Facing a bleak winter with no prospect of fixing a leaking roof at the Village Aged Care Centre in Montague Village (Lavender Hill) earlier this year, facilitators at the centre put out a desperate plea for help.
Later reading the article in the People’s Post it pulled at the heart strings of Engen employees who jumped into action.
Berenice Blaauw, Director at the Village, explains: “They read the article and then reached out, it was through that article we actually got this help. It’s amazing.”
The employees, through the company’s Employee Community Partnership Programme (ECPP), rallied together to support the centre.
Each member of the company’s IT team was eligible for a R5 000 ECPP grant which climbed to a total contribution of R150 000.
Giannian San Giorgio, an automation analyst at the company’s IT department, says she visited the centre and was saddened by the poor living conditions the seniors (aged 60 to 99) faced.
“The building had structural issues that required urgent attention, and most pressing was the roof and ceiling damage resulting in leaks and flooding, as well as water damage to rotting cupboards and unsafe ablution facilities, which all needed immediate upgrading,” continues San Giorgio.
“The aged infrastructure posed serious health and safety issues for residents, so my team and I wanted to make a meaningful difference and change the lives of residents by upgrading the facilities to ensure improved comfort and safety.”
The funds were used for urgent repairs to the 13-room facility which included upgrading the roof and ceilings, refurbishing the ablution facilities and other general maintenance, including interior and exterior paint work.
According to Blaauw, work on the facility started around June and continued for five months. “There’s no rain coming in anymore, they are warm and when it is hot outside, they are cool indoors.
“We have also been blessed with a chest freezer today after ours packed up this week. We are eternally grateful.”
On 1 December, the workers spoiled the seniors with lunch, cake and care packages.
Valencia Lotteriet, facility manager at the centre, said they went through a very difficult winter but God made a way.
“We had a very hard winter and it was stormy. Just before that storm came down the roof was fixed. God really sent them on our way to fix the roof for us and there was nobody else who could assist us.
“To me, it was a blessing.”
