HARARE - Organisers of the just-ended Soap and Shirt Donation Winter Festival are considering making the charity event an annual concert.
Zimbabwe Human Rights Association (ZimRights), the Women’s Trust (TWT), Batanai HIV, Aids Organisation (BHASO) and Crisis In Zimbabwe Coalition jointly held the charity concert on Saturday to raise essential goods for victims of the Tokwe-Mukorsi, Tsholotsho and Muzarabani floods.
ZimRights director Okay Machisa, who revealed that five tonnes of clothes had been donated at the event, said the outcome of the Soap and Shirt Donation Winter Festival held at the Belgravia Sports Club had encouraged them to ratchet up the charity initiative.
“We are happy with the support we got from the initiative and because of the positive response we got here we are pushing for the event to be an annual thing,” said Machisa.
“We will continue collecting donations for the people affected by the floods. Well-wishers are encouraged to keep donating through our Harare offices.”
The weekend concert started on a slow pace but gathered momentum as the day progressed.
Though Jah Prayzah, Cynthia Mare, BaShupi, Suluman Chimbetu, Leonard Zhakata, Pastor G, Dadza D and the Charambas played for free, they delivered committed performances that left the crowd asking for more.
Standout performances on the day were from Mugove singer Zhakata, The Charambas, Suluman Chimbetu, rising songbird Cynthia Mare, and multiple National Arts Merit Award (Nama) winner Jah Prayzah.
Zhakata kept the revellers on the dance floor as he belted out hit after hit. He performed songs such as Gomba Remarara, Aita Chake and Dhonza Makomborero as his three dancers lit up the event with jaw-dropping acts.
The only musician who failed to perform at the charity event was Peter “Young Igwe” Moyo whose band members reportedly refused to perform for free at the event.
However efforts to get a comment on the matter from the Mushonga Mukuru singer were fruitless.