It is my singular honour and privilege to welcome you all to the 2020 Nyaradzo/HAC Memorial Run. Thank you for coming in your numbers. 2020 marks four years of a fruitful partnership between Nyaradzo Group and Harare Athletic Club. At Nyaradzo, we take pride in being part of events that promote social, mental, and physical wellbeing. Besides promoting social, mental and physical wellbeing, this run is special as it is one where we remember and celebrate the lives of those of our colleagues who went before us. We ran with them, ate with them, socialized with them and we miss them. May their soul rest in eternal peace.Over the years, Nyaradzo has been involved in various sports such as soccer, golf, cricket and rugby and four years ago we were invited and accepted to partner with Harare Athletic Club in this annual memorial run.Promoting a healthy lifestyle and a culture of exercise was dear to the runners we are celebrating today. HAC found it essential to celebrate and preserve their memory and achievements and we too deemed it fit to partner with them in this memorial run as we celebrate their achievements and pay tribute to their legacy.Our partnership with HAC is also to participate in raising awareness about fitness and health through running. It is our goal to promote fitness and health as a core human value.  HAC focuses on nurturing a belief and a lifestyle that has been passed on from one generation to another, challenging us to mentally and physically live our best lives.

Researchers have found that regular running could contribute to success in other areas of life. The planning, hard work and commitment that goes into running can help improve character development.Many may wonder and question why Nyaradzo Group would sponsor a run, well for us, events such as this are important as we see ourselves as a Sahwira, a friend through every season.Nyaradzo Group is a diverse organization that is on its way to becoming an integrated financial services group, providing comprehensive financial services products over and above the products and services we currently provide.Through Sahwira Events and Lifestyle, we offer a wide variety of solutions from event management and equipment hire for all events, to catering services for all events, big and small.Through Calundike Exports, we provide premium quality furniture and fittings.For your short term needs and provision of personalized risk management services, look no further than Eureka Insurance Brokers.Life and funeral assurance products, we provide through Nyaradzo Life Assurance Company.

A few months ago, we were granted the Bureau de Change operating license and our branch at the Head office is already functional with more branches to open soon at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe airport Nyaradzo branch, Jason Moyo branch in Bulawayo, Victoria Falls, Gwanda and Beitbridge branches.We also incorporated Nyaradzo Asset Management a few months ago.As you rested in our Sahwira Camping village after a gruelling 32km run, the easy going 21k or the sprinting 10k, I hope you were able to get the much needed massage. It is also my hope that you all had a good look around the camping tents and saw what it is we can do for you when you go out on your running escapades. These same tents and beds can be used for a leisurely camping trip or big gatherings such as church events, school events or funerals.We believe camping can help promote bonding for families and as an option to manage the time our kids now spend on techno gadgets. Sahwira Events encourages activities that promote family cohesion like group discussions, non-electronic games and physical activities that create long-lasting memories.As you go about doing your business of running, remember you can always combine it with camping. No more sleep overs, it’s time for camp overs.

Our hope in 2020 is that it brings good fortune to all of us. We look forward to a new macroeconomic manifesto to keep the business going. As an organization, we are delighted with the enormous support we get from you. Our brand remains strong and we remain focused on delivering on our promises. I would like to assure you that we will continue to provide world-class standards as we have done for the past nineteen years. We are your Sahwira Mukuru.In conclusion, may I take this opportunity to thank you all again for coming out in your numbers to celebrate this event in remembrance of those who have gone before us and the great work they did in creating this club. To those who participated for the first time, welcome and we hope to see you again as we look forward to many more of these events in the future.

As Emil Zatopek once said, “An athlete cannot run with money in his pocket. He must run with hope in his heart and dreams in his head.” Running is the greatest metaphor of life because you will get out of it what you put into it. However hard you compete, run for fun. Make running a major part of a full but not the whole. Run because you like it.

I thank you, Ndatenda, Ngiyabonga.