Zimbabwe Pensioner Support Fund

Zimbabwe Pensioner Support Fund Helping the old age pensioners in Zimbabwe with basic food and medical supplies Bi-Monthly with 6 Boxes a year. Financial help is most needed.

The Zimbabwean pensioners are now worse off than ever before. The first thing one needs to understand is that almost 90% of the pensioners do not have a pension. They did make adequate provision for their old age and originally retired comfortably. However, as Zimbabwe's inflation went up into the "billions" of percent, the government kept taking off zeroes in an attempt to stabilize the economy.

Overnight in January 2010 the reserve bank removed another 12 zeroes and people who had billions of Zim dollars were paupers the next day. Pensioners are now at the mercy of Samaritans that will reach out to them. That is where the Zimbabwe Pensioners Support Fund comes in. The fund was established in 2002 to help a few needy people in an old age home. The situation has grown to where we currently help about 1050 individuals with an apple box size non-perishable food hamper in 26 old age homes / organizations throughout Zimbabwe. We also assist similar organizations such as "S.O.A.P" and Bulawayo Help Network by transporting unobtainable goods. With two large trucks we shift around 17-22 tons of non-perishable food and medical aides such as wheelchairs, crutches, walking aids, hearing aids, spectacles and non-scheduled medicines in each trip. I am appealing to you to please assist us in this cause. Your donations are important to the survival of our wonderful Golden Oldies. Our elderly pensioners are very proud and are not looking for sympathy; however they greatly appreciate any and all assistance we are able to supply them with. They do not have any means of conveying their gratitude to all of you our supporters, but convey their thanks to us on the ground(Via letters and words of thanks which are often published for you to see) and are often reduced to tears when given a box of very basic foodstuffs. We also need some sponsors for diesel fuel. We travel to Zimbabwe every 6 weeks or so and we use between 2100 to 2400 litres per trip. We are a registered NPO as well as a PBO so your donation is tax deductible In South Africa, USA and the UK. We Can only continue to do what we are with YOUR the publics support. Thank you and God Bless.

Dear Zimbabwe Pensioner Support Fund Supporters and Friends, Please find in good order our April 2026 Trip reports done ...
27/05/2026

Dear Zimbabwe Pensioner Support Fund Supporters and Friends,

Please find in good order our April 2026 Trip reports done by Chris Whitehead, Caroline Nel and Frans Schultz as well as what we are up to.

Chris Whitehead - April 15, 2026: It was not such an early start for us as our first stop, Greenways Trust in Chegutu, is only thirty minutes away and we didn’t want to arrive too early. As we are getting ready to leave Agnes KAYE and Del PARKIN came out to give us hugs and to again say thank you. The gratitude is almost overwhelming, but our elderly pensioners live in tough conditions that most of us cannot fathom being in. ZPSF fills not only a need for food, but a need for human contact and the knowledge that there are people who care. Off the main road and on the way to Greenways Trust the tarred roads were all dirt and we passed the still named Hartley Junior School with its standard boarding hostel blocks. At Greenways Cheryl ALBISINI, the administrator, met us with Rory STEWART. Rory was very quiet to begin with but eventually had a good chat with Annette. As we bounce through the dusty streets of Chegutu my thoughts are with these pensioners whose world has shrunk to within the high walls of the old age homes and what they must think of what is going on around them.

Caroline Nel - Eventually all the homes and names had been checked against our very thorough list provided by Linda and we were ready to start packing. As the team worked meticulously from item to item ensuring that each box receives the same quantities and food items you could see the boxes starting to fill. This is generally a whole 5-day processes that is followed to ensure that everything is correct. In addition to the process of packing the boxes we have team members busy packing and sealing maize meal which is a staple here. The last item put into each box were the marshmallow Easter eggs which each and every pensioner loves so dearly.

Once the last boxes are packed our team checks them against the name lists again and the boxes are sealed and stacked in their homes, however on this trip with our stock being delayed we have had to keep the boxes open so that we can pack in the last few goodies as they arrive with the runner on Monday. Then we move onto the frail care packages for each of our pensioners that don’t receive a box of goods and then onto the kitchens which is for those homes were all meals are cooked and served in a dining hall or directly to those in frail care. Once we are packed all packages are checked again against our lists, the reason for this is can you imagine being the one person in a home that doesn’t receive a package. I would be absolutely heartbroken if it were me. It is now Saturday and we have some very well-deserved down time before the truck arrives. It is our opportunity to recharge our batteries a little and to get ready for the big week ahead.

Currently we are in the final preparations for our June Winter trip, and once again, these boxes are loaded with food assistance for our Golden Oldies. For many I know the list may seem basic, but for our Golden Oldies this is a real lifesaver. Along with the individual food parcels delivered we also pack for the Kitchens in the care homes, care parcels and basic meds for the medical facilities.

