Bank Windhoek has donated N.dollars 500 000 to the Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN) toward their annual Cancer Apple Project.
The bank’s Head of Social Investments, Sponsorship and Events, Bronwyn Moody in a media statement availed to Nampa on Wednesday said taking the impact of COVID-19 into consideration, Bank Windhoek has decided to make the monetary contribution to CAN under the bank’s Cancer Apple Project, instead of selling apples to raise funds.
Regarded as one of the most significant corporate responsibility undertakings in Namibia and raising a total of N.dollars 30.5 million since its inception, the Bank Windhoek Cancer Apple Project was gearing up to celebrate its 20th anniversary before the measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 were put in place.
Moody said due to COVID-19 it will be impossible to fully run the project this year, adding that in their efforts to fight the pandemic, they decided to reschedule this year’s celebration to 2021.
“As a connector of positive change, our assistance to CAN is to help in its efforts of fighting cancer in our communities during these difficult times,” Moody was quoted as saying in the statement.
She said last year’s Bank Windhoek Cancer Apple Project donation of N. dollars 2.5 million is being used during CAN’s 2020 financial year budget.
“The annual National Cancer Outreach Programme commenced in January 2020 with community clinics in Rehoboth, Aranos, Stampriet, Mariental and Kalkrand. In February, outreaches took place in the Zambezi Region and Kavango East and West Regions,” she said.
On his part, CAN Chief Executive Officer Rolf Hansen said the bank’s donation will go a long way as they fight both COVID-19 and cancer in Namibia.
“The donations and the collected funds, amongst others, enable CAN to create awareness, conduct outreach programmes and screen Namibians for cervical and prostate cancer throughout the 14 regions at no cost,” he said.
The funds raised through the project last year assisted the patient financial assistance programme at CAN and paediatric cancer patient care in Namibia.