CSI 2023 Edition

ALL HANDS ON DECK

South Africa’s development agenda needs a combined and concerted effort from government institutions, civil society organisations and the private sector to provide integrated interventions to eradicate poverty, writes

BONGANI MAGONGO, acting CEO of the National Development Agency

There is a dire and urgent need to eliminate poverty and all its causes. Poverty continues to be perpetuated by a lack of access to gainful economic activities at all levels of the economically active population groups in South Africa. Those mostly affected are particularly black women, youth and people living with disabilities.

Poverty has a spatial perspective in South Africa. The majority of those affected by the consequences of poverty are found in former Homelands territories that are rural in nature, urban townships formed by apartheid policies, and fast-growing informal settlements in close proximities of urban areas.

Such complex poverty, once it reaches its chronic stage, becomes too diffi cult to eradicate or even bring down to manageable levels by the state. Only a multidimensional approach, with specifi cally defi ned target groups and defi ned spatial perspective, can provide a way to shift people from poverty to a self-suffi cient, sustainable and improved quality of life. South Africa still has a window of opportunity to turn poverty around.

The National Development Agency (NDA), a state poverty eradication institution, is tasked to respond effectively to those severely inflicted by poverty due to lack of access and means for generating sustainable income. These are the people whose relief is through the social security systems implemented by the state. Without the state’s robust social security systems, poverty and inequality would be far worse.

THE NDA’s VISION AND MISSION

The NDA’s role within the Department of Social Development (DSD) is to provide developmental programmes and projects to contribute towards poverty eradication. The NDA aims to assist in developing capacity-building interventions to help South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) beneficiaries become self-sufficient.

Working towards a common goal with all the functionaries within the DSD portfolio is the strategic approach to effectively design impactful interventions and programmes that tackle poverty and inequality.

The NDA vision is “developing a society free from poverty”, with a mission of coordinating and integrating all developmental interventions provided to the poor population that relies on social security as the only source of their livelihood.

These interventions, designed to move people out of poverty, are classified into:

• Mobilisation and assessment;

• Formalisation;

• Capacity-building interventions;

• Grant funding and investments for growth and sustainability; and

• Linkages to markets (where relevant) for their products to ensure the sustainability of these community interventions.

Poverty eradication is a huge mandate for the

This vision and mission requires all developmental interventions provided by state institutions, the private sector and civil society organisations (CSOs) to work together. Poverty eradication is a huge mandate for the NDA to achieve alone; it requires all hands on deck, with one goal – eradicating poverty and all its causes.

THE NDA POVERTY ERADICATION APPROACH

The NDA uses the District Development Model (DDM) framework to access its target audience, the poor. The DDM is a useful framework to organise, develop, plan and deliver impactful developmental interventions to move poor people out of poverty in a co-ordinated way. It provides a better co-ordination and integration function for all spheres of the state, private sector, and civil society organisations to focus their investments on one objective, the eradication of poverty.

Within this framework, the NDA’s approach is to mobilise the poor, assess their needs and build their capacity to create selfhelp income generation groups and community-based economic activities. To achieve this, the NDA works with local civil society organisations, state institutions and private sector to provide a range of integrated interventions. The concept of “all hands on deck” drives the success of the approach.

To achieve this, the NDA works with

POVERTY ERADICATION IS A HUGE MANDATE FOR THE NDA TO ACHIEVE ALONE; IT REQUIRES ALL HANDS ON DECK, WITH ONE COMMON GOAL –ERADICATING POVERTY AND ALL ITS CAUSES.

Bongani Magongo

Given the competing needs and the South African economy’s health, the state is forced to rationalise its spending to keep the economy attractive for investment. However, sustainable economic growth will not be achieved if there is no proportional investment in moving the impoverished out of poverty by increasing the number of those actively participating in gainful, beneficial communitybased economic activities.

While the NDA relies on government allocations of about R200-million annually, it is also actively mobilising resources to fund and support these community-based initiatives.

The NDA has managed to raise about R329-million from third-party funding (state, private sector and other funders) to fund projects and programmes implemented for poverty eradication, with the aim of increasing these investments from all spheres of the state and the private sector for the types of initiatives implemented by the poor to take themselves out of poverty.

tHE NEED FOR ALL HANDS ON DECK

Making a dent in the war against poverty requires investments from every sector to enable the poor to fully and actively participate in creating a future they want, the quality of life they aspire to have and the South Africa they want to live in. Therefore, South Africa needs all hands on deck to achieve the vision and expectations of citizens living in a country where hunger, poverty and hopelessness are not an everyday struggle.

