Bereng Mpaki
INSURANCE giant Alliance Insurance Group on Friday announced a M1.5 million response package to assist vulnerable communities affected by the Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
The group has identified three vulnerable sectors that include orphanages and old age home care facilities, street vendors who sell perishable goods and lastly persons with high daily interaction with the public including taxi operators and police officers among others.
Orphanages and old people’s homes, 17 of which are in Maseru, were on Friday handed food parcels during the handover event. Other facilities that are outside Maseru will receive their food parcels starting today.
Street vendors will each receive a purchase voucher to replenish their lost stocks to help their businesses remain afloat.
The group that has high daily interaction with the public in its line of duty such as taxi operators and police officers among others will be supplied with reusable face masks to mitigate the spread of Covid-19.
Alliance Insurance Group’s head of marketing and communication ‘Makeabetsoe Mabaleha said helping the affected members of the society was her group’s way of ploughing back to the community.
She said the funds used to assist Covid-19 victims was raised from the company’s U Mang Funeral Cover, which sets aside a certain percentage of its sales for re-investment into the community.
“We have noted with great concern the worldwide spread of the Covid-19 pandemic and the impact it is having on the economy, companies and households,” Ms Mabaleha said.
“As a responsible corporate citizen, we are committed to ensuring that we make a positive impact in the lives of Basotho, and truly embrace our motto: “Always there for Basotho”.
“We have set aside M1.5 million which will be used to assist some of the vulnerable communities affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. We have identified three sectors to reach out to, which will be assisted in a phased approach.”
Despite the economic hardships that have bedeviled Lesotho in recent years, Alliance Insurance Group has soldiered on and made a difference in people’s lives. The group’s support is therefore, testimony “that we are in this together with Basotho”.
The support could have been impossible without Alliance customers’ contribution and this was one way that the company is ploughing back, Ms Mabaleha said.
For her part, Rethabile Mahopolo from Semonkong Children’s Centre, expressed gratitude to Alliance Insurance saying the assistance would go a long way towards building the future of the children in their care.
She said Covid-19 had negatively affected her organisations ability to generate income since its hospitality business has not had bookings since February 2020.
“We are grateful to Alliance for coming to our rescue in these tough times. We normally generate our own income but unfortunately, Covid-19 has cost us business at our lodge,” Ms Mahopolo said.
Minister of Social Development, ‘Matebatso Doti, who also graced the ceremony said all children must be taken care of regardless of their circumstances.
“This is the right time to reach out to vulnerable children and the elderly given the challenge of Covid-19. We should all advocate for the rights of all children especially the vulnerable ones.
“The government has interventions in place to assist vulnerable groups among the society but it is never enough, so this assistance by Alliance Insurance will be useful towards closing that gap,” Ms Doti said.
