WINDHOEK – The Bank Windhoek Cancer Apple Project has raised N$3 million in aid of the Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN). 

This was revealed at the funds handover function held on Friday in Windhoek.
Established 18 years ago, with the aim of creating cancer awareness and educating Namibians to protect themselves against the disease, the Bank Windhoek Cancer Apple Project has grown into one of the biggest corporate social responsibility ventures and has raised in excess of N$20 million since its inception. 

This year, the project also received international recognition as an innovative fundraising initiative when it was presented as an abstract at the 2018 World Cancer Congress in Malaysia.

With Bank Windhoek as the main sponsor, the project taps into the charitable nature of ordinary Namibians who are willing to buy an apple for N$5 and become a symbol of hope for those living with cancer. The collected funds among others, enables the CAN to reach out and screen Namibians from all walks of life at no cost.

Bank Windhoek’s Managing Director, Baronice Hans, said the bank is proud to partner with CAN, whose activities align with and support the services offered by the Ministry of Health and Social Services. “For the past three years, a portion of the funds raised through the Cancer Apple Project has been channelled into financing an outreach programme, and since then, 22 130 people have been screened for all types of cancer in all 14 regions of Namibia,” said Hans. The screenings are mainly for breast and cervical cancer which are most prevalent in Namibia. This year alone, 3 438 women have been screened for cervical cancer through the outreach programme and of those, 223 resulted in early detection. This means that early detection through this project has potentially saved 223 lives, remarked Hans.

Hans further stated that Bank Windhoek’s corporate social responsibility is one of the Bank’s strategic pillars and underpins the Bank’s vision to provide sustainable value to all its stakeholders.

The Entrepreneurial Challenge, introduced three years ago to increase the amount of money raised, was a success. Through this initiative, each Bank Windhoek branch and department receives seed capital of N$4 500 that is then used to make a profit. 

This year, the branch that generated the most profit in the three months allowed for this was once again Omaruru Branch, who generated N$50 582.13. The branch that sold the most apples this year, was the Swakopmund Branch who sold 52 836 apples.

A total of 603 schools participated in the project in the respective categories and shared the prize money of N$45 000. Combined, the schools sold more than 350 000 apples. Each winning school received a cash prize of N$7 000, while second and third place received N$5 000 and N$3 000 respectively. The prizes were given in the categories of Pre-Primary, Primary, Secondary and Combined Schools.

CAN’s Chief Executive Officer, Rolf Hansen, thanked Bank Windhoek, its staff members and customers, the Ministry of Education and everyone who has helped with raising the funds for the Bank Windhoek initiative.