The gift that keeps on giving hopes to continue its work in 2022 and the plans to make that happen have already been set in motion.
Gift of the Givers founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman explained that although the year of 2021 is nearly finished, the work that lies ahead for 2022 is already getting off the ground.
The global humanitarian, who was voted as the South African Person of the Year in 2021, said that as soon as the year 2020 ended, the work for the year 2021 begun.
“The Gift Of The Givers were actively involved in distributing C-PAP machines (oxygen machines) in the country and especially in hospitals in the Western Cape’s Garden Route.
“Hundreds of these life-saving machines were distributed to hospitals, paramedics, ambulance services in the second wave, where many people were dying as result of the absence of oxygen machines.
“This made a huge impact in the Western Cape and the country,” he said.
While this initiative was saving lives, Sooliman and his team were simultaneously upgrading infrastructure in hospitals.
Then there was the devastating UCT fire in April, which not only caused extensive damage to years of stored history, but also impacted the livelihood of students.
Sooliman said they immediately sprung into action feeding around 4 000 students, three times a day for a week.
“The support was incredible, from students, community members, alumni, and everyone in Cape Town. Within that week, we managed to deliver food to 37 hotels throughout the Cape,” he said.
He recalled more devastating fires which occurred right before Christmas.
“Around Christmas time, we got involved in supporting those affected in the Drommedaris informal settlement fire in Mbekweni where 90 houses were totally destroyed.
“We provided hot nutritious meals, mattresses, hygiene packs, baby packs and on December 23 we could deliver building material so that they could build a home by Christmas,” he said.
Sooliman said while they were delivering the packs, they were informed of another fire in Brickfield informal settlement in Simondium where 70 houses were destroyed.
“We supported those affected by providing hot meals, blankets and hygiene and baby packs, but could not deliver building material as all building companies had closed,” he said.
Sooliman added that they would, however, be supplying the building packs before the new year.
Sooliman and his team also made sure that areas in the Western Cape which were on a complete shutdown from the rest of the province during a cluster of Covid-19 outbreaks in August were well taken care of.
The organisation also supported many institutions, old-age homes and orphanages over the year and distributed over 5 000 food parcels and 10 000 meals in time for Christmas.
Sooliman added: “We renovated a boys and girls orphanage in Tulbagh, funded by Investec, and in addition, renovated the clinic attached to the orphanage which serves the community also.”
The Garden Route Floods which swept through many already poverty-stricken towns in November, saw Gift Of The Givers again lending a hand and arm.
More than 40 soup kitchens were set up, besides the support also given.
“Ironically, two weeks before the floods, we supported residents of Oudtshoorn who had lost their jobs in the hospitality sector because of drought prior to floods,” he said.
The organisation was also involved in joining forces with the SAPS to do programmes about gender-based violence.
The year ahead for the Gift Of The Givers is also already plotted out.
Sooliman said one of their initiatives started two weeks ago and would carry on into the new year.
“We supported Eerste River Hospital which started performing cataract operations.
“The first 18 patients were operated on two weeks ago, and from the new year there will be operations every two weeks. We will fund it for the entire year, every second weekend.
“We will also be involved in a joint initiative with Groote Schuur Hospital, where catch-up surgery for patients who require surgical procedures will be performed.
“There has been a backlog for almost a year and a half, so this will make a substantial contribution. More information about this will be announced some time next year,” Sooliman said.
Weekend Argus