Poor mothers at the Hillbrow Community Maternity and Obstetrics Unit benefit from donations

Angels of mercy came to the rescue of poor mothers who go to the Hillbrow Community Maternity and Obstetrics Unit (MOU) to give birth but can hardly clothe their newborn babies let alone have spare clothes for themselves to change into.

It came to the attention of staffers that many of the mothers came into the unit with just the clothes on their back and often possessed nothing to clothe their babies in once they were born. The sorry state of affairs fell on the ears of The Angel Network who then alerted Cell C to the plight of these women and the dire need at the unit in the old Johannesburg Hospital in Hillbrow, which now operates under the Charlotte Maxeke Hospital.

Cell C swung into action and collaborated with The Angel Network in a truly community-based upliftment project, and both organisations donated handmade baby blankets, beanies and booties, as well as some pre-loved clothes in a good condition. Cell C added baby grows, blankets, nappy cream, facecloths, linen savers, maternity pads and nappies to the care packages.

Its head office employees, who also made some donations, volunteered their time to help package the donations along with Angel Network members.

Melanie Ger, project manager for the initiative said, “The Angel Network is delighted that Cell C has supported such a worthy community-based initiative. With the support of Cell C, what could have been an average appeal has turned into a much larger one, allowing us to reach out to so many more people in need.

“I think I speak for everyone when I say that we all left our packing with very full hearts! Now we get to pass that amazing feeling onto the mom’s and their babies at the MOU.”

Suzette van der Merwe, managing executive of corporate social investment at Cell C described the project as huge community upliftment initiative.