PPF women group donates goods at Temeke district hospital

As the world marked the International Day for Women on Saturday last week, the women group working for  the Parastatal Pension Fund (PPF) at headquarters and at Kinondoni and Temeke zonal offices in Dar es Salaam region, celebrated the occasion by donating goods to women and children who have been admitted at Temeke district hospital. The admitted patients are those expectant mothers in the maternity ward and children who are under the care of their mothers admitted in a separate ward at the hospital. The goods donated by the group are those edible ones such as sugar, milk, biscuits, water, juices. Others are washing soaps, pampers for children, toothpaste, skin oil and ointments all worth Sh. 20 million. PPF’s Zonal Manager for Temeke Erica Sendegeya said that, the exercise is part of the PPF’s social policy which the institution has introduced in order to recognize women’s participation in the national economy. In a bid to keep family safer, Sendegeya  has warned step mothers who takes care of the adopted children and those orphaned to be kind enough as mothers are the main source of the good families. However, she has also urged fellow women not to be harsh and show resentments to their children as the nation would like to see them living in a peaceful family life. “Visiting such mothers and children at the hospital makes them become more relieved and with confidence that the community cares for them”, she said adding that it’s an example which must be emulated by every family lover.

Members of the Parastatal Pension Fund (PPF) women group march towards a podium during women's day on Saturday last week in Dar es Salaam.

However, she has called on her fellow women to refrain from practicing anti-social kind such as gender mistreatment to their children which might cause harassment and misunderstandings among family members. On her part, PPF’s Public Relations and Marketing Manager Lulu Mandele described the exercise of donating aid as being part of the institution’s corporate responsibilities to the people in the country. The exercise, she said collaborates with the institution’s core activities which includes collection of public funds and investments. Shamim Kanju, a senior nurse on duty thanked the visiting members of the PPF women group who donated their aid to the patients and asked them to continue support them wherever need be. She expressed her sympathy on the bedding situation whereby due to prevailing scarcity of beds in hospitals, a single bed is shared by two admitted patients. World Women Day was celebrated at the regional level in Temeke district whereby the Minister for Local Government and Regional Administration Hawa Ghasia was the guest of honour. In her speech, minister Ghasia who earlier was welcomed by the Dar es Salaam Regional Commissioner (RC) Said Meck Sadiq asked women to continue building their solidarity and tackle various problems affecting women in the country.