Here is the packing list:

Box Contents 2026 JUNE
1 x 5pk 2 Min Noodles 1
Jam 950gr 1
Box Soya 100g 2
Coffee 1
Cooking Oil 750ml 2 Small
Peanut Butter 400g 1
Fruit Squares - Needs to be about 200-300g 1
Instant Porridge 1kg 1
Maize 1
Nespray Milk Powder 400g 2
Pasta 500gr 1
Rice 2kg 1
Roll on 1men / 1 lady use men for short lady 1
Soap 1
Soup 3
Sucker 2 per person 1
Sugar 2kg 1
Tea Bags 100 / pk 1
Tinned Baked Beans 410gr 1
Tinned Butter Beans 1
Tinned Meat 300gr 2
Tinned Mix Vegetables (Plain or Curry)410g 1
Tinned Peach slices 410gr 1
Tinned Pilchards 400gr 2
Tinned Spaghetti 410gr 1
Tinned Tomato Onion 410gr 1
Toilet Rolls 1
Toothpaste 1

Both Michelle and I are recovering nicely from our surgeries, and the small op I had done on my left hand to release the thumb tendon last week is going well.

We have been supporting pensioners in Zimbabwe for the past 24 years. Over the years the Zimbabwe Pensioner Support Fund has gone from supporting 1 pensioner to currently supporting just over 1050 pensioners with an apple box filled with non-perishable food in 26 old age homes / organizations throughout Zimbabwe. This is only about 40% or so of the pensioners that need help. We also assist similar organizations called "S.O.A.P" (Support Old Age Pensioners)as well as various kitchens. As far as we are aware we are the largest non-government organization supporting pensioners still in Zimbabwe who lost everything when the Zimbabwe dollar ceased to exist.

As such we would like to inform interested persons of the true situation regarding the pensioners in Zimbabwe. Many people are under the impression that since the so-called dollarization of their currency the situation for the pensioners has improved. Wrong! In fact, Zimbabwean pensioners are now worse off than ever before.

Overnight in January 2010 the reserve bank removed another 12 zeroes and people who had billions of Zimbabwe dollars were paupers the next day. No matter whether they had Zimbabwean dollars in the bank or at home they lost everything and were left with useless pieces of paper. They have never been compensated for the loss and never will be. So even though the currency changed to US dollars what they had in Zimbabwean dollars no longer existed. Pensioners are now at the mercy of Good Samaritans that reach out to them. That is where the Zimbabwe Pensioners Support Fund comes in. The fund was established in 2002 to help a few needy people in an old age home.

The first thing one needs to understand is that almost 75% of the pensioners do not have a pension or income and those that do receive between $13 - $40 US dollars. They did make adequate provision for their old age and originally retired comfortably. However, as Zimbabwe's inflation went up into the "billions" of percent, the government kept taking off zeroes in an attempt to stabilize the economy. I was recently speaking to a pensioner in Kadoma Ann who was crying and I asked her what the problem was. This is what she had to say. “I get a pension of 40 US $ a month from Old Mutual. The bank takes 2 US $ , my rent is 35 US $ so that leaves me with 3 US $ for food”. This is a fairly common situation that I come across. There is of course the very small percentage of pensioners that are well supported by their children.

We shift around 15 tons of non-perishable food, and medical aides such as wheelchairs, crutches, walking aids and non-scheduled medicines every 8 weeks to our Golden Oldies. Over the past year funds have trickled down and we are battling to make ends meet in our continued goal to support our pensioners. We firmly believe that had it not been for the teams tenacious and “Bull Terrier” like spirit, this years “roadblocks and curve balls” would have ended us. Yet as we have said many times, “this fund is our life’s work, and nothing will stop us from serving them”. This is not a job this is a passion!!

We welcome anyone who wishes to come and see our warehouse in Malelane and what we do.

Please if anyone has contacts that can help us get into one of the magazines or newspapers it would be greatly appreciated. Just so we can get news out there a bit again and remind people that we are still running after all this time.

Also don’t forget if you would like to join us on a trip or be a driver on one of the vehicles to let Johan know [email protected] or call 0824979328.

These food hampers serve 2 purposes.
1 They supply much needed food to the pensioner.
2 The pensioner then knows that someone cares about them

We are an officially registered Non-Profit Organization and Section 21A in South Africa and are registered with SARS as a Public Benefit Organization in terms of section 18A the Income Tax Act (Which means all South African donations are issued with a Tax Certificate and can be claimed back). PLEASE LET US KNOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE A TAX CERTIFICATE STATING ALL YOU DONATIONS. They will be issued once our Financial Year End has been processed, so from about mid-April 2026. The following branches are registered subbranches of the ZPSF-SA, ZPSF-UK supporters can be issued with a Gift Aid Certificate via Anne Tourle and the USA account is a Registered 501(c)3 organization and as such Tax-deductible receipts available for USA-ZPSF donors via Angelique Hamilton.

