1. 23 July 2012
To whom it may concern
Re: Erica Jacobs
I have known Erica since she started working for the newly established
Newborns Trust based at Groote Schuur Hospital in 2007. Like the Trust’s
recipients, the organization was in its infancy stages when she was appointed as
Trust Manager. Erica brought with her a wealth of experience she gained from
working as a fund raiser for larger organizations and she helped us nurture and
grow the Newborns Trust from its inception to its current status as one of the
leading nonprofit organizations in Cape Town. She had built a strong foundation
for the organization within a short period of 2 years and the Trust was only able
to grow financially and know throughout South Africa in the space of four years.
Her dedication and commitment was evident in her work and the pride with which
she carried out her duties could be seen in the successes she has accomplished.
Through her efforts, she single handedly managed various campaigns with a
national supermarket chain store - Pick n Pay, the local newspaper in the
Western Cape - the Argus and one of the largest local radio stations with a
listenership of over one million - Heart Radio. The Trust has raised millions of
rands through a National Campaign included national radio stations, national
press, donations from individuals, corporate followed. These initiatives have
contributed to improving the care of newborns at hospitals throughout South
Africa through the purchase of incubators, CPAP machines and providing
outreach for training of staff.
This success can all be attributed to Erica. She is able to develop and sustain
long terms relationships with donors and understands the psychology behind
dealing with different types of people. This gift is part of her success in fund
raising. She is able to communicate with people at all levels and is able to draft
presentations or proposals at a moment’s notice. Her financial knowledge
allowed her to manage all the accounting functions of the Trust and she trained a
lay person to perform these functions within one year.
Erica has also been involved in the South African Institute of Fund raising, where
she is currently the Chairperson in the Western Cape. Through this service, she
has organized and managed workshops as well as international presentations
and has created an environment for fund raisers to feel part of a team and to be
able to network. Her management and human resource skills make her an ideal
candidate to manage any organization.

2. I will recommend Erica for any position and would add that her characteristics as
a reliable, trustworthy and hard working person make her an asset to any
organization.
Her move is a sad loss for the Newborns Trust, but the huge impact that she has
made to premature babies will remain forever.
I am the chairperson of the Newborns Trust as well as the Chief Operational
Officer of Groote Schuur Hospital in Cape Town. Please do not hesitate to
contact me if you have any queries.
Yours sincerely
Dr. Bhavna Patel
G45, Old main Building
Groote Schuur Hospital
Observatory
Cape Town
Tel: +27 21 404 6288
Email: Bhavna.Patel@pgwc.gov.za