our People
IAL values all of its employees who are seen as an invaluable asset to the organisation. The IAL Head Office is a dedicated team and executes their duties with utmost pride and professionalism.
The Company supports and exposes its staff – who have the requisite knowledge and expertise as well as the skill sets - to knowledge-enhancing processes and supportive in-house training. They take great pride in the execution of their duties conducted with a good work ethic and professionalism.
Back Row from left to right: Aurklen Chikomo, Ronald Gumbo, Clive Gweredza, Vitalis Makanyire, William Zuze, Hemson Mathuthu, Blessing Dube, Ngayi Njamani & Motion Chisveto
Front row from left to right: Andrew Lorimer, Priti Da Silva, Godfrey Gwainda, Julian Schonken, Kudakwashe Nyakatsare, Raymond Nyamuziwa, Alastair Warren-Codrington, Collence Chigangaidze & Tracey Stephens