Old Mutual pledges R50m package towards Covid-19 crackdown

Old Mutual Limited has announced it will be pledging R50 million towards educational initiatives, in partnership with government, business, labour and civil society, amid the Covid-19 outbreak that has resulted in the shutdown of schools.

Director of Corporate Affairs and Responsible Business at Old Mutual, Maserame Mouyeme, said the group’s contributions would include monetary donations, service and distribution capabilities as well as project management resources to support national, regional and local relief efforts.

The initiatives include providing nutrition to children who would not be able to access school feeding schemes as a result of the Covid-19 lockdown; providing hygiene awareness, e-learning and other materials to support continued learning during school closures; providing financial education across all of its markets with a specific focus on managing the impact of Covid-19.

Old Mutual employees will be able to contribute to relief efforts through the Old Mutual Staff Volunteer programme, with an initial contribution of R2 million from the programme already committed.

Mouyeme said: “Education is one of the core pillars of our Responsible Business Philosophy and in our discussions with partners, we noted with concern both the direct and indirect impact Covid-19 would have on our country’s education sector. With this pledge, our ambition is to stand in the gap for learners across the country, providing necessary services and programmes that help to minimise and add value to the sector during this challenging time.”

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