Our Banking Details or please see the attachment for full details including worldwide WISE and PayPal:

SA Account
ZIMBABWE PENSIONER SUPPORTER FUND
FIRST NATIONAL BANK
MALELANE BRANCH
BRANCH CODE 270952
ACCOUNT NUMBER 62239042906
SWIFT CODE FIRNZAJJ
Please if you make a Donation to this account is you can send a mail to myself [email protected] so that I can send you an acknowledgement of Donation.

UK Account
ZIMBABWE PENSIONER SUPPORT FUND – UK BRANCH
Barclays Bank, West Swindon
Sort code:20-68-15
Account No: 23398579
Swift Code is:BUKGB22
IBAN is: GB49 BUKB 20681523398579
Please if you make a Donation to this account is you can send a mail to Anne Tourle [email protected] so that she may send you an acknowledgement of Donation

USA ACCOUNT - New Postal address
ZIMBABWE PENSIONERS SUPPORT FUND - USA
A Registered 501(c)3 organization. Tax-deductible receipts available for USA donors.
Donations via PayPal, use the following link: www.zpsf.co.za and go to the USA donation link
USA address to post cheques
PO Box 1426,
Libby
MT 59923
The USA now has Venmo for easier payments -
To request additional information, or receipts, please email Angelique Hamilton at [email protected]

Australia Account via RSA of WA
Account Name : Rhodesian Services Association of WA Inc " ZPSF Fund”
Westpac
BSB 036080
Account No. 773736
Please include name and ZPSF in the reference. Acknowledgement will be given in our quarterly newsletter. If any queries or receipts are required Neville Abrams is the new contact [email protected]

Thank you so much for helping us support our “Golden Oldies” during these crazy times. Your support is invaluable and we at the ZPSF would never be able to sustain our regular supply of relief parcels if it were not for donations and support such as yours. All of this happens because of people like you, you are all truly amazing. THANK YOU and God Bless.

We hope everyone is keeping safe and healthy. If you have any queries, please do not hesitate to contact us, ask your questions, check the references that we give you and then PLEASE support our old Rhodesian pensioners who have nowhere to go.
Thank you for your support towards our Golden Oldies, you make the Magic and we deliver it.

Doing what we say we do, real people helping real people.

Kind Regards

Linda Schultz
Director - Fund Raising & Awareness for the Zimbabwe Pensioner Support Fund
Phone 013 7900934 Cell 079 608 2676
Email [email protected] / [email protected]
Web www.zpsf.co.za
Section 21 Co Reg. 2007/034036/08; NPO Number 096733; Section 18A PBO No 930031642
The 3 most important pillars of our cause:
UNIQUENESS - being one of a kind and knowing that the ZPSF is driven by good will and very passionate members.
TRANSPARENCY - enforcing the rule that all members must be fully informed before taking part in this noble venture.
ACCOUNTABILITY - Having a traceable paper trail for every cent handled, and regular revues conducted.

ZPSF April 2026 trip report – Caroline Nel and Frans SchultzAs the date grew closer for us to start packing our boxes we...
27/05/2026

ZPSF April 2026 trip report – Caroline Nel and Frans Schultz

As the date grew closer for us to start packing our boxes we were franticly trying to get as much of the stock here for the boxes as we could. Unfortunately, sometimes it is more difficult to get our stock here due to border delays and all the other issues that arise when trying to get the stock to our warehouse here in Bulawayo,
The day that I planned for us to start packing all boxes, care parcels and all the other groceries and goodies, I had all my staff at the warehouse ready to go. We were just waiting for the last few bits and bobs to arrive from SA but we could start to get everything ready. Firstly, we had to place all our pallets on the floors to ensure that nothing could get wet if it happened to rain. Once all the pallets were packed where they were needed, we brought out all the boxes which took some serious time as they need to be packed in the correct order and in the homes, they are for. The staff took a break before we got started. Once we had all the boxes out and ready to be packed the staff started bringing out the stock that would need to be packed into each box. This process took almost an entire day purely because of the care that is required to ensure that no pensioner is left without a box. It is so important to ensure that every single person’s name is checked off.

Eventually all the homes and names had been checked against our very thorough list provided by Linda and we were ready to start packing. As the team worked meticulously from item to item ensuring that each box receives the same quantities and food items you could see the boxes starting to fill. This is generally a whole 5-day processes that is followed to ensure that everything is correct. In addition to the process of packing the boxes we have team members busy packing and sealing maize meal which is a staple here. The last item put into each box were the marshmallow Easter eggs which each and every pensioner loves so dearly.

