The place of safety for abandoned, orphaned and neglected babies was set up in 2009 and accommodates up to 12 babies at a time ranging in age from birth to 18 months.
As a non-profit organisation, the centre is entirely dependent on public donations to keep its doors open.
In a bid to provide assistance, Hitachi Energy organised a donation drive within the organisation based on El-Shammah’s wish list as part of its larger corporate responsibility initiative (CSI).
“We have supported, and continue to support, various value creation initiatives,” Hitachi Energy’s finance director for southern Africa Michelle Sampson said.
She added that beyond technical innovation, Hitachi Energy looks at their impact on society and how they can improve lives and inspire others.
Malvin Naicker, managing director, Hitachi Energy, sub-Saharan Africa, said: “As we advance the world’s energy system to become more sustainable, flexible and secure, we must balance social, environmental and economic values to make true progress.”
He said that this includes making a meaningful contribution to the local communities in which they operate.
The main objective of El-Shammah is to provide a safe home environment where these babies can find a place of love, care and protection provided by full-time qualified and trained givers on a continuous basis.
The home for abandoned babies in Primrose, Germiston, was founded by Merencia and Allistair Scholtz, who left jobs they both loved to start the NGO.
“We want to establish a place of safety for mothers. A pregnancy crisis centre they can come to and we will teach them a skill, so they can learn how to provide for themselves and their child. Sometimes people just need a little support and a push to move forwards,” they told the Saturday Star in 2018.