Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) and the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) have launched a new initiative to provide hygiene hampers to disadvantaged communities in Gauteng as the country battles the COVID-19 pandemic.

The hampers are being distributed by JSE’s CSI beneficiary, Afrika Tikkun and consist of tissues, alcohol-based hand sanitisers, antibacterial soap, and an information leaflet illustrating the use of the products, in English, IsiZulu and Setswana.
BLSA’s CEO, Busisiwe Mavuso says, “We all have a role to play in supporting the national efforts to try and tackle this devastating pandemic which has affected all aspects of our lives.

“The impact, however, will only truly be felt when we bring our resources together, be it monetary, intellectual or logistical. When we bring forth our best attributes, we ensure that our contribution to this fight will outlive the current season,” adds Mavuso.

“In our joint fight as a country against the coronavirus, vulnerable communities are the hardest hit and require our assistance to meet some of the basic protocols to flatten the curve and limit the spread of covid-19,” says JSE’s Director of Marketing and Corporate Affairs, Zanele Morrison.

“This is the time businesses should be stepping up and collaborating for a common purpose. These are unprecedented times, and while we need to meet certain hygiene standards, nutrition also plays an important part in the fight against this disease. Good nutrition helps build a good immune system,” says Morrison.

Together we can certainly do more to benefit our country during this time. Social responsibility beckons organisations to find the need in our communities and meet it where we can. Provision of hygiene products and education is definitely aligned with the national agenda at present,” concludes Morrison.