Kimberly-Clark gives with heart to cardiac unit
This year Kimberly-Clark South Africa (K-CSA) will support the Walter Sisulu Paediatric Cardiac Foundation (WSPCF) with monthly cash donations to use wherever the organisation feels its need is greatest.
The WSPCF is a philanthropic cardiac foundation which delivers life-saving surgery to underprivileged children with congenital heart disorders from across Africa. These operations are carried out at the Netcare Sunninghill Hospital in Johannesburg and the Netcare Christian Barnard Memorial and the Red Cross Children's Hospital's in Cape Town, To date 462 little hearts have been healed!
The foundation was established in by Dr Robin Kinsley, the Sisulu family and the Netcare Group of Hospitals in 2003 as a living legacy to the late Walter Sisulu, who had dedicated his life to helping children in need with his wife, Albertina. Amongst its patrons are former South African president, Nelson Mandela, and United Nations Global Messenger of Peace, Princess Haya Al-Hussein of Dubai
K-CSA head of corporate governance, Vijay Gajjar, says the WSPCF is close to K-CSA's heart and one of its longest-standing beneficiaries. "We have supported the foundation for four years by supporting their various fund-raising initiatives and providing financial assistance on an ad-hoc basis.
"This year we decided to formalise the process a little more by making monthly donations that the foundation can use wherever they see fit. The intention is to provide this worthy organisation with a sense of predictability via regular donations," says Gajjar.
He says the WSPCF falls within K-CSA's corporate social investment scope. "As a household and personal care company, our focus is on contributing to initiatives that are specifically related to the prevention and treatment of HIV/Aids, as well as general health care, child welfare and other social upliftment initiatives that benefit our communities," says Gajjar.
WSPCF CEO, Lynda Bleazard, says WSPCF thanks to K-CSA heartily for its support and sustainable partnering of the foundation over the past four years. "We appreciate the trust K-CSA places in us and affirm the difference the monthly donation makes towards helping us achieve our objectives," she says
In addition to its support of the WSPCF, K-CSA supports the Mercy Clinic run by the Sisters of Mercy in Winterveld, the "Give me a Chance" Children's Foundation and a hospice for children with HIV/aids, Beautiful Gate in Cape Town.
