Vaal Mental Health supported by First Innovations Technologies

Vaal Mental Health (previously known as Vaal Triangle Mental Health) is a registered non-profit organisation focused on the mental health of the population of the Sedibeng area with offices in Vanderbijlpark and Sebokeng. Their vision is “A mentally healthy Vaal community, with people living a sustainable, quality life with dignity, whilst fulfilling their potential.”

In December 2015 the Telkom copper cables to Vaal Mental Health’s Sebokeng office got stolen once again. For Telkom this was the last straw and they decided they are going to cut their losses, not replace the cable again and cancelled both the voice and ADSL contract with Vaal Mental Health for the Sebokeng office. Imagine running any business todaywith-out internet connectivity or telephones for longer than eight months! How does one render a service to the community without communication? Unfortunately, the cash strapped non-profit Vaal Mental Health had to do just that!

Out of desperation Vaal Mental Health obtained quotes in June 2016 from various suppliers for a non-landline based connectivity solution. The once-off cost for all the quoted solutions were all unaffordable to Vaal Mental Health, which to date needs to survive on an inadequate government subsidy and donations from the community.

As a last resort Vaal Mental Health approached First Innovations Technologies for a solution and on August 1 they received a quote with a difference! First Innovations Technologies decided to donate the Samsung PABX required, the LTE internet router as well as to cover the installation costs.

(First Innovations Technologies is a Vanderbijlpark based company supplying, installing and supporting Samsung equipment and delivering connectivity and voice / telephony services based on Samsung equipment).

Vaal Mental Health would like to publicly thank the First Innovations Technologies management team for their generosity: “We would also like to thank All-In-One Engineering and Sipho Coetzee Consulting which helped to fund the small portion of the once-off costs not covered by the First Innovations Technologies donation.”

Late August, the Sebokeng personnel of Vaal Mental Health could, after eight months of being digitally homeless, use e-mail and communicate telephonically with the public again!

Any member of the public who wants to assist Vaal Mental Health with any donation is welcome to contact them at mentalhealth@lantic.net or 016 931 2910.