MONROVIA – The French Business Club has made a huge donation of materials to an international non-governmental organization to help combat the spread of the coronavirus in Liberia.
The club, which seeks the common interest and goals of one another, is a conglomeration of French businesses and companies operating in Liberia.
Members of the club include: Air Cote D’Ivoire, AGS, Bollore, CEMENCO, CICA Motors, CMA-CGM, Ecobank, Orange, and Renault-Elias Antoune Motors.
Others are: Salala Rubber Corporation, SUNU Insurance, TOTAL, and UTE Elecnor Eiffage.
The items donated to the international NGO include: 6, 264 pieces of soap and 2,060 pieces of plastic faucet buckets.
Making the donation at the Renault- Elias Antoune Motors premises on the Bushrod Island, outside Monrovia on Tuesday, the group’s President Madam Micheline Yahot disclosed that the donation was intended to enable citizens, particularly residents of the Clara Town Community, fight against the spread of the virus.
She disclosed that the initiative, which is a joint venture, will enable thousands of families benefit from accessible hand washing materials.
She put the cost of the items donated at US$10,000.
Madam Yahot, who is also the Country Manager of Air Cote D’Ivoire, disclosed that the gesture was also intended to support the efforts of other French companies, including Orange-Liberia, CEMENCO, ECOBANK AND CICA Motors among others that have already contributed towards the pandemic.
She recalled that members of the club have already independently contributed immensely towards the eradication of COVID-19.
According to her, these companies contributed over US$100,000 in both cash and anti-coronavirus materials to the government and people of Liberia.
She further assured the club’s commitment towards helping to save the lives and jobs of scores of Liberian citizens working at various French companies and businesses in Liberia in the wake of this pandemic.
“We are from the French Business Club which comprises of 14 companies. We are donating buckets and soaps to the Clara Town Community through an international health organization to support the fight against the coronavirus in the country. We are pleased to do this combined because our other members have done it already. We want to save jobs, and save lives,” she stated.
Madam Yahot, however, called on citizens and others to continue to follow the preventive measures lay down by health workers to defeat the virus.
She added that citizens should continue to wash their hands frequently at their homes, work places and other areas if the virus is to be defeated in Liberia.
“There is no need for us to have fear. But there is a need for us to listen to what health authorities are saying. We have to wash our hands very good with soap and water. It is the major thing we have to do”.
For his part, the group’s Secretary General, Mr. Rudolph Antoune, who is also the Manager of Renault-Elias Antoune Motors, urged the beneficiaries to make maximize use of the items donated to fight against the deadly virus.
He called on Liberians and other foreign residents to collectively work together to ensure that Liberia is declared COVID-19 free.
The donation of the items by the French Business Club comes in the wake of the rapid increase in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Liberia.
Health authorities recently announced the deaths of at least three persons as a result of the virus outbreak in Liberia.
14 active cases of COVID-19 were also reported by health authorities, while dozens remain suspected.