FNB helps out at Samaritan Centre
In an effort to make a difference in the community and celebrate Mandela Day, First National Bank (FNB) donated food parcels to the Samaritan Centre on Monday.
POLOKWANE – Mandela Day was launched on 18 July 2009 by a unanimous decision of the UN General Assembly to celebrate the international icon, Nelson Mandela’s birthday. It was inspired by a call Nelson Mandela made a year earlier where he urged the next generation to take on the burden of leadership in addressing the world’s social injustices when he said: “It is in your hands now”.
Mandela Day is a global movement to honour the icon’s life and efforts to rid South Africa of apartheid, and act to change the world for the better.
Leoni Whitehead, FNB representative, said they have various projects every third quarter which aim to make a difference in people’s lives. She said they decided to donate food parcels and sweets to the children and spent their 67 minutes at the centre.
“It is such an honour to donate to the centre because we know life is not easy for the children housed here. We choose beneficiaries by first assessing their needs and then assisting them accordingly,” said Whitehead.
Patricia Shibambo, Samaritan Centre Coordinator, thanked FNB for the donation and said it will help the centre. She said the centre started with only one child in 2002 and now they house 47 children.
She said children are placed in the centre by social workers after receiving a court order to remove them from the care of their parents. The House assists in getting the children adopted or reunited with their families at a later stage.
