HARARE, ZIMBABWE – To boost community health and steer young people away from social ills, the ESG Network Zimbabwe (ESGNZ) has officially handed over a full set of football kits and sporting equipment to the Stoneridge community in Harare South.
The donation, as ESGNZ celebrates its 10th anniversary of driving sustainable development across the nation, is a direct intervention under the organization’s “Social” pillar. The initiative seeks to build long-term local resilience by utilizing sports as a vehicle for community engagement and health.
The handover ceremony was attended by community leaders, local youth teams, and representatives from ESG Network Zimbabwe. Speaking during the presentation, ESGNZ Executive Director Willard Razawo emphasized that corporate responsibility must extend beyond boardrooms and translate into measurable, ground-level impacts that improve lives.
By equipping the Stoneridge community sports teams, the network hopes to foster inclusivity and provide young athletes with the professional gear needed to formalize their talent development.
Zimbabwean urban communities are currently grappling with an increase in youth drug and substance abuse. Stoneridge, a fast-growing neighborhood in Harare South, has not been immune to these challenges.
Local leadership welcomed the intervention, noting that a lack of recreational facilities often leaves youth vulnerable to negative peer influences.
“We are deeply grateful to ESG Network Zimbabwe for this timely intervention. Drug and substance abuse has been threatening to steal the future of our young boys and girls in Stoneridge. Providing them with high-quality kits gives them a sense of pride and a reason to occupy their time productively on the football pitch rather than being exposed to illicit substances on the streets.” Community leaders remarked.
Stoneridge Community Chairperson remarked that “Wellness starts with giving the youth healthy, constructive spaces to grow. This soccer kit donation is not just about playing a game; it is an investment in the mental and physical health of our neighborhood. When corporate networks step up like this, they help us build a safer and more cohesive community.”
The project demonstrates that Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles are highly practical frameworks for community upliftment. Executive Director of ESGNZ, Willard Razawo, has consistently advocated for leadership decisions that think beyond immediate gains to build thriving, sustainable societies. [
This donation exemplifies how the network actively guides corporate agendas to contribute significantly toward the sustainable socio-economic development of Zimbabwe’s communities.
