On Thursday, December 21, Standard Bank, in partnership with students from the Digital Frontiers Institute (DFI) in Maputo, offered the Hemato-Oncology Service four infusion machines, a refrigerator, an industrial kettle, a sofa and waiting chairs.

The donation is the result of the sale of a painting by the participants of the 10th meeting of the Alumni Practical Community of the DFI Gender Equality Changemakers Course (GEC), held in Maputo, with the value of the work, purchased by Standard Bank, going to the HCM Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Service.

According to Esselina Macome, co-facilitator of the GEC course, three artists also took part, including the artist Chica Sales, who brought a painting that all the participants painted during the meeting.

"Then it was decided to sell the work. Initially, we wanted to give it away and Standard Bank was willing to buy it, and it was decided that the proceeds would go to pediatrics, especially children in oncology," he said, stressing that seeing children suffering from cancer "shocks the heart of anyone".

When approached moments after handing over the donation, Alfredo Mucavela, Standard Bank's Marketing and Communications Director, explained that the bank had decided to buy the painting on the condition that the purchase price would go to a social institution in need of help.

On that occasion, according to Alfredo Mucavela, the institution chosen was the HCM's pediatric oncology department:

"So we asked them to provide us with a list of the service's pressing needs, on the basis of which we purchased a sofa, waiting benches, a kettle, a fridge and infusion machines, the latter to be delivered in due course," he said.

He also said that he believed the offer would help meet the needs of the hospital, particularly the Paediatric Oncology Service at Maputo Central Hospital, thus minimizing the suffering of children suffering from cancer.

Faizana Amod, Pediatric Hemato-Oncologist and director of the Pediatric Hemato-Oncology Service at HCM, said that Standard Bank's gesture is a direct contribution to the treatment of children suffering from cancer being treated at the country's largest hospital:

"The fact that the HCM can receive support from other institutions for materials to complement the treatment of minors with cancer makes the quality of care even better," she concluded.