National Taxi Alliance gives to local hospital

The machine was delivered to the hospital’s Kangaroo Maternity Care (KMC) ward.

The kangaroo method of care involves skin-to-skin contact between a mother and premature baby which allows transference of the mother’s warmth to the baby.

This helps regulate the baby’s rate of growth and ability to thrive.

“This is exactly why we felt it is important to focus on this particular ward,” says Thembisile Mnguni, the ambassador for the National Taxi Alliance.

“The babies’ clothes need extra care and are not to be mixed with any other clothes so we thought it good to provide the ward with their own machine for the special clothes.”

“The ward is very special.”

Thembisile says the taxi alliance regularly donates to different organisations and charities as part of its social responsibility programme.

“As a brand ambassador I go around the community and identify organisations we can help then I make final selections with the help of the executive of the alliance,” she adds.

“We first started working with this particular hospital in 2014.”

Thembisile says it is important for the taxi alliance to be able to give back to the community and educate people about the essence of what the association does.

“Oftentimes, our alliance and the industry as a whole is viewed negatively and known for violence,” she says.

“It is important that we tell the good stories about who we really are and what we really do.”

“We care a lot for the community and are passionate about its empowerment and upliftment.”

Thembisile, who has been the ambassador for two years, says the alliance has also done a lot of work in surrounding areas such as Etwatwa, which is where she is originally from.

“I am passionate about ploughing back,” she says.

Matron of Far East Rand Hospital Sonti Malange says the hospital is grateful for the taxi alliance’s donation and believes it will aid the KMC ward greatly.

“The washing machine will make such a difference and we are so thankful,” she says.