Once the last boxes are packed our team checks them against the name lists again and the boxes are sealed and stacked in their homes, however on this trip with our stock being delayed we have had to keep the boxes open so that we can pack in the last few goodies as they arrive with the runner on Monday. Then we move onto the frail care packages for each of our pensioners that don’t receive a box of goods and then onto the kitchens which is for those homes were all meals are cooked and served in a dining hall or directly to those in frail care. Once we are packed all packages are checked again against our lists, the reason for this is can you imagine being the one person in a home that doesn’t receive a package. I would be absolutely heartbroken if it were me. It is now Saturday and we have some very well-deserved down time before the truck arrives. It is our opportunity to recharge our batteries a little and to get ready for the big week ahead.

Johan, Chris and Annette Whitehead and Frans arrived in Bulawayo on April 12 the after a very long 2-day trip from Malelane. Firstly, they had to head straight to the warehouse to park the truck there as there is no way that it would ever fit into my yard. Once they had parked the truck, they left the warehouse and were on their way to my house for some dinner, a beer or two and a good night’s rest. We were standing outside having a chat when Frans all of a sudden asked when did we get a bunny. We told him that we did not have one but he went inside to have a look to find the bunny. We could not find it and we eventually had Frans thinking he was crazy and started saying that he had seen the Easter Bunny. Not 20 minutes after that, Chris’s wife saw a bunny hopping down the hallway. We still have no idea how the bunny got into the house. Willem organised for the bunny to be rehomed with his boss.

Monday April 13: Monday morning and we were up bright and early and we were ready to head off to the warehouse as we still had some stock to arrive and it had to be packed prior to the boxes being sealed. Once the stock arrived, we packed the boxes that have to leave on the truck first. Finally, by the end of Monday the truck was all packed and ready to head out in the morning and we got on to ensure that all the Bulawayo boxes were ready too.
Tuesday, April 14: The truck left on Tuesday morning and Frans stayed behind in Bulawayo as there wasn’t space for him in the truck but we were more than happy to have him along for the ride. Once they were on the way we began loading up the bakkie with all the groceries and meds for our pensioners at Queen Mary, Railsteen, Edith Duly and Masonic. As soon as everything was loaded, we were on our way to Railsteen to deliver first. It seems that many of the residents are having an after-breakfast snooze as there was only staff around. After having a quick chat to some of the nurses we were on our way to our next stop.

Queen Mary is literally next door to Railsteen so it was a really short drive. As we arrived their kitchen staff hurried out to assist us with the offloading of all the groceries and basic meds. As I walked through the kitchen, I could smell that they were busy with the most delicious lunch. Once again, I walked up and down the passages searching for a glorious oldie to have a conversation with but they were all relaxing in their rooms which are obviously cooler than the common areas. It wasn’t long until I bumped into the Matron whilst I looking for someone to have a conversation with. She told me how the food and medical items that we provide make it possible for them to continue doing what they do.

Next, we were off to Edith Duly to deliver their groceries for the kitchen, care parcels and basic meds. As all the boxes and boxes were offloaded, I walked into the home searching for any oldies that might be awake. I head down the walkway and find one of my all time favourite oldies sitting in his wheelchair. Uncle PJ was one of my father’s best friends as they had grown up together. He was looking much better than how he had on previous trips. Once we were all done offloading it was off to our last stop for the day which would be Masonic Cottages. Once we arrived there, we were waved in by all the oldies sitting on their verandas and met at the drop off point by the 2 ladies that always know where everything should go. Today was a little different though as most of the oldies met us in the hall for a chat. This is always such a special time to get to have some lovely conversations with these amazing pensioners. After a lovely catch up and a couple of jokes all the boxes were in the store room where they are then sent on a wheelbarrow to each cottage. We still had a lot of deliveries to try and get done as we were a day behind with our deliveries. We were off to Mr and Mrs MANAARD, we were so relieved to see how well they were looking. She was sitting up really nicely and had so much more colour in her face since having her stroke. Then we were off to Qalisa, as we arrived by Mrs Gill MICHELL she welcomed us with a huge smile. She always seems to be so happy and was looking particularly energized. The next stop was Barbra Burrel and as we arrived the staff came out to assist us with the packages. I headed inside to see if anyone was up and in the mood for a chat. Most of the oldies were now having an afternoon sleep so it had to be quiet a quick in and out. As we head back to the warehouse it was quite warm and we were tired after a long but very rewarding day.

Wednesday April 15, 2026 was another busy day for us. Today our time was going to be spent in Coronation delivering to all our oldies there. Our first stop was at the office to deliver boxes for a few outsiders that generally collect from there. When we pulled in Brian was sitting on the wall in the sun waiting for us to get there. He seemed happy and enjoying his time in the sun, he came over to have a chat with us. One or two of the other pensioners popped in to say hello and to let us know how absolutely grateful they are that we can do this for them. I reminded them that it is undeniably because of all the amazing donors that we have around the world that we can do this. Once all those boxes were offloaded to the office and cottages that are nearby, we were off down the road to continue. We carried on with our deliveries going from cottage to cottage. Soon we were heading to Mrs VAN DER MERWE, she seemed to be doing well but was saying how unbearable the heat has become. She is one of those pensioners that you can talk to for hours.

Across the road was Ian, he had seen us coming and was waiting for us to reach their flat. Irene was out and busy with her normal day to day things that she does around the complex. He said that they were both doing well and feeling better, however times are getting so tough for them. Next we delivered to a few oldies down the road and then we were off to Gloria BENT. She was full of smiles and was seeming happy and healthy. As we continued through Coronation enjoying the conversations with all our oldies reminding us of how amazing they each are. The one thing that I noticed is how absolutely stunning most of the gardens are looking after the great rains, flowers blooming everywhere.

Thursday, April 16: The next morning we were up bright and early and we were heading off to the warehouse to load up for our deliveries. As I arrived all the boxes were already stacked and ready to be loaded because we all knew what a busy day lay ahead of us. The staff began to load the bakkie as full as we could to ensure that we could get around to as many oldies as possible. First, we delivered to a few outsiders, unfortunately most of them were out and about enjoying the little bit of sun we were having. We were off to Garden Park to visit and deliver their boxes. One of our last stops was with Mr BANCRAFT, he has always been one of the pensioners that I can’t wait to get to. As usual the moment I arrived he offered me a cup of tea, he has occasionally offered me something stronger, but I always tell him that I would have to come back after hours for that. He was once again so grateful for the large box of groceries that we were delivering. I wasn’t feeling too great and had to ask Frans to take over from me so that I could head home to try and sort myself out.

Once we had dropped Caroline at home it was me (Frans) and Angela. We headed straight to the warehouse to get the last of the boxes loaded. We headed off to get started. Angela had to guide me most of the way as I don’t really know the area all too well.. We stopped at a few pensioners houses before the last drops at Angela’s house for the rest of the outsiders to come and pick them up. The day ended very late for us. We got done just after 5 PM. We then headed back to the warehouse to drop off the empties. I then headed back to Caroline’s house where I played games with my cousins.

Friday, April 17, 2026: After I was feeling better I (Caroline) was ready to deliver to Kingshaven in Esigodini, however there had been a tragic accident that had occurred on the road there and the road had been closed. We decided to leave the deliver until the next Monday as they cannot receive the boxes over a weekend.

Monday, April 20, 2026: Once I arrived at the warehouse and we had finished loading my car, we were off to Kingshaven. As we arrived and drove through the gate you can just see how calm and beautiful it is. It is certainly a home in one of the most beautiful settings. As we began delivering the boxes, we were once again reminded about how much these boxes mean to each and every one of them. We always deliver here and then the complex workers deliver the boxes to each home. It was time to say goodbye and be on our way back to Bulawayo to continue our deliveries. The drive back was reasonably quiet and not too many cars on the road. As we entered Bulawayo the traffic picked up and there were a lot of police on the roads.

That was us finished with all our deliveries for this trip, it was an amazing trip with so many funny story’s and so many smiles. Johan, Frans and the others were already back in South Africa. Doing these trips and delivering these boxes to each of our oldies has become an absolute highlight for me. Not one of these trips we be remotely possible if not for every one of our generous doners. We do that actual trip but you make it possible and the hugest thank you definitely goes out to every one of you. For any of you that are interested in becoming donors to this absolutely one of a kind fund, please reach out. We are however still looking for secure warehouse space in Bulawayo where we can have our stock delivered to and space to be able to do our packing. Please, if anyone can help or know someone who can assist kindly let us know.

Head office South Africa contact details:
Linda Schultz – [email protected] / [email protected] - (C) 079 6082676
Johan Schultz - [email protected] - (C) 082 4979328
Section 21 Co Reg. 2007/034036/08; NPO Number 096733; Section 18A PBO No 930031642
www.zpsf.co.za
Head office South Africa contact details:

ZPSF April trip report – Chris WhiteheadAnnette and I were very fortunate to be part of the crew for the ZPSF April trip...
27/05/2026

ZPSF April trip report – Chris Whitehead
Annette and I were very fortunate to be part of the crew for the ZPSF April trip to Zimbabwe to distribute the food boxes to our needy pensioners in Zimbabwe.
April 11, 2026: It was an early start for Johan, Frans, Annette and myself as we had to make it to Musina by the end of the day and the truck is governed at 80kmh. Annette and I followed the truck in the bakkie and it was slow go to start due to the endless and years long road construction through the pass to Kanyamazane. The recent heavy rains had damaged roads all along the route and we only pulled into Baobab Cottages at about 5pm hoping for a good night’s rest in preparation for crossing the border.
April 12, 2026: This morning we left for the border at 7am. For crossing the border, I travelled with Johan in the truck and Frans and Annette took the bakkie across the border. It was interesting for me to see the process needed to get the truck over. Amazingly the north bound crossing was very quick on the South African side, but this is not always the case depending on the officials on duty. The Zimbabwe side was packed with trucks, mostly empty ore carrying trucks, all waiting to be given permission to enter the country. The ZPSF agent at the border was well prepared and the Zimbabwe side of the border was very efficient so we met the bakkie at 10am on the outskirts of Beit Bridge. The road to Bulawayo hasn’t improved in years and there were sections that have dirt detours that have been there for nearly a decade. At one police roadblock mid questioning we were hurriedly told to move on and I saw blue lights behind me and pulled over. This was the first of two motorcades we experienced and three that we saw. Expensive dark SUVs with tinted windows took up the entire road and flew by us and the very stressed police manning the roadblock. In Bulawayo we spent the evening with Willem and Caroline NEL and their two boys, Jean and Anthony. The event of the evening was the appearance of an Easter bunny which I will leave for Frans to talk about in his report.
April 13, 2026: Caroline took Annette and I to the ZPSF warehouse in the industrial area to see the operation. The boxes were still being packed because some items were missing and they were waiting for them to arrive. Annette’s directive on this trip was to talk to the people involved and find out about their stories and here she interviewed Angela ENGELBRECHT who is one of the helpers in the warehouse. In the afternoon we were dropped in central Bulawayo and we explored some of the converted buildings, walked through the municipal building and then walked through part of Centenary Park to the Natural History Museum. We took an InDrive (Zimbabwe’s answer to Uber) to Athlone Cemetery to find the grave of one of Annette’s relatives but I will talk about this in a more personal report. The evening was spent relaxing at Willem and Caroline’s home.
April 14, 2026: We started at the warehouse a little after 6am, the truck was loaded and we added the last few things and our personal items into it. Johan, Annette and I headed out of Bulawayo just as the sun was rising and our first stop was Boggies Trust in Gweru. We made very good time to Gweru arriving a little after 9am. Bruce CHILCOTT was there to open the gate for us and a crowd of the residents were gathered to greet the truck. You could tell that the arrival of the truck was a social event bringing not only food boxes but a chance to chat to visitors. Annette jumped into action and interviewed Charmaine ESTERHUIZEN, Alan LEYER, Lorraine BRONCKHURST and Keith THOMAS while Johan and I took care of the unloading and checking off of boxes. After the boxes were sorted, I chatted to Bruce CHILCOTT who used to work for Rhodesia Railways as an engine driver and to Charmaine ESTERHUIZEN who it turns out is one of the first white triplets born in Bulawayo.
Our next stop was in Redcliff at the Hurbert Lee Cottages. Redcliff is a shell of itself since the shuttering of ZISCO. We are a few minutes late here and you know how much the residents look forward to the arrival of the truck because we get worried phone calls to find out if we were in trouble along the way. The residents were gathered outside to see us and to have a chat. This was a short stop as we had a long way to go yet, but Annette got a chance to chat to Anne SHEPHERD, who had sadly and recently lost her husband, and Diane PRINSLOO.
All to soon we had to move on as we still had two more stops to make. Lynbrook Home in KweKwe was our next stop, Johan maneuvered the truck over almost non-existent roads through the town to get there. A few residents were there to greet the truck and they laid out tea and cold water for us. It was a very hot day and unloading the truck was a sweaty business. Annette was busy chatting to some of the residents while Johan and I worked on the unloading. Annette met with Hazel GIRDER-BROWN, Alan HAGEMAN, who used to do advertisements for the hotels, and Maureen KASCHULA. It turns out that Alan HAGEMAN and I met during one of the July Braais in the UK in 1999. While we were chatting Ken CONNOLLY arrived to collect the boxes for the outsiders who live away from the home and he and I had a good chat about the old days.
Our last stop for the day and our accommodations for the night was at Westview Homes in Kadoma. Before we got there, I had to get something to eat and then we bumped our way through Kadoma to the homes. We were met by Del PARKIN who helps to organize the boxes and checks off them as they are unloaded. At this stop Annette was able to talk to Agnes KAYE, Danie HARTMAN and his sister Marty MOLLER. I got a chance to sit and talk with Danie HARTMAN once I was done with the boxes and find out that he had been a long-time farmer in the Karoyi area. Del PARKIN took us to see the vegetable garden that they have created to supplement the resident’s diets, but they are in desperate need of seeds. It is an early night for us after a simple dinner with Del PARKIN.
April 15, 2026: It was not such an early start for us as our first stop, Greenways Trust in Chegutu, is only thirty minutes away and we didn’t want to arrive too early. As we are getting ready to leave Agnes KAYE and Del PARKIN came out to give us hugs and to again say thank you. The gratitude is almost overwhelming, but our elderly pensioners live in tough conditions that most of us cannot fathom being in. ZPSF fills not only a need for food, but a need for human contact and the knowledge that there are people who care. Off the main road and on the way to Greenways Trust the tarred roads were all dirt and we passed the still named Hartley Junior School with its standard boarding hostel blocks. At Greenways Cheryl ALBISINI, the administrator, met us with Rory STEWART. Rory was very quiet to begin with but eventually had a good chat with Annette. As we bounce through the dusty streets of Chegutu my thoughts are with these pensioners whose world has shrunk to within the high walls of the old age homes and what they must think of what is going on around them.
The road to Chinoyi was very bumpy and deteriorating and ran through many kilometers of unused prime farmland. On the outskirts of Chinoyi, suddenly the massive agricultural operation of Avalon appeared where they grow blueberries and a variety of other crops. The story of this farm is for another day and another discussion. We bumped our way through Chinoyi passed Chinoyi High School to Sunningdale where we are greeted by Heather NEL and Johan HAASBROEK. With many helpers from the employees we got unloaded very quickly and just as quickly the news of the truck’s arrival spread and people showed up to collect their boxes. Annette visited with Cynthia YORK who was originally a Bulawayo farmer, Dennis NEL who used to run butcheries, and Bela BOTHA whose mother had just turned 100. I had a lovely chat to Jennifer FORTESCUE as I helped to carry her box to her flatlet. Jennifer got her teaching degree at the age of 60 and produced lovely colouring books for schools that featured the flowers, trees and shrubs of Rhodesia. It is so hard to see what the Zimbabwe situation has done to these people and yet amazing to see their resilience and spirit to carry on.
Our last stop for the day was after the terrible road into Harare. Along the way we passed through endless lands of maize and a number of new grain silos as well as the already existing GMB silos. Thankfully the road over the Great D**e was clear and this made the journey a bit easier. As we drove along streets in Marlborough, we were pushed off the road by another motorcade of big black SUVs with tinted windows. We stopped to unload at John and Leonie HERBST’s house as they distribute the boxes to areas such as Mazowe, Bindura, Kariba. Simon from CFU arrived and picked up the CFU boxes. At this point Annette and I left Johan there and we went to spend the evening and night at George and Sally GEORGIOU’s home. George and I grew up In Mount Darwin together and we have not had a concentrated time to visit with each other for over 30 years.
April 16, 2026: After and early start for Annette and I at the Central Registry office in Harare we took a taxi to meet Johan and the truck in Msasa Industrial area. Our first stop for the day was in Marondera and a small group of our pensioners are in the parking lot to meet us. There was little time to chat as they were in a hurry to get going, but Annette manages to find out a little bit about Greg COLLINS who was originally from Wedza. Peter BANKS was there to say hello but he is looking very old. Very quickly we pushed on to Rusape, the road was good so we made good time. Resthaven Homes is always a wonderful stop with residents who want to chat and who, despite their situation, have a wonderful community spirit. Once we had unloaded the truck, we were treated to a wonderful tea with lots of goodies to eat. Each resident it seems brings their favorite dish. Annette chatted to Rose CALLAGHAN who used to live in Harare, Veronica PICKARD and Phil PRESTON.
Now, very full from all of the goodies, we hit the road again to Mutare, passing through what must be some of Zimbabwe’s most beautiful countryside. The ride up Christmas Pass was devoid of large trucks so it was easy and we cruised into Mutare and headed to Des BEKKER’s warehouse. One hundred metres from our destination the truck got stuck in a huge pothole, actually the spare tyre was caught on the only remaining piece of tar in the road causing the back tyres to lose contact with the ground. Two hours later, after digging, putting rocks under the tyres, lots of stress, advice from the gathered crowd and a little bit of humour, a front-end loader arrived and carefully lifted the back of the truck and gently pushed while Johan drove the truck forward out of the pothole and we parked it at Des’s for the night. Our goal of offloading the truck had been thwarted by a pothole! Our accommodation for the night were at Strickland Lodge and after cleaning up and decompressing we met Des and Sally BEKKER and they treated us to a lovely dinner and a few very welcome and necessary beers.
