1st for Women crowdfund to protect nurses fighting #Covid19SA, donate R500k as project launches

1st for Women Insurance has launched a crowdfunding campaign to support nurses on the frontline of Covid19, partnering with Gift of the Givers and Vula Mobile.

As Covid19 continues to spread and rise in South Africa, experts are concerned that the virus could disproportionately impact women. Globally, women make up 70% of the health and social sectors and according to the World Health Organisation, in Africa, 65% of nurses are women.

It’s with this in mind that 1st for Women Insurance and donations based crowdfunding platform, BackaBuddy have teamed up with Gift of the Givers and Vula Mobile to create a dedicated online crowdfunding campaign for nurses on the frontlines. Those that do so much for so many and who are working tirelessly at the coalface to fight the pandemic.

According to Robyn Farrell, CEO of 1st for Women Insurance, “With Nurse Insure, we surveyed nurses from across the country to ask about their immediate needs. The majority said psychosocial support as well as the provision of protective gear.”

To respond to the needs identified by nurses across the country, 1st for Women, launched a “For the Nurses” campaign on BackaBuddy and kick-started the fundraising effort with a R500 000 donation. Over R519 707.58 has been raised so far towards a fundraising target of  R1 000 000.00.

The funds raised will be distributed evenly between, non-profit organisation, The  Gift of the Givers and trusted medical referral network, Vula Mobile, to provide our nurses with the support they need. The Gift of the Givers will ensure that nurses across the country have the necessary protective gear to safeguard themselves against coronavirus. Vula Mobile, through their e-referral app and online system, will provide nurses, particularly those in rural areas, with psychosocial support.

“In addition to assisting our nurses, for our customers, we have a Nurse@First medical advice hotline which will be of great assistance, particularly to those in lockdown with small children, and which has now been enriched to provide Covid19 related advice,” notes Farrell.

“With so many initiatives geared towards much needed practical support, it is inspiring to see a project also geared towards cushioning the psychological impact of the coronavirus. We hope the public will continue to support our healthcare providers during this unprecedented time” – says BackaBuddy, COO, Catherine Du Plooy.