Nycomed South Africa are committed to making a contribution to the welfare of less fortunate South Africans and run a formally coordinated programme of Corporate Social Responsibility. Activities focus on a diverse and continually changing selection of institutions.
Some recent areas of activity include:
- The Village Safe Haven provide a foster home to orphans and abandoned or abused children, all of whom are either HIV positive or directly affected by HIV. They also have a number of projects and initiatives in place where meals are provided to children in township areas. As their normal kitchen was not big enough to cope with the volumes, they converted an area of their back yard to an outdoor kitchen. However, if it rained, they were unable to prepare the meals and Nycomed South Africa stepped in and provided them with an awning that would extend their kitchen and enable them to prepare hundreds of meals outside each week, irrespective of weather conditions.
- Hospice provide Palliative care for terminally patients. Nycomed South Africa has sponsored the training of 6 Hospice nurses annually, for the next 3 years.
- The Bigshoes Foundations aim is to improve the medical care of orphaned and vulnerable children, especially those affected by HIV/AIDS. Interventions are made at specific “points of vulnerability” in the life space of the child; these include abandonment, institutionalisation, terminal illness and disease. Nycomed South Africa contributed financially towards the cost of a palliative care paediatricians salary.
- The Dischem Foundation recently looked for pledges from corporates to purchase blankets to assist less fortunate South Africans through the Winter, Nycomed South Africa contributed significantly.
- Two young hockey players from Diepsloot, Baba and Pakamile, were selected for the district hockey team but could not afford to purchase the required kit. The development coach, who actually started the team to try and keep young children out of trouble, was also unable to purchase the required kit and Nycomed South Africa stepped in to purchase the gear for the two boys and their coach.
- George Moetari Hospital in Ga-Rankuwa, four industrial wall fans have been purchased for the Neurology ward by Nycomed South Africa.