WINDHOEK - The Bank Windhoek Cancer Apple Project sold a total of 874 000 apples and raised N$1,3 million for the Cancer Association of Namibia (CAN) this year.

The funds will help to fight cancer in Namibia, Bank Windhoek Managing Director (MD) Christo de Vries said on Wednesday during the handover of the funds to CAN in the capital.
De Vries noted that CAN incurs direct expenses of more than N$1,9 million per year.

“We applaud the efforts of CAN to create awareness about this dreadful disease and to care for patients who suffer from cancer.
“We are committed to fighting against an illness that affects the lives of so many Namibians, regardless of age, race or gender,” he said.

The Bank Windhoek MD said the project was made possible through the hard work of project partners such as Fruit and Veg City, Radiowave, NamPost, H and H Furniture Removals, FedEx, PricewaterhouseCoopers Namibia (PWC), Maerua Superspar and CAN staff.

He said the project also endorsed and supported the Ministry of Education, since more than 370 schools countrywide participated in the project, which ran from March 01 to 30 this year.

In the secondary school category, Rundu Private School at Rundu sold the most apples, with an average of 800 apples sold per learner.

Dolpin Secondary School at Walvis Bay came second and Berg-Op Akademie in Okahandja took third place.
In the primary school category, with an average of 242 apples per learner sold, the Deutsche Privatschule in Otavi won first place, while the Deutsche Privatschule Grootfontein took second place and Omaruru Private School third place.

In the pre-primary category, first place went to Rundu Primary School, which sold an average of 695 apples per learner, second place went to Klouterskool in Windhoek and the third place went to Busy Hands Pre-primary School, also in Windhoek.

Each of the winning schools will receive a cash prize of N$5 000. Speaking at the same occasion, CAN Chief Executive Officer Reinette Koegelenberg applauded the bank and its partners.

“Thank you for your contribution towards cancer sufferers in the country,” she said. Bank Windhoek launched the Apple Project in 2002 in partnership with CAN with the objective to increase awareness about cancer, while raising funds for the association.