The Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation yesterday distributed bags of rice, sugar, onions, tins of tomato paste and vegetables to bedridden pensioners.
The SSHFC managing director, Abdoulie Tambedou, said the donation to the pensioners is part of the corporation’s new initiatives to support its members who are bedridden for different reasons. At least twelve pensioners benefited from the donation.
“This is just a small token that we hope will benefit the beneficiaries. We pray that all those who are feeling unwell a speedy recovery,” MD Tambedou said.
Fabuka Njaay, director of corporate affairs at SSHFC, said the donation is part of SSHFC’s corporate social responsibility policy to support charitable initiatives.
“Offering value for members is central to the corporation’s strategic objectives. For example, in January of this year, the corporation increased monthly pensions resulting in over 90% of pensioners having their monthly pensions increased by 65%. To attain this, the corporation had to increase total annual pensions disbursement from D88 million to D128 million or by 69%,” Njaay said.
He said the corporation is committed to continue supporting stakeholders and community led initiatives.
“The Corporation also has adopted a ward in all the major hospitals across the country and we have over the years supported the health sector by donating various equipment to these hospitals,” he said.
In 2021, Njaay added, the corporation donated D1.7 million worth of equipment to Ndemban Clinic.
“The Corporation wishes to assure all pensioners that with the support of the SSHFC Board, our strategic priorities are aligned with the needs and requirements of all members,” he added.
Representative of SSHFC Board, Alhage Alieu Faal, expressed gratitude to the corporation for coming up with the idea of supporting the bedridden pensioners.
“We appreciate this donation because it has come at the right time. But this is not a surprise to us because during the beginning of Covid-19 they gave us bonuses and later increased our pensions allowance which significantly increased our purchasing powers. I just want to assure you that we will continue standing by SSHFC,” Faal said.
Alfusainey Mendy, a pensioner and member of the pension committee, said the donation is unprecedented in the history of SSHFC.
