#CoronavirusSA: Gift of the Givers Launch Crowdfund to Support Doctors on the Frontline

In the face of the potential pandemic, The Gift of The Givers is issuing a call to action to all South African citizens, private & corporate, individuals and companies, to come together and support the medical staff and facilities on the frontline, who will be treating those affected by the coronavirus.

To raise funds to empower doctors, nurses and medical staff across South Africa with the supplies and equipment needed for them to carry out the vital work they are doing, a campaign has been launched on donations based crowdfunding platform, BackaBuddy.

“The aim of the campaign is to support high-risk medical professionals in the front line dealing with infected patients and the patients themselves both through protective equipment, ventilators and other essential supplies in the quest to preserve life.

“Right now there is no emergency but preparing in advance to support overburdened government health facilities is a reasonable approach in the interests of all South Africans. Hence the funds raised will be allocated as mentioned, and if we can escape unscathed, then they will still be directed to upgrading emergency services,” Imtiaz Sooliman – Founder of Gift of the Givers… which is the largest disaster response non-governmental organisation of African origin on the African continent.

To support the campaign, Vula Mobile, a network of over 11 000 health professionals in South Africa, has come onboard to help identify the areas in need of support, so that funds can be directed where they are most needed.

Since the launch of the crowdfunding campaign on the 14th of March 2020, a total of R3485.97 has already been raised with contributions from 7 donors both locally and abroad. By supporting the campaign, donors qualify for a Section 18A tax certificate issued by The Gift of The Givers.

Coming together to beat Corona

“Our reason-for-being at BackaBuddy is to enable communities of people to come together to do something positive. In the face of Covid-19, we want to help build a movement of people who support the Doctors, nurses and medical staff treating those who fall ill. This pandemic is bigger than any ideology, we need to stand together as a nation, private, corporate and government to give us the best chance we have of containing the pandemic in South Africa,” says Patrick Schofield, BackaBuddy CEO.

Support The Gift of The Givers in fighting the coronavirus by making a donation on BackaBuddy: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/coronavirus-support