Sharon Chikowore
ZIMBABWE Parks and Wildlife Management Authority (ZimParks) has brought together its employees from across the country for its annual Director General’s Sports Gala at Chinhoyi Caves, in a programme aimed at promoting staff wellness, teamwork and unity.
The annual sporting event provides an opportunity for employees from the organisation’s various operations to interact, build relationships and celebrate their contribution to wildlife conservation.
In an interview, ZimParks Public Relations Manager, Luckmore Safuli, said the tournament went beyond sporting activities as it played a critical role in fostering unity among employees.
“As an organisation, it is not just about sport but a platform to unite our people. We take it seriously because it is critical in fostering unity among teams from all our operations across the country,” he said.
The tournament which started today , Monday, is open to all ZimParks employees, with about 486 participants expected to take part in various sporting disciplines, including marathon, swimming, soccer, netball, volleyball, chess, pool, tug-of-war, darts, shooting and obstacle competitions.
Mr Safuli said the event also recognised the human effort behind conservation, which often receives less attention compared to wildlife and other natural resources.
“When people talk about conservation, they often think about wildlife and animals, forgetting the people behind it. We always say conservation should have a human face.
“Behind the success of our conservation and anti-poaching operations are men and women who spend days on patrol, sacrificing their time and comfort to protect Zimbabwe’s rich wildlife heritage. This platform is about celebrating those individuals,” he said.
He added that this year’s tournament had attracted increased support from partners, including financial institutions, conservation stakeholders and the public.
Mr Safuli said the event also provided an opportunity for the organisation to strengthen relations with communities surrounding protected areas, whom he described as important partners in achieving conservation goals.
As part of this year’s programme, ZimParks has lined up a corporate social responsibility initiative involving a donation to a local school.
He said the initiative reflected the organisation’s belief that conservation should bring tangible benefits to communities living alongside protected areas.
“We view these communities as our biggest partners in conservation. We are happy to have lined up a corporate social responsibility activity as part of the Director General’s Sports Gala to promote collaboration with our communities.
“We are for the people, and conservation should speak to their needs and aspirations,” he said.
The sporting activities are expected to end on Thursday which is the final day where winners will be pronounced