NDA EFFORTS IN POVERTY ERADICATION

The NDA’s developmental interventions have, over the past few years, contributed to poverty eradication – 24 783 new self-help income generating community-based structures have been mobilised, assessed and classified according to their needs across the country’s nine provinces.

Of these, 2 714 have been formalised and assisted to register as NPOs or co-operatives to engage in a range of income-generation projects. The NDA has built capacities of 20 764 of these organised self-help groups through training, mentoring and support by NDA development officers, capable local CSOs, and partnerships with relevant state departments and training institutions.

ABOUT THE NDA

The NDA is a premier development agency of government with a national footprint and offices in all provinces. The resource mobilisation and stakeholder management office can be reached at XolileB@nda.org.za

Scan this QR code to go directly to the NDA website. The agency has also provided grant funding to 560 of these organised groups to initiate their income-generation projects. In addition, 5 273 were linked to state and private sector funding, as well as nonfinancial support such as technical skills and market linkages.

For more information: 011 018 5500 info@nda.org.za www.nda.org.za

THE NDA’S APPROACH IS TO MOBILISE THE POOR, ASSESS THEIR NEEDS AND BUILD THEIR CAPACITY TO CREATE SELF-HELP INCOME GENERATION GROUPS AND COMMUNITY-BASED ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES.

Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu (right), hands over a cheque to Lillian Masebenza of the Mhani Gingi Trust.

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COMMITTED TO UPLIFTING COMMUNITIES

One of the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is that many corporates have revisited their corporate social investment (CSI). This is partly an economic decision because of the impact COVID-19 had on many companies and individuals. But it is also because, in many ways, our priorities have changed since the height of the pandemic, which is still with us today, but in a more whispered manner.

The good thing is that many companies are still committed to spending money on social responsibility projects, whether in education, economic development or the environment. It could also mean addressing issues such as literacy or poverty alleviation.

One of the controversial projects in recent times is the development at the River Club in Cape Town. We decided to look at a part of this project that not many people have been talking about – the attempts to preserve the heritage of the First Nation people of South Africa. It is an important topic that we need to discuss.

But we also look at some projects that deal with the environment or promote better health. In the end, CSI is meant to uplift poor communities so that, eventually, we will have a more equitable society. That society is a long way off, and, until then, we must ensure that CSI spending is done in the best possible way.

Ryland Fisher Editor

6 IMPACT ASSESSMENT

How businesses can identify where to make the most impact and how to measure that impact.

10 PROJECT ROUNDUP

Organisations countrywide are rolling up their sleeves and supporting deserving recipients by providing much-needed hope and a sustainable future. We highlight six projects working for change.

19 EDUCATION

Meaningful corporate CSI partnerships can have a significant impact on children’s education and development.

23 THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: ST DAVID’S MARIST

The challenge, imperative and reward of creating educational excellence and access.

26 PROFILE: THE LOVE TRUST

We meet three women passionately working to enhance the educational offerings of The Love Trust.

30 THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: EDUCATION FUNDING

Basic education funding challenges.

31 THOUGHT LEADERSHIP: THE BOOKERY

Is there enough financial support for organisations tackling literacy challenges in South Africa?

36 PROFILE: ASTRON ENERGY

The company’s CSI initiatives are making a tangible difference in the communities it serves.

37 HEALTHCARE

Sustainable public-private partnerships are making a major difference in the public healthcare sector – and in the lives of millions of people.

41 ENVIRONMENT

SANBI’s Groen Sebenza Initiative could be a model for boosting skills and employment in other sectors.

45 MENTORSHIP

The benefits of supporting mentorship programmes yield success for the individual, but also, more importantly, the community at large.

48 HERITAGE

Securing a social compact agreement between the Khoi, San and Bushmen collective tribal councils and houses may be a first-of-its-kind partnership between the private sector and the First Nations of the Western Cape.

Doctors Without Borders (MSF) is an international medical humanitarian organisation that responds to the medical needs of people affected by conflict, natural disasters, epidemics, and exclusion from healthcare. Our mission is to provide free medical care to people based solely on their medical needs irrespective of race, religion, gender, or political affiliation. We adapt our care to match patients’ realities, ensuring that the care we provide is always practical, relevant, and specific.

Our work is made possible by the incredible and unwavering generosity of our donors. With almost 100% private funding, MSF’s work remains independent. This independence, along with our neutrality, empowers us to go where the medical needs are most urgent.

