Deon Schlechter
WINDHOEK – Having served the Namibian community for 99 years, Old Mutual has expressed its grave concern about farmers suffering in one of the worst droughts in decades which has caused President Hage Geingob to declare it a national disaster.
The situation prompted the well-respected insurance company to donate N$100 000 to the Namibian Farmers Drought Relief Initiative, programmed by its chairperson Henriëtte le Grange who received the cheque during a formal ceremony just outside of Windhoek on the B26 leading to the Khomas Hochland.
Ndangi Katoma, the Executive for Marketing, Communications and Marketing strategy at Old Mutual told guests that Old Mutual has a deep sense of responsibility to all shareholders, the community and the environment in which it operates. With this contribution, Old Mutual has thus far donated N$485 000 to drought relief programmes, after it recently handed over N$385 000 to the Dare to Care Fund.
He stressed that Old Mutual’s money was to support struggling farmers in all regions and thanked Le Grange and her helpers for the enormous awareness campaign on the dire impact of the prevailing drought ravaging the country and in particular the farming community across Namibia.
“The diverse and wide network of supporters that the Namibian Farmers Drought Support Programme has mobilised over the past few months, has not only brought much relief to farming families during these unfortunate conditions, but it also provided moral support and a platform for farming households to share their stories of economic hardship and many other factors during this dry spell,” he remarked.
Katoma was confident that Old Mutual’s humble contribution will make a positive difference to the much needed support to the Namibian people. “We continue to monitor the state of affairs, assist and provide further support where it matters most.”