Mbabane – The Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC) has once again extended its giving hand by donating over E1.3 million to 13 organizations to help assist in their day-to-day operations.
When presenting the donated funds, EEC managing director Ernest Mkhonta said the company is committed to serving and giving back to the society in which it lives in.
He said the company’s social initiative is an integrated part of the company’s overall set of activities.
“These are not limited to only commercial concerns, but as a company, we strive to create value in the lives of all related stakeholders where possible,” he said.
He explained that EEC endeavors to stand by its core values; which are service excellence, honesty and integrity, respect and the reason vie are all here today, social responsibility.
“Giving back to society is with the intention of improving the quality of life in the communities in which we conduct our business. This has now far surpassed the idea of the initiative being a ‘responsibility’ to the company as the word no longer defines how the company has met its mandate to ensure that on a yearly basis, EEC invests in the development of communities,” he said.
He stated that the CSI programme is supported by five pillars where it strive to deliver programmes in education, health environment, social and economic development and safety and security.
“Over the years our company has contributed millions of emalangeni in the education sector all around the four regions of the country and evident by the monetary funds the company has ploughed to education related activities. Donations that have been made in a fully respect over the years include the provision of a fully furnished computer laboratory, administration block, educational equipment, schools refurbishment, and access of water supply among many more,” he said.
He stated that as the country gears towards vision 2022, EEC is also supportive of socio-economic development to ensure investment towards enterprise development.
He said not only does EEC provide for socioeconomic development through direct sponsorships, but EEC contributes in this initiative through job creation (sub-contractors).
He said the company, during these trying times, has saw it fit not to drop the ball on its annual activity of assisting organizations that have a well-rounded track record of dedicating their existence towards the betterment of communities in Eswatini.
He said now more than ever, such organisations are in dire need of assistance in order to successfully carry on with their mandate.
He said the advent of the coronavirus (covid-19) left very devastating impacts in all four corners of the globe, to which Eswatini was not spared.
“This economic and social weakening virus has left families without sources of income due to either the loss (death) of family members who are bread winners or layoffs owing to failing businesses.
With this economic and social environment, non- governmental organisations have found themselves in a situation where their importance and need in communities has gravely increased. However on the other hand activities performed by such organisations to generate capital for supporting underprivileged citizen of the country have been halted due to covid-19 restrictions,” he said.
He said the company has requested for the presence of 13 organisations in the country, whose existence is solely to assist in the development of communities and by extension, areas in which the company has settled as EEC workstations are spread around the country.
In addition to the donations, he said the company has made, within the current financial year, a E2 million donation which was directed to the reconstruction fund of Eswatini.
BELOW ARE THE RECEPIENTS OF DONATIONS TODAY:
| BENEFICIARY | DESCRIPTION | AMOUNT (E) |
| 1. sos Children’s Village | Annual support towards adopted EEC house and ensuring children have a loving family, roots in the community, an education, career guidance and other opportunities. | 50 000.00 |
| 2. Hope House | Assistance to give a quality care to clients admitted from all the regions of the kingdom of Eswatini to provide care and support in the field of palliative Nursing care. | 50 000.00 |
| 3. Cheshire Homes | Support towards providing quality rehabilitative services which are accessible, appropriate and affordable to all people, specifically focusing on COVID-19 preventative measures such as disposable masks, gloves, therapy aprons and sanitizers. | 50 000.00 |
| 4. Baphalali Eswatini Red Cross | Support towards the establishment of well-constructed houses for the most vulnerable and disadvantaged households affected by cyclone Eloise. | 580 000.00 |
| 5. Junior Achievement | Support towards National Competition where students are encouraged to come up with products that enhance energy saving and showcase their entrepreneurial talent and ambitions that they have in bringing lasting solutions to some of the key concerns of the country. | 50 000.00 |
| 6. Enactus | Support in mobilizing students to implement projects | 80 000.00 |
| Breast Cancer Network | Sponsorship from EEC will enable EBCCN to reach 50 000.00 Network more people with vital information on breast and cervical cancer that could influence regular screening lifestyles and thereby promoting early detection. EBCCN has been able to coordinate and provide cancer education to the community and also provide psycho social support to patients and their families through counselling, home and hospital visits and provision of food parcels to financially challenged patients | 50 000.00 |
| Hospice at Home | Support towards medication and medical supplies 90 000.00 Home needed in caring for the sick, inclusive food supplements for clients who have difficulty swallowing and those undergoing severe side effects of the treatment, especially chemotherapy. | 90 000.00 |
| Caritas Eswatini | Donation to provide material for the refurbishment of 5 86 127.80 Eswatini Neighbourhood Care Points (NCPs) which were destroyed by storms. NCPs are part of Caritas’ Orphan aid welfare program whose centers provide children with informal education, PSS, food nutrition, health and hygiene, and love and compassion. | 86 127.80 |
| Diabetes Eswatini | Donation to support advocacy in support of people 50 000.00 Eswatini living with diabetes mellitus and hypertension | 50 000.00 |
| NDMA Through Resource Mobilization Committee (NRMC) | Donation to support Government’s comprehensive and 200,000.00 through coherent Emergency Response Operation in order to Resource curtail the spread of COVID-19 threat through Mobilization facilities, goods and services required as part of Committee emergency response | 200 000.00 |
| TOTAL: | 1,336,127.80 |
OTHER DONATIOS:
| 1. | UNESWA (Reequipping electrical lab) | 500,000.00 |
| 2. | CRIME PREVENTION | 447,972.40 |
| 3. | RSWATINI RECONSTRUCTION FUND | 2,000,000.00 |
| 4. | MHLATANE HIGH SCHOOL (Tuition support for student who obtained in Grade 7, now in Form 5) | 17,000.00 |
| TOTAL | 2,964,972.40 |
| DISBURSMENTS: | 1,336,127.80 |
| OTHER DONATIONS | 2,964,972.40 |
| TOTAL: | 3,401,100.20 |