FOR OVER THREE DECADES, MSF HAS AND CONTINUES TO RUN PROJECTS IN SOUTHERN AFRICAN COUNTRIES. THESE PROJECTS HAVE FOCUSED PRIMARILY ON HIV AND TB, HEALTHCARE FOR MOBILE AND MIGRANT POPULATIONS, AND SEXUAL AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE.

CONFLICT

Whether living under siege on the frontlines, fleeing to safety or rebuilding once the guns have fallen silent, conflict devastates lives. In warzones, MSF works to meet the immediate and long-term healthcare needs that arise as direct and indirect consequences of conflict. Our interventions include emergency trauma care, providing chronic medication for patients when healthcare infrastructure has deteriorated, care for survivors of sexual violence, maternal healthcare and mental health services.

“ When I arrived here, this place was a forest. Some good people helped me to get settled. Now I can also help pregnant women. I know they need my support.”

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT PARTNERING WITH MSF, CLICK HERE

ATIJA BACAR WORKS WITH DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS (MSF) AS A TRADITIONAL BIRTH ATTENDANT IN AN INTERNALLY DISPLACED PERSONS’ CAMP WHERE SHE LIVES IN MUEDA, CABO DELGADO, MOZAMBIQUE.

© MSF

©

MSF/Chris Allan

EPIDEMICS

Epidemics and pandemics can put pressure on even the strongest healthcare systems and make those that are already weakened, grind to a halt. This is why MSF remains committed to responding to outbreaks of diseases like malaria, HIV, TB, cholera, measles, yellow fever and more recently COVID-19.

The needs of patients and affected communities are always at the heart of an MSF intervention. Our response to outbreaks often involves the large-scale and rapid deployment of logistics to contain epidemics, improving water and sanitation to prevent the spread of disease, organising mass vaccination campaigns, and engaging in health promotion to spread critical medical information to communities.

Since 1999, through MSF’s Access Campaign, we have been advocating for equitable access to vaccines and medicines to ensure that those living with chronic illnesses, like TB and HIV, can live full and healthy lives.

EXCLUSION

Many people are unable to access healthcare simply because of who they are: migrants, refugees, prisoners, sex workers, people who use drugs, or people suffering from mental illness. MSF projects are a safe place for the most vulnerable people to receive both physical and mental healthcare. Whether we are treating HIV and TB in prisons or providing comprehensive medical care for migrants, MSF develops an understanding of the people we are helping and above all else, puts humanity first.

NATURAL DISASTERS

Within a matter of minutes, a natural disaster can devastate entire communities. The need for an immediate medical response is why MSF generally solicits unrestricted funding as it empowers us to respond when needs arise at a moment’s notice. Under MSF’s funding model we are flexible and fast to respond to crises while remaining accountable to both our donors and the public through our resolute commitment to openness and transparency. Once on the ground, MSF’s activities range from distributing emergency kits of both food and nonfood items, providing mental health services to affected communities and providing water and sanitation services to mitigate and manage disease outbreaks.

PATIENT-CENTRED CARE

Our actions are guided by medical ethics and the principles of impartiality, neutrality and independence – but at the heart of every decision and intervention is the precept of patient-centred care.

Patient-centred care means that the daily realities of our patients’ lives and their communities are not only acknowledged, but concretely inform how we design and adapt the medical response in each of our programmes. As only through anchoring our medical humanitarian care in a deeper understanding of our patients, their priorities and the communities in which we work can we achieve our goals.

LEARN MORE ABOUT MSF’S WORK AND FOLLOW US ON MSF.ORG.ZA

“It’s unacceptable that millions of lives continue to be taken by TB when preventive measures exist. There’s no light at the end of the TB tunnel without a massive scale-up in preventive treatment for TB.”

DR GABRIELLA FERLAZZO, SENIOR TB/HIV ADVISOR AT MSF’S SOUTHERN AFRICA MEDICAL UNIT.

“ We have two essential goals now – saving the lives of severely sick patients, and containing the outbreak.”

DANIELLE BORGES, MSF PROJECT COORDINATOR IN PEMBA DURING CYCLONE KENNETH.

“I visited many hospitals but they all turned me away after I could not give a passport, ID or asylum (permit).”

A 67-YEAR-OLD WOMAN WHO WAS DIAGNOSED WITH A CYST WHILE DETAINED IN SOUTH AFRICA IN MARCH 2020.

