Race Charities
Giving Back Through Running
With two official race charities, the Lambano Sanctuary and the The Namaqua Dog & Donkey Foundation, benefitting
from voluntary donations from entrants in the Dis-Chem Half Marathon & 5km Dash Fun Run, the runners taking on this
iconic race in 2020 are set to make a difference in the lives of many other people and animals.
For the Children...
The Lambano Sanctuary was founded in 2001
and is a fully registered residential care facility for
orphaned and vulnerable children infected with
HIV. The organisation was established in response
to the lack of facilities caring for HIV children at
that time. Today Lambano has grown to four homes permanently caring for 28 HIV
positive children between the ages of 9 and 19.
In 2009, we opened the first dedicated
Paediatric Medical Stepdown Facility/Hospice
in Gauteng, initially only taking in HIV+ children.
And having gained experience in caring for ill
children, we expanded our service to care for
children with all life-limiting and life-threatening
illnesses. These children have virtually no hope
for survival, yet 85% of these tiny dependents
beat the odds.
With unwavering dedication and unconditional love, we micro-manage each child,
going to exceptional lengths to secure the best medical treatment for them. We not
only care for the child, but we take care of all the social needs of their families as
well. We have built strong relationships with public medical services and a pool of
private doctors and hospitals that provide services at a significantly reduced rate,
if not pro-bono. Our 16-bed facility is run by 22 dedicated, medically trained staff
members, from a doctor down to caregivers.
We also have a home-based care section that looks after the patients after their
discharge. We are completely transparent in all our processes and are accredited
by the Hospice Palliative Care Association of SA (HPCA). As such, we are strictly
monitored and evaluated in every aspect, from financial management and
governance to broader quality assurance.
As an NGO, we rely heavily on funds in order to care for each child under our
care, allowing us to provide education, food, clothing, housing and specialised
medical care. With a little love and care, anything is possible, so visit www.
lambano.org.za for more information, or contact Fundraising Coordinator
Portia Mlangeni on [email protected]
Double the Money!
Even better news for these two official race charities is
that the Dis-Chem Foundation has pledged to match
all voluntary additional donations from participants to
either of charity, over and above their entry fee for the
2020 event.
The Dis-Chem Foundation is a beneficiary of the
Dis-Chem Benefit Programme, whereby each time
For the Animals...
The Namaqua Dog & Donkey Foundation’s
main focus is outreach work focusing on the
sterilisation, vaccination and on-site treatment
of animals in informal settlements on the
East Rand. Our organisation was started in
2005 to help people in rural areas who could
not afford these basic services. As a result,
many animals were suffering and dying
unnecessarily from not being vaccinated.
What we do is to focus on where we can
make the biggest difference in the lives of these people and their animals, hence
our mission is “To improve the quality of life of disadvantaged domestic animals by
sterilisation, inoculation, deworming and dipping, and to educate owners as to the
benefit of animal health and welfare.”
We often hear the criticism that people should not have animals if they cannot
afford to look after them properly, but please don’t confuse poverty with deliberate
cruelty or neglect. Often people do not have access to basic pet care, or they have
never heard of annual vaccinations, nor dipping – and they don’t have the funds for
these even if they are aware of them. That said, these owners share whatever little
food they have with their dogs. As a result, these dogs go everywhere with their
owners, and are extremely loyal to them. This is where we come in, to make this
bond even stronger.
Sterilisation is where we can have the biggest impact. By reducing the population
of unwanted animals, we cut down on inhumane culling, reduce the number of
dogs straying, fighting, forming feral packs, etc. and turn these sterilised animals
into better, healthier, more conditioned pets.
In order to continue making a difference, and extending our benefits to
other areas, we need sponsorship. Our work relies entirely on funding from
sponsors. For more information on the Namaqua Dog & Donkey Foundation
(NDDF), visit our Facebook page.
a Benefit member swipes their card when purchasing
something, Dis-Chem donates a percentage of the
eligible purchase to the Foundation. That makes
it possible for our team of compassionate social
workers and caregivers to work closely with registered
NGOs to support and improve the lives of struggling
communities, impoverished families, abused children,
abandoned babies, young girls who need sanitary
pads, and people in need of healthcare services.
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