First Car Rental, in collaboration with M-Net Cares, handed over the keys to a Nissan Tiida to the Children of Fire Trust in Melville, Johannesburg earlier this month. This gift will definitely make lives a lot easier and a little more comfortable for their all-important passengers.

Says Rosie Chirongoma, Manager at Children of Fire, "Children of Fire would like to sincerely thank First Car Rental for the Nissan Tiida. The nature of what we do; working with child burn survivors from across South Africa and beyond, means we spend a lot of time on the road travelling between hospitals and their homes. It can be quite a logistical nightmare."

Some 15000 children are badly burnt in South Africa every year. Children of Fire looks after children who are victims of veld fires, electrocution, chemical burns, burning shacks, paraffin stove explosions, intentional burning in war zones and severe hot liquid burns.

Based in Auckland Park, the charity has a handful of staff but many long- term volunteers. The organisation helps burns survivors from as young as 2 months to about 27 years old. It gives advice to older burn survivors throughout Africa and has been helping children with complicated burns for 17 years.

Hundreds of children have received surgery and many more helped with rehabilitation. The charity also teaches people at risk about burns and fire prevention, and helps with disaster relief in greater Johannesburg.

Koo Govender, Director: Corporate Marketing & Communications – M-Net, says "Thanks to Melissa and First Car Rental for the synergetic partnership and making a tangible difference in our communities especially with the Children of Fire. As M-Net Cares we appreciate your support."

Says Melissa Storey, Executive Head: Strategy, Development & Marketing, "When fires occur in squatter camps, Children of Fire staff members are often in desperate need of an additional vehicle to get supplies to the people living there.

"Disaster mitigation is part of their mission and they distribute red disaster recovery bags with survival basics to last a few days. Having a car will help them reach these families a lot quicker. They also travel around the country on safety outreach programmes, so they will be able to get to a lot more places than before. Working with M-Net Cares to get this car to this Trust was a gratifying and humbling experience and one that I will never forget."

Rosie concludes, "Everyone wanted a chance in the driver's seat. All the children imagining what it would be like to drive; they all want to be race car drivers."

How can you help?

The charity is a registered non-profit organisation, which receives no funding from government and has no major long term sponsors.

Visit their website on how you can help - Children of Fire Charity