© Sean Sutton

© Guillaume Binet / MYOP

HOW TO MAKE THE MOST IMPACT

We are in the decade of action: drastic system change is needed to build a regenerative and inclusive economy before 2030. We believe companies will drive this system change. Most already have the knowledge; it’s a matter of translating this knowledge and their ambitions into the right strategy and measuring progress to ensure long-term success.

A SYSTEMIC SHIFT

In recent decades, businesses have started managing sustainability issues, mostly driven

TAMIKA MTEGHA , senior consultant at Embedding Impact, and MARGREET VAN SCHAIJCK , brand impact strategist at Rainbow Collection, share how businesses should be identifying where they can make the most impact, and how to measure that impact

by factors such as environmental legislation and the growth of green consumer awareness. This has put sustainability and impact on the boardroom agenda. However, many companies still focus on doing less harm and separate corporate social responsibility (CSR) programmes. We believe an impact strategy focused on growing positive impact and adding

value through embedding impact into the overall company strategy is needed.

To take companies on this impact journey, we have developed the market transformation model, which shows that we need to change from a linear system to a circular business model. Each strategy we develop aims to guide an organisation to the regenerative stage.

THE FIRST STEPS

We start by asking a new client to answer the question: where should you focus to make the biggest impact? And where not? We then identify the ingredients for a clear vision and practical and long-term sustainability strategy, and translate this into concrete and feasible programmes and operations by setting up an impact matrix. The impact matrix is a useful tool to determine the chances for impact when looking at the reality and expectations of an

organisation and its stakeholders. We identify three levels of impact – low-impact areas, compliance areas and high-impact areas.

Low-impact areas: these sustainability themes are not relevant to the company. They do not match the product, brand positioning and long-term vision and ambitions, and very little impact will be realised.

Compliance areas: these themes are the norm in the market. Companies must meet these requirements to operate in line with

the market. However, with these themes, companies are not distinctive and cannot make an extra difference in the chain. High-impact areas: with these sustainability themes a company can achieve the most impact. They are closely related to the core business, general business ambitions and brand positioning of the organisation. These impact areas are clustered in strategic pillars that lead to different sustainability programmes.

Market transformation model.

We won’t stop until everyone is connected

improvement where businesses can regularly assess their impact and identify opportunities for improvement. Tools such as The Theory of Change and Impact Measurement and Management Frameworks enable businesses to embed impact into their processes.

The Theory of Change is a structured approach businesses can use to define their impact strategies and the steps needed to achieve that impact. There are many pathways to achieve impact. Embedding Impact uses the Theory of Change to help businesses decide which pathway makes the most sense given the company’s budget, capability, capacity and context. Aligning the business activities with the intended impact serves as a useful roadmap in guiding the strategy and decision-making related to impact.

MEASURING IMPACT

Measuring the impact an organisation is making today and setting targets for tomorrow is crucial for the long-term success of its impact strategy.

With sustainability and creating long-term value for all stakeholders fast becoming a source of competitive advantage for businesses, measuring impact is essential. By meaningfully measuring impact, businesses can identify improvement areas, optimise resources, and communicate their achievements to stakeholders. Measuring impact requires a clear understanding of the impact a business wants to make and the tools and frameworks needed to measure it accurately.

Embedding Impact provides guidance and support to businesses in measuring and managing their impact initiatives. We offer a range of tools and services businesses can use to measure their impact, including impact measurement frameworks, impact reporting tools and training and capacity-building programmes. To measure their impact effectively, businesses need to adopt a range of tools and principles that provide a comprehensive understanding of their social and environmental performance. Key principles include stakeholder engagement, materiality and comparability. The principles communicate that businesses must engage with their stakeholders, including employees, customers, suppliers and communities, to understand their perspectives regarding social and environmental issues. Materiality is essential in identifying the most significant social and environmental risks and opportunities facing the business. Finally, comparability ensures that a business can compare its impact over time and in relation to industry best practices.

Embedding Impact specialises in the use of specific tools and frameworks to measure impact, including Social Return on Investment (SROI), the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI), and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). These tools can help a business measure the impact of their activities on society and the environment and provide a framework for reporting on that impact.

A leading approach for measuring impact is the SROI methodology. SROI measures the social, environmental, and economic value of a company’s activities. It involves identifying the stakeholders affected by the activities and the social, environmental and economic outcomes achieved, using monetary values to represent them. The SROI framework is particularly useful for businesses looking to understand the broader impact of their activities.

The GRI and SDGs are widely used by businesses to measure and report on their social and environmental impact. THE GRI provides a framework for reporting on environmental, social and governance performance, while the SDGs provide a comprehensive set of goals and targets for sustainable development. The SDGs, in particular, provide a useful framework for businesses to align their impact goals with global sustainability goals.

