STANDARD BANK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SALDANHA BAY MUNICIPALITY
STANDARD BANK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SALDANHA BAY MUNICIPALITY AND WoSA PARTNERS DONATES COVID-19 COMPLIANCE PPE TO THE VALUE OF R 500,000
On Wednesday, 3 March 2021, 170 Early Childhood Development (ECD) educational facilities, distributed across the 14 municipal wards in Saldanha Bay Municipality, received care packs with COVID-19 personal protective equipment (PPE) consumables ranging from disposable face masks to various disinfectants. The value of each care pack is estimated at approximately R 3,000.
This generous and much needed donation was financially made possible by Standard Bank South Africa to the Saldanha Bay Municipality in conjunction with its Whole of Society Approach (WoSA) partners, namely the Early Learning Resources Unit (ELRU), Grassroots Educare Trust and the Western Cape Government’s Department of Social Development (DSD).
One of the receiving ECD centre’s principals noted with appreciation that, “Every little bit helps. For us, every Rand counts. In this instance the little actually means a lot!” When discussions between Standard Bank and Saldanha Bay Municipality were initiated in late 2020 about possible support to ensure ECD service continuity within the municipal area, it was specifically directed at ways to alleviate the severely negative financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on this sector. At best a small contribution was expected, but a substantial donation to the value of R 500, 000, was wishful thinking!
The vision to be able to make a contribution, became a reality in November of 2020 when Standard Bank confirmed their donation to assist the early childhood development centres in the area to achieve and maintain COVID-19 compliance status and thereby ensure that these facilities remain open and continue a safe education and child care service to its users. The COVID-19 operating compliance cost inevitably necessitated additional expenses for ECDs. Already hard hit by long closing periods and loss of income during 2020, such additional expenses were simply not provided for in centre budgets. It goes without saying that the Standard Bank donation contributed considerably to ease the financial burden.
Several items such as disposal adult and children’s masks, spray guns and sanitiser tablets, rubber gloves, disposable paper rolls, bleach, tissue paper, toilet rolls, disinfectant and soap were received.
Saldanha Bay Municipality and its WoSA partners Early Learning Resources Unit (ELRU), Grassroots Educare Trust and the Western Cape Government’s Department of Social Development (DSD), would like to sincerely thank Standard Bank for their insight and this donation of PPE that will go a long way in making a significant impact on many young lives.
Photographs:
- Speaker of Saldanha Bay Municipality, Alderman Olwene Daniels, together with various role players and representatives from the ECDs who received the COVID-19 care packs donated by Standard Bank.
- Delivery of the care packs to 170 local Early Childhood Development (ECD) centres takes place.
- The much needed content of the care packs displayed.
- Illustrating the content of the PPE care packs.