As a Caring and Responsible Business and pursuant to an appeal to the private sector by the President of the Republic of Namibia, H.E. Dr. Hage G. Geingob, Old Mutual Namibia has pledged to donate N$5 million (Five Million Namibia Dollars) towards the nation-wide efforts to help address some of the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Specific areas of support include provision of food to the poor and the vulnerable communities; technical equipment and allowances for payment of recruited medical professionals.
Old Mutual Namibia recognises that the COVID-19 pandemic requires a concerted and committed response by all stakeholders, including the private sector.
Our commitment includes:
1. Funds to provide food supplies to the poor and the vulnerable: N$1 million (One million Namibia Dollars)
We pledge N$1 Million (One million Namibia Dollars) towards the supply and delivery of food to the poor, old age homes, orphanages as well as vulnerable communities. Old Mutual Namibia recognises that a large portion of the poor and the vulnerable receive their limited income from daily/hourly labour which they will not be able to earn during the lockdown. Therefore, to mitigate this, Old Mutual Namibia will provide non-perishable foods to the poor and vulnerable members of our society.
2. Expanding COVID-19 testing capacity: N$2,7 million (Two million, seven hundred thousand Namibia Dollars)
a) N$1,7 Million (One million seven hundred thousand Namibia Dollars) to acquire testing equipment, broaden scale of testing and the procurement of test kits. b) N$ 1 Million (One million Namibia Dollars) towards strengthening tracing capacity including equipment, tools and services required for effective tracing.
Experience gained and lessons learned from countries that have been fighting the impact of COVID-19 reveal that large scale testing followed by effective tracing and isolation and treatment significantly contribute to early “flattening of the exponential infection curve” which will alleviate the pressure on our limited health facilities.
3. Targeted pledge to contribute to the National Disaster Fund: COVID-19 to mitigate impact of COVID-19: N$1,3M (One million three hundred thousand Namibia Dollars)
This targeted pledge to the National Disaster Fund: COVID-19 is geared towards the payment of allowances to temporarily recruited medical professionals such as recently graduated medical students and nurses who might be recalled by the Government to assist.
There is no doubt that Namibia faces an uncertain future as the threat of COVID-19 impacts our communities and pose a significant risk to the domestic economy. As a company that cares for the communities who so much depend on us, Old Mutual will continue to do everything possible to provide the much-needed support.
During this trying times, Old Mutual Namibia is keeping to our credo of being a certain friend in uncertain times. In the words of Old Mutual Group CEO, Kosmas Egumbo: “we join and encourage other actors in our society to do more in collectively preventing COVID-19. This is because, as World Health Organisation Director General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus aptly put it that we can make a difference by “Not testing alone. Not contact tracing alone. Not quarantine alone. Not social distancing alone. Do it all”.