Community-driven initiative benefits community
A total of R500 000 in cash prizes for customers, and another R500 000 in cash donations were given to winners' favourite charities.
IMAGINE you started the New Year with an extra R50 000… This was the news Al-Imdaad Foundation – a non-profit and public benefit organisation based in Ormonde – received.
West Pack Lifestyle Alberton customer, Afeefah Mulla Choonara won R50 000 in cash and nominated Al-Imdaad Foundation as her favourite charity to receive another R50 000 donation.
This donation wouldn’t have been possible without the help of Afeefah Mulla Choonara who shopped at West Pack Lifestyle Alberton and was announced as a grand prize winner of R50 000 cash in the retail group’s community- driven competition. Afeefah nominated Al-Imdaad Foundation as her favourite charity and West Pack Lifestyle will match her winnings and donate the same amount (R50 000) to the non-profit organisation, thereby helping them to continue their humanitarian aid relief work across South Africa. Afeefah is an entrepreneur and fashion designer and says she will be using the money to grow her budding fashion business.
A total of R500 000 in cash prizes for customers and another R500 000 in cash donations were given to the winners’ favourite charities. Among the most popular nominated, were non-profit organisations focused on cancer, children and animals.
Chris Jnr Da Silva, managing director of the West Pack Lifestyle Group said, “So many of our customers reach out to us with heartfelt requests for donations to help a cause or local charity that is close to their hearts. The initiative provided our customers with the chance to win cash to spend on things they really need, but also the opportunity to give back to their favourite charity in a meaningful way.”
Al-Imdaad’s water, food aid and orphan programmes continue in multiple countries and their disaster teams have responded to victims of floods, hurricanes and drought.
At home in South Africa, Al-Imdaad’s humanitarian services include daily feeding programmes, education and skills development through back2school campaigns, bursaries, and empowering projects like a community garden. They have also established the Vision4Life eye-care clinic and have expanded support for malnutrition centres.
They provide these services to the neediest orphans, widows and the destitute in crisis and non-crisis situations – irrespective of race, religion, culture, creed and geographical boundary.
