By Wilma Jakobsen | Project Leader
Volmoed Retreat Centre employs seventeen staff members, all of whom are working reduced hours. They work 3 days/week for a 60% reduced salary. Fourteen staff are maintenance or cleaning staff, and three are office staff. As no guests were allowed during the COVID-19 lockdown, there was no income for Volmoed for four months. In the past month, a few guests have begun to return, but it is very slow.
Volmoed committed not to lay off any staff, and so far this has been successful due to donations from our fundraising efforts. Volmoed was able to top up the staff salaries three times during the lockdown to help staff pay their monthly rents and debit orders. In one case, a staff member was able to pay their electricity bill because of the top up assistance.
Volmoed was also able to pay for two staff emergency dentist visits and give supermarket vouchers to all the staff. When a staff member needed extra firewood due to power cuts, Volmoed was able to provide this.
All of this was possible through donations. The staff are hugely grateful for the support. They constantly ask us to tell the donors that they appreciate this more than words can say.
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