Santam has donated a selection of desperately needed office equipment, stationery and a stove to the Amogetšanang Drop-in Centre in Ga-Makweya, Polokwane Province. The non-profit organisation works with neglected children infected and affected by poverty, HIV/AIDS and those who have difficulties coping at school. It assists the learners with school work, life skills and provides them with a daily meal.
Amogetšanang is a non-profit organisation formed three years ago and operates from Rebecca Makwea’s garage. The NGO approached Santam for assistance and the company donated a colour printer, a desktop computer, stationary, a much needed stove and some garden tools. Says Makwea: “Santam’s donation is an invaluable one. The equipment will assist Amogetšanang with its day to day administration duties. We will also now be able to generate income by providing administrative services to the broader community for a minimal charge. In addition, the garden equipment will allow the centre to start its own vegetable garden, thereby increasing our opportunity for a sustainable food source.”
Amogetšanang accommodates up to 103 children between the ages of three and 17 years, including 20 orphans. A major challenge facing the centre is the limited access to resources such as water, electricity and telephone lines, made even more difficult by the fact that the home is situated in rural Polokwane.
The donation from Santam will assist Amogetšanang in assisting more people in the wider community than only those children directly dependent on the centre. ” We endeavour to partner with organisations that work with communities and impact people’s lives directly. This is in keeping with our efforts to provide a world of certainty to communities who are often uncertain about how their basic needs are going to be met,” says: Ray-ann Sedres, Head of Sustainability at Santam.
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