Gift of the Givers course on how to respond to disasters

For the first time ever in its 31-year-long history…Gift of the Givers will be hosting a two-day short course titled Preparedness for Humanitarian Disasters to give the public insight into how to respond to disasters.

The disaster relief organisation held a media conference in Cape Town yesterday, to shed light on what next weekend’s course will entail. The course will run from 27-28 May, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. The tickets are at a cost of R 1 000 each (R500 for students).

GOING BEHIND THE SCENES

Founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman says the event at the CTICC this will offer an in-depth look into what happens behind the scenes.

Sooliman says it will offer in-depth look at what goes on behind the scenes. #smile904fmnews pic.twitter.com/l2yp6Sx1eq

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“It’s a conference showing all the elements brought together in a disaster. So you’ll have elements of medical intervention, including dietetics – where the dieticians are involved. Search and rescue, and with that the K-9 unit. Associated with all of that, we’re bringing the trauma counsellors, who provide counselling before, during and after. In addition, we include what happens inside, like when we bring people out like in the situation of Sudan, evacuating them after the disaster, for counselling in the country, ” explains Sooliman.

HOW THE IDEA FOR A COURSE WAS KICK-STARTED

The programme was made possible, after Stellenbosch University’s Professor of Global Surgery, Dr Katherine Chu suggested the idea to the NGO. She says she’s glad to be a part of this remarkable first. Hands-on training is being offered by 32 specialists who work closely with Gift of the Givers.

“Gift of the Givers is going to bring together its entire team, to tell us case-by-case, story-by-story how they respond to disasters. I approached Dr Sooliman about 6 months ago – knowing that his organisation is the expert at this – and asked if they wanted to do a conference with us. He kindly agreed, and now the conference has taken legs of its own. It is an academic conference although it’s not going to be done in a dry or boring style.”

Furthermore, the two-day ticket includes lunches, as well as a gala dinner that will be held on the Saturday evening. The venue is catering for a maximum of 400 people.

R250K DONATION FROM WELL-KNOWN SA COMEDIAN

At the same time, Sooliman used his media briefing as an opportunity to meet and thank comedian Melt Sieberhagen for his generous donation of a R250 000 cheque.

@GiftoftheGivers founder Dr Imtiaz Sooliman has thanked comedian Melt Sieberhagen for his generous donation of R250k. The cheque was handed over in Cape Town yesterday. Images by Lizell Persens #smile904fmnews pic.twitter.com/hYXFhYwJTz

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He won the prize money when he competed on a special episode of kykNET’s Wie Word ‘n Miljoener. Sieberhagen says the decision to donate the funds to the organisation was an easy one.

“Because they are so visibly and obviously making a difference. I didn’t know how much money I was going to win beforehand, but in the case of winning a lot of money, you want to know it’s going to be applied well. And I think then Gift of the Givers is by far the safest choice, ” says Sieberhagen.

Sooliman was in awe of Sieberhagen’s altruism.

“We need models and we need examples, and we need more people to be more giving. 7,4 Million people’s taxes can’t look after 65 million people. We need to tell the country altruism is the only way forward right now,” concludes Sooliman.

Those who would to enquire more or sign up for the course can contact mcompanie@sun.ac.za