VALUABLE TOOLS

Integrating impact measurement and management into business strategy and operations is essential. By doing so, businesses can ensure they are not just measuring their impact, but also taking steps to improve it. This requires enabling a culture of continuous

An impact measurement and management framework is another tool that provides a structured approach to measuring impact. The framework is a visual representation of the relationship between inputs, activities, outputs and outcomes. It is used to develop output and outcome indicators – the indicators that measure progress towards achieving impact. Businesses can use the framework to assess the effectiveness of their impact initiatives and programmes.

Both are useful tools for businesses to ensure that the resources they are investing are being used effectively and progress towards achieving the desired impact is being tracked and measured.

THREE STEPS TO TAKE TODAY

Impact is a matter of translating a company’s ambitions into the right strategy and measuring progress to ensure long-term success. But, most importantly, words are one thing, but actions count. Act today. Make a list of sustainability topics relevant to the business and rank them. Ask which three of these topics can the company use to make the biggest impact. Once selected, ask what the company is already doing on these topics, then use this as input for further discussions on designing an integrated impact strategy and management model.

Enjoy the first steps on this sustainability journey.

For more information:

INSPIRING HOPE AND A BRIGHT FUTURE

Organisations across the length and breadth of our country are rolling up their sleeves and supporting deserving recipients by providing much-needed hope for a sustainable future. We round up seven projects making a daily impact on change for the better

SAFE SPACES FOR GIRLS

SPAR North Rand and Big Box Containers have partnered to make a significant difference in the lives of young girls at the Sekhwiditsane Primary School outside Polokwane in Limpopo. The partnership provided the school with a fully equipped bathroom, which can be locked to ensure the safety and security of girls at the school. This donation is part of SPAR’s “We’re for Smiles” campaign and aims to curb gender-based violence.

For the first time, the girls at the school have access to a clean, fully equipped bathroom. Doreen Moremi, the school principal, says: “It is essential for the girls to have their own spaces where they can feel safe as it all starts with self-respect.” She adds that the donation will make the learning space for pupils more secure and comfortable.

In addition to the bathroom donation, SPAR North Rand also donated food parcels and

sanitary pads to learners at the school. The distribution of sanitary pads is an important step towards promoting sanitisation and hygiene while ensuring that the girls do not have to take time off from school every month.

Sophia Matlou, a representative from SPAR, expressed the company’s pride in continuing its drive against gender-based violence and its commitment to assisting communities in need. “The bathroom donation is another way for the company to give back to the local community in the North Rand region. We are pleased to help provide additional safety, security and comfort for young learners. This donation is a big step forward for SPAR, its partners, the school and the pupils.”

IMPROVING THE LIVES OF NEGLECTED CATS

Nearly 100 neglected cats have been given a home and the hope of a normal life, thanks to the generosity of Johannesburg-based radio station HOT 102.7FM and Hot Cares that stepped in to cover the cost of building a much-needed cattery at the Roodepoort Krugersdorp SPCA, one of the oldest in the country.

Nothing prepared the SPCA inspectors for the sight that greeted them when they responded to a tip-off regarding a large number of cats informally housed at a property in Muldersdrift.

“The place was incredibly dirty, it clearly hadn’t been cleaned for days. The smell was overpowering, making your eyes water. It was horrific, a horrible thing to see,” says Annica Duffey, SPCA inspector.

The Roodepoort Krugersdorp SPCA has taken on the responsibility of caring for these neglected animals, but it’s an

organisation that relies on donations to undertake the good work it does. Not only does it need to fund medical care and food for these animals, but it also has to find a way to house them.

Every year Hot Cares hosts its Teddython fundraiser with HOT 102.7FM, and its recent event saw a whopping R8.9-million raised in cash, goods and services. This allows Hot Cares to continue doing a range of sustainable initiatives focused on four key areas: humanitarian welfare, medical, educational and animal welfare.

The plight of these cats “resonates so deeply with us; this is exactly how HOT 102.7FM and Hot Cares can make a material difference,” says Lloyd

Madurai, managing director of the radio station. “The suffering of these poor animals really touched us. We’re delighted to be able to play a part in significantly improving their lives.”

Hot Cares will fund in full the three-phase approach to the building of a cattery at the Roodepoort Krugersdorp SPCA.

This fits strategically with the Hot Cares vision and sits alongside its existing initiatives, such as:

• a weekly soup kitchen;

• the help it provides to the creches in informal settlements;

• