UNITED Kingdom (UK)-headquartered mental health and care specialist organisation, Lorac Holdings, has received its first group of migrant workers from Zimbabwe after successfully facilitating their recruitment and processing of visas.
Lorac Holdings, which was established in 2013 by Zimbabwean-born entrepreneur, Carole Nyakudya, has become one of the top impact organisations in terms of delivering mental health and learning disability services, targeting minor children and the youth.
In response to the growing demand for its services, which has shot up under the Covid-19 spell, Lorac Holdings was early this year awarded a sponsor license by the UK home office to recruit health personnel and support staff from outside the borders of its host country.
This breakthrough led to the launch of the ambitious international recruitment drive some four months ago, which culminated in the establishment of the Lorac Zimbabwe office. A similar footprint has been expanded into South Africa, Ghana and Uganda.
There has been a huge response to the programme, said Lorac Holdings, as many local applicants seek to grab the opportunity to work in the UK. Among those who applied and made it is Jillian Makaranga, a single mom of two girls, who applied to Lorac in early June and got her visa in late September.
“I was based in South Africa, in Capetown, running a small shop. I attended an interview and the team was very friendly and eventually, I was successful and here I am,” she said a few moments before her departure to the UK.
Taurai Ndegwere, who is married with two children, a daughter and a son, could not hide his joy in making the immigration breakthrough.
“The way the CEO (Nyakudya) presented the case on the launch of Lorac International on Facebook was so inspiring and I thought of giving it a go and I didn’t hesitate to apply,” he said
Another successful applicant, Kuda Hunda from Chitungwiza said: “I heard about Lorac on Facebook. I clicked on their link and saw this lady who was introducing a company.
“I heard about this opportunity and I called relatives and we discussed this and I decided to join the team,” he said.
Nontokozo Mbulayi (25), who is also from Zimbabwe, and is married, said Lorac has offered her a befitting opportunity.
“This opportunity suits my family because it accommodates everyone in my family because we can go together,” she said.
These are part of the successful applicants and their families who were received by Lorac Holdings at Birmingham International Airport recently and are already undergoing training to commence duty in the Diaspora.
In her remarks, Nyakudya, who is also Lorac Holdings’ chief executive officer, said her organisation was ready to deliver quality service and help transform the health sector while empowering the less privileged.
“Three months on after hard work, team working, sheer determination, drive, commitment, consistency, resilience and working together, we are proud to now begin our journey of delivering of a staff team that will now begin a journey of impacting the healthcare industry within the UK during our on-going recruitment process,” she said.
“This to us is at least a four-year project and beyond and in that time, we are optimistic that we, as Lorac International, will make an indelible mark and a positive impact on both the UK and the nations that are boldly coming up, standing firmly as we support and care and bring solutions to the healthcare industry right here in the UK.”
For two straight years, Nyakudya recalled, the world has woken up to timelines bidding farewell to loved ones, news and headlines telling of masses of people that have passed away or become unwell due to Covid-19.
“In the midst of this chaos came the opportunity to make an impact both the healthcare industry in which I have been diligently serving for the last 25 years and the continent of Africa, as well as my now home country, the United Kingdom,” she said.
“This is an exciting project, a product that we brought out into the market, filled with excitement with vision and potential, wanting to make an impact in the various communities that we come from.”
Prior to this opportunity coming forward, Nyakudya said there was no inclusion of support workers in their business pitch. Hence the ongoing international recruitment drive was unique as it gives a fair chance to different professional support staff to come and join thousands of healthcare and key workers who impact positively in the UK.
Specifically, Nyakudya said the last three months have seen an exponential growth of Lorac Holdings as the business has secured more contracts and awards, which will help the organisation to scale up both its local recruitment drive as well as international recruitment.
“This begins another leg of the journey that brings a new challenge to us as an organisation. Now, it’s really about the delivery of what we have promised in the beginning,” said Nyakudya.
“We are very proud to be coming back to receive into the UK our very first cohort of candidates as you heard them express their stories.
“We continue to be driven and motivated to empower, to deliver and have that faith that we, together can make that impact.”
A talented motivational speaker and devout Christian, Nyakudya, has challenged the new migrant workers to ‘make and break’ new ground and be that change their desire.
“From the SME position that we are, we are a growing organisation and haven’t reached our destination, we are only just starting. Our vision is to incorporate as much as we can, as much as our organisation can incorporate,” she said.
“By God’s grace, we have wonderful opportunities to interact with gifted and talented personnel.”