“FOR the past 28 years that Gift of the Givers has been running, I can’t take the credit. Everything that has been done has been through the grace of the Almighty. And as South Africans, how fortunate we are to have been able to help others internationally in over 40 countries, on our own continent and at home.”

So said Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, CEO of Gift of the Givers, at a function where a cheque of R2 million was handed over to the organisation by oil giant, Engen, as part of a three-year R6 million deal to sponsor fuel and Jo-Jo tanks for Gift of the Giver’s drought relief programme.

Sooliman said that the organisation had helped several drought-stricken towns such as Sutherland, Beaufort West, Makanda and Graaf Reinet to not run dry.

Their water guru, the multi-skilled palaeontologist, hydrologist and geologist, Dr Gerhard Groenewald, had overseen the sinking of over 300 boreholes. In addition, 600 truckloads of fodder had been transported to desperate farmers as well as bottles of water and food parcels.

Malaysian-based MD of Engen, Dato Sri Syed Zainul ‘Abidin, told guests – including local Engen CEO Yusa’ Hassan – that he was “lost for words” at Gift of the Giver’s massive outreach, and was honoured to be associated with the organisation in such an important partnership to help others.

Gift of the Givers encompassed the Corporate Social Investment outlook of Engen, which was driven by a philosophy of “Taking Care Together”. Gift of the Giver’s ethos to uplift the needy impressed him, and it served as an “an inspiration to everyone.

“Our fuel enables Gift of the Givers, and this partnership is important to us,” he said.