Al-Qalam 
As cold weather bites, Al Baraka Bank’s sponsorship of R 100 000 towards its Winter Blanket Drive is set to make a difference in the lives of some of the neediest in the country.
The Bank has partnered with a number of Non-Profit Organisations (NPOs) to undertake the distribution of almost 1 000 warm blankets in three regions, Durban, Gauteng and the Western Cape.
For the homeless and other disadvantaged members of society, South Africa’s chilly winter months are especially daunting and difficult to survive.
Every year as winter’s icy fingers reach out, the increasingly colder months bring intense anxiety to this country’s vulnerable communities lacking the warm comforts so many in this country take for granted. Recognising their plight Al Baraka Bank annually distributes blankets to the country’s neediest in an effort to bring a degree of comfort to those exposed to Winter’s chill.
Commenting on the Bank’s 2023 blanket drive, Mr. Nasir Seedat, General Manager: Retail and Wealth, said: “Whilst so many take Winter in our stride, the vulnerable face very real challenges in surviving the Winter months. Our Bank understands the plight of those at risk and believes that we have an obligation to help those unable to help themselves, making Winter just a little easier to cope with.”
“The need for blankets is huge and we are pleased to be in a position to take responsibility for contributing – as do many other businesses at this difficult time of year – towards easing the desperate plight of South Africa’s most vulnerable,” said Seedat.
In Durban, Al Baraka Bank – working with the Circle of Care – made available some 150 blankets to the needy, while in the Greater Johannesburg area a further 350 blankets were distributed through both Saabiree Chisthy and the Adeela Foundation. In Cape Town, the AT Taawun Foundation and Ebrahim Rodrigues Foundation took charge of distributing the Bank’s donation of another 250 blankets.
“A mere blanket may not seem much to most of us, but to somebody exposed to the raw harshness of a South African Winter, the warmth and comfort a blanket brings is immeasurable. For those living without proper shelter or heating, the cold weather can have dreadful and sometimes life-threatening consequences, which is why we, at Al Baraka Bank, have a moral responsibility to provide assistance at this trying time of year,” Mr. Seedat added.
The bank was most thankful to its partners for assisting with its 2023 blanket donation drive.
“We are grateful for the fact that our small, though important, blanket donation ensured that some of the most deserving people in the country will be kept just a little bit warmer this Winter,” Mr. Seedat concluded.
