Mbabane: The Eswatini Electricity Company (EEC) has pledged more than E4 million in its Corporate Social Investment Initiatives during the course of the 2020/2021 financial year. This was announced by the Managing Director, Ernest Mkhonta during an event in which the company donated an amount of E1 336 127.80 to 13 non-governmental organizations.
Speaking at the EEC Headquarters, Mkhonta emphasized that as a company they are committed to giving back to society with the intention of improving the quality of life in the communities in which they conduct their business.
Central to this, the company’s focus is to deliver fiscal programmes in education, health, environment, social and economic development, safety, and security. “The advent of the COVID-19 Pandemic left very devastating impacts in all four corners of the globe, to which Eswatini was not spared.”
“With this economic and social environment, non-governmental organizations have found themselves in a situation where their importance and need in communities have gravely increased. However, on the other hand, activities performed by such organizations to generate capital for supporting underprivileged citizens of the country have been halted due to COVID-19 restrictions.”
During the current financial year, the EEC has also donated E2 Million towards the Reconstruction Fund. The fund was established by King Mswati III in order to reconstruct the businesses that were destroyed during the political and social unrest in June.
Other beneficiaries from the EEC Corporate Social Investment Initiative include the University of Eswatini who received Five Hundred Thousand Emalangeni (E500 000.00) for their Electrical and Engineering Laboratory. The Royal Eswatini Police Service’s Crime Prevention Unit received just under Four Hundred and Fifty Thousand Emalangeni (E450 000.00), and Seventeen Thousand Emalangeni (E17 000.00) towards a vulnerable learner at Mhlatane High School.
Speaking on behalf of the recipient non-governmental organizations, Danger Nhlabatsi from the Baphalali Red Cross confirmed that they had indeed suffered due to the Covid 19 Pandemic. Nhlabatsi said, “as organizations that have benefitted from the donations we will now have the means to assist the communities that we serve and put these resources to good use.”
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