The Coronavirus pandemic has added to the complexity in our country, sending our stock market and currency plunging. Businesses are closing their doors and sending their workers home. It’s an unsettling, uncertain world out there.
This is not good news for South Africa’s non-profit organisations (NPOs), who provide critical services to millions of people in areas like health, education and poverty alleviation. For many of them, they rely heavily on the financial contributions of businesses to keep their doors open – and with many businesses being forced to cut back on their social impact spend during these tough times, their sustainability and impact will suffer even further.
In response to this crisis, Mergon has established an emergency Gap Fund, which will be used to stand in the gap for NPOs who have lost significant funding over the last few weeks due to the Coronavirus and economic landscape. It will also aid in any areas where the need for NPO services increase due to schools closing, parents being without work and remuneration while ‘work from home’ policies are implemented. The aim is to ultimately keep the NPOs doors open through this tough season, and ensure that the most vulnerable in our nation are cared for.
Funds contributed through Nation Builder to the Gap Fund, will be made available to a select group of vetted NPO’s. These NPO’s are doing incredible work on the ground in our local communities.
Right now, South Africa’s most vulnerable people need every bit of support they can get. It’s perfectly understandable that we want to focus on our own survival – but it’s vital that all of us, businesses and individuals, stand together, and make any contribution we can to get our nation through this crisis.
When NPOs close or scale back their activities because of a lack of funding, it’s our most vulnerable communities that suffer: women, children, the elderly, the infirm. And now, with children having to stay home from school, and parents losing income by not being able to work as a result of Coronavirus prevention measures, the demand for the support provided by our NPO community is going to grow exponentially.
We take hope from the fact that, despite the tough economic landscape, South African people and businesses are generous. While the reality of our subdued economy will continue to influence the social investment spend of business and corporates, we’re convinced that if we all truly commit ourselves to our country through a financial contribution or volunteer work, the results will be transformational.
View the Nation Builder BackaBuddy Campaign here.
Or deposit to the Nation Builder Trust account:
Nation Builder Trust
First National Bank
Cheque Account number: 62820343557
Branch code: 204-109
Reference: Gap Fund
