Standard Chartered Bank has donated 1,400 hygiene packs valued at nearly R 785,000 to the Smile Foundation. The packs, which will help disadvantaged children, their parents or guardian during their hospital stay when children undergo and recover from facial corrective surgery, will be distributed across 11 hospitals in South Africa.
Commenting on the donation, Kweku Bedu-Addo, CEO of Standard Chartered South Africa & Southern Africa says, “Standard Chartered Bank’s purpose is rooted in our communities and underpinned by our brand promise to be Here for Good. We believe the work that the Smile Foundation does add value to the lives and wellbeing of children in our communities and the children suffering from facial anomalies who receive reconstructive surgery. This donation aligns with the Bank’s community investment strategy to make a positive impact on children in our communities.”
The Smile Foundation aims to offer solutions to children from all walks of life with surgery for cleft palate and lip anomalies, reconstructive surgery for burn victims, treatment for facial paralysis and more. The main goal is to ensure that these children have as much chance as anyone else to grow into healthy individuals without having to endure the discomfort, pain and emotional scarring that can result from some of these conditions.
Smile Foundation CEO Kim Robertson-Smith says, “We would like to thank Standard Chartered Bank, for making a difference in the lives of those that need it the most. Mentally, emotionally and physically, being clean and cared for allows everyone to feel better about themselves. On behalf of Smile Foundation and all the children and their families that are going to benefit from this impactful and vital donation, we are incredibly grateful.”
“The children and their families are mostly not in a financial position to afford essential hygiene products, something as simple as a disposable nappy or deodorant is a luxury rather than a necessity,” adds Smith.
Standard Chartered Bank has a long-standing relationship with the Smile Foundation and has made donations to the Smile Foundation in previous years. In 2020, the Bank donated N95 facemasks to the Smile Foundation at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. This donation ensured that despite the pandemic, healthcare professionals could continue to provide vital healthcare and surgeries to children in our communities.
“We are committed to supporting areas where there is most need, that is why we continue to partner with organisations like the Smile Foundation because they have first-hand knowledge of the various challenges faced in our communities, “adds Bedu-Addo.
