IT Company helps feed disadvantaged children

The Refilwe Community project in Lanseria today received a welcome donation of nutrition packs - enough to feed 190 disadvantaged children for six months.

The community project, in the Drummond settlement near Lanseria, was launched in 1991 to provide primary health treatment. As a little girl, Jean Stewart, the Sister in charge of Refilwe, dreamed of one day having her very own hospital. She saw herself walking between rows and rows of beds, filled with people needing love, care and medical attention.

Fifteen years ago, this dream became a reality when she and project coordinator Yvonne Jacques, started primary health treatment in the corner of a small hall in the Drummond settlement - and the Christian Clinic / Refilwe Community project was officially started.

Today, the project addresses a number of diverse needs in this severely disadvantaged, ever-growing community.

The nutrition packs, valued at nearly R40 000, were donated by the Compuware Corporation SA, in an attempt to improve the quality of life of Refilwe's children.

Compuware's support of this project is part of its ongoing efforts to help alleviate the Aids and nutrition crisis facing many communities in South Africa today.

"Compuware works with specialist organisation CompuTainer, which - together with its suppliers - ships more than 200 000 nutrition packs, providing 2 million meals, per month," says Melindie Coetzee, Compuware's HR and CSI manager.

"Dealing with the HIV/AIDS epidemic has become a major challenge for all South African companies, and Compuware is no exception. The correct and proper management of HIV/Aids is critical for the wellbeing of our employees as well as the future viability of the company.

"As the epidemic has progressed and best practice has emerged, Compuware has pledged to attempt to reduce HIV transmission, change high-risk sexual behaviour and remove social stigmatisation as well as discrimination," says Coetzee. "Compuware therefore concentrates on HIV/Aids management programmes that include training, status checking and nutritional care."