April 17, 2026: This day turned out to be our longest day mostly because we had lost two hours in a pothole. The offloading of the boxes for Mutare and the surrounding areas was accrued out efficiently and the empty boxes stacked neatly and secured in the now nearly empty truck. We headed out of Mutare for Masvingo via Birchenough Bridge before the traffic in Mutare became too chaotic. The road was decent by Zimbabwe standards and amazingly there were few police roadblocks until after Birchenough Bridge. We arrived in good time at Pioneer Cottages in Masvingo. Maria and Sister Connie were there to greet us and help with the unloading. We had hoped to make up some time by leaving quickly but the staff had prepared a lovely lunch for us and so we sat and ate. Jimmy MILLAR came in to chat for a few minutes and to thank us for his box.
The trip to Zvishavanie was uneventful, but the road started to deteriorate as we got closer to town. This delivery was small with only two boxes being unloaded and Michael TIMVIOS sent a driver to collect them from us. The road to Shurugwe was lined with environment disasters with unregulated open pit mining and mine dumps virtually on the road. Shurugwi Pass barely has a road and we crawled up it in first gear until we entered Shurugwi where the road dissolved into one big pothole. It maked the MUUS Cottages virtually inaccessible, but we made it just as the sun was going down. We were only able to visit with the residents for a short time and they are some of the neediest recipients of these boxes. They live in conditions that most of us would find trying at best and I regret that due to the time of day we could not spend more time with them. Hoping for better roads and it now being early evening and dark we headed for our stop for the night, Boggies Trust in Gweru. However, the road was a continuation of terrible and now the added problem of it being dark. We made it into Gweru and arrived at Boggies Trust where Pete and Madelaine ESTERHUIZEN had prepared dinner for us which we were so glad of. Pete and I had a walk back in time chat and then we collapsed into bed.
April 18, 2026: Today was the 46th Anniversary of Zimbabwe Independence and so we left Gweru not knowing if we will encounter any issues. Pete ESTERHUIZEN and Bruce CHILCOTT saw us off. Thankfully other than some government vehicles that must have been late for the party and a bumpy road, we had an uneventful drive back into Bulawayo. We returned the truck to the warehouse so it could be emptied, Johan and Frans took a short drive down the Beit Bridge road to ensure that the truck could get through as some events had closed it a few days earlier. Then we spent a lovely evening with Willem and Caroline NEL and their boys.
April 19, 2026: We left Bulawayo as the sun was rising and headed for the border. There were a few more police roadblocks than usual but we were waved through. I took over driving the bakkie just before Gwanda and Annette and I were scheduled to drop the last box along the way. We stopped at Makado Ranch to drop off Paxie WILSON’s box and goodies and had a lively chat with her. Paxie epitomizes the plight of our pensioners in that she is isolated and starved for company because the community around her has disappeared. She shared a lot of stories with us, but we had to leave all too soon to catch the truck. Just outside Beit Bridge I traded with Frans as he took the bakkie over and I rode with Johan through the truck section. Robert again assisted us on the Zimbabwe side which is amazingly efficient and professional, but on the South African side we were left standing in the sun while all the immigration officials had lunch behind closed windows. Finally, three hours after entering the border we headed out for Louis Trichardt and a well-deserved rest.
April 20, 2026: There was plenty of time to reflect on the trip as we made our way back to Malalane. Our needy pensioners in Zimbabwe depend so much on these trips and the ZPSF is a life line for them as conditions get even more difficult and expensive in Zimbabwe. ZPSF cannot give these pensioners everything they need, but through all of the donations from across the world they are able to make their lives a little brighter. I found the pensioners that I met to be so incredibly thankful to all of the donors and despite being worn down by their circumstances they have a fighting spirit. These pensioners are proud people who have worked hard over their lives and have had everything taken away from them. It was Annette’s and my honour to be able to join this trip and to assist in our small way, but it is Linda, Johan and Frans who carry the heavy burden of making the trips possible and these trips cannot happen without your donations and your help. In these tough times worldwide please remember our pensioners in Zimbabwe, I always keep in the back of my mind the oft used statement “There but by the grace of God go I.”
Chris WHITEHEAD
Head office South Africa contact details:

Linda Schultz – [email protected] / [email protected] - (C) 079 6082676
Johan Schultz - [email protected] - (C) 082 4979328
Section 21 Co Reg. 2007/034036/08; NPO Number 096733; Section 18A PBO No 930031642
www.zpsf.co.za

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P O Box 1349
Malelane
1320

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Tuesday 08:30 - 16:00
Wednesday 08:30 - 16:00
Thursday 08:30 - 16:00
Friday 08:30 - 13:00

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+27796082676

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