PRESS RELEASE: MTN’s countrywide staff-volunteerism drive helps ease burden on those hit hardest by COVID-19

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa – 5th AUGUST 2020, –/ Centre for African Journalists (CAJ News), MTN’s nationwide food, and health-focused staff-volunteerism drive has helped thousands of people in vulnerable communities across South Africa in June (Youth Month) and July (Mandela Month) – giving them hope for a brighter tomorrow.

“At MTN, our aim is to limit the impact of COVID-19 on society and restore dignity to our communities in these trying times. We committed ourselves to help in a structured, tangible way and are pleased with the results, having helped nourish and protect so many in the communities we serve across SA,” says Kusile Mtunzi-Hairwadzi, General Manager of the MTN SA Foundation.

The two-month programme culminated with MTN staff in Gauteng successfully handing over six support packages, which included food parcels and personal protective equipment (PPE) worth R100,000. The North West office also gave back within their province in July.

The contributions in the two provinces included the donation of blankets to three children’s homes after it was learned that children there were in dire need of warmth during the cold winter months.

In partnership with The Hon Chief Whip Dr Pemmy Majodina, MTN Foundation donated a water tank and face masks for the elderly and front-line workers from Empilisweni Hospital in Sterkspruit.

Dzulani Childcare Centre, an orphanage which does not receive any funding from the government, received much needed food and toiletry supplies for the 22 children it protects, with urgent financial support being provided when MTN discovered that the centre was in dire financial straits due to COVID-19 fallout.

In addition, food hampers and female dignity packs were provided for women via the Life 4 U Foundation NPO in Diepsloot.

Other beneficiaries of packages included the Zenzele Counselling Project in Finetown, St. Nicholas Children’s Home (Central Johannesburg) and Vaal Echoes Care (Sharpeville).

The interventions in Gauteng and North West served to build onto those achieved across all other provinces in South Africa, which were rolled out in June and earlier in July. Each region had received R100,000 from the MTN SA Foundation to provide support to worthy causes in the regions.

In the Free State, food and PPE, to help limit the spread of the virus and keep more people safe and healthy, was handed over at Free State Care in Action.

The Masisizane Service Centre, a KwaZulu-Natal-based non-profit organisation, that primarily provides day-care services to pensioners and orphans in the Inanda community, received food parcels.

Further to this, MTN employees in KZN enthusiastically collected funds, in their personal capacities, to contribute to the programme beneficiaries. A regional MTN MoMo (mobile money) account was opened for MTN staff to transfer their donations into. This resulted in an overall staff collection of R11,000 which was used to purchase additional vegetable combos from the local Ndundula Fruit and Veg Market (also handed over in the Inanda community).

Meanwhile, in the Northern Cape, food and PPE was contributed to Sammu Environmental Outreach.

In Cape Town, the main beneficiaries were schools in need. Mountainview High School in Hanover Park, Cape Town, is a school for students who have been impacted by gangsterism, community drug- and alcohol- abuse, in addition to widespread poverty and over-crowding. Astra School in Montana, Cape Town, provides education to special needs students.

MTN staff in the Western Cape also contributed a portion of their support funds to the River Club IT2G (In It 2Gether) hunger relief programme.

In the Eastern Cape, the MTN regional office worked closely with the Eastern Cape Department of Social Services which saw 100 food, water and PPE packs being distributed in the region

“The commitment of our staff continues to shine through, and we must applaud their unwavering dedication to do more for those in need over the past two months.

“At MTN we believe that we have a role to play in being a force for good. The hardship caused by COVID-19 cuts deep, but by working together we can bring back hope for a better tomorrow,” concludes Mtunzi-Hairwadzi.

Distributed by Centre for African Journalists (CAJ News) on behalf of MTN

ISSUED BY:
Leigh-Ann Chetty, Senior Manager: Public Relations, MTN SA
Cell: 083 209 1310
E-mail: Leigh-Ann.Chetty@mtn.com

Mthokozisi Ndlovu, Manager: Communications and Public Relations, MTN SA
Cell: 083 209 2683
E-mail: Mthokozisi.Ndlovu@mtn.com

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