SBS Africa has donated computer equipment to the Teddy Bear Clinic to help the organisation to increase the efficiency of the paperwork involved in its day to day running.
The Teddy Bear Clinic, an outpatient department of the Johannesburg General Hospital, operates under the auspices of the Department of Paediatrics at the University of the Witwatersrand.
Selina de Freitas, public relations consultant at the Teddy Bear Clinic, says that the PC equipment from SBS, coupled with a printer donated by Hewlett-Packard South Africa, has allowed the organisation to keep track of its finances electronically for the first time.
In addition, the equipment has helped the Teddy Bear Clinic to speed up all the paperwork involved in preparing witnesses for court and writing up medical assessments of abused children.
"This generous donation meets a desperate need we have had for some time," says De Freitas.
The clinic offers a broad range of services that support the needs of sexually abused children. These include medico-legal assessments on sexually abused children; psychological and social research including multi-disciplinary case discussions and management; forensic social work assessments; court preparation for children, witnesses and caregivers; and court support and advocacy where volunteers assist children and families after court procedures.
Taryn Thorp, marketing manager at SBS Africa, says SBS identified the clinic as one of the beneficiaries from its social responsibility funds because it is almost completely dependent on corporate donations and public charity for funding. "The Teddy Bear Clinic plays an invaluable role in SA's legal and social system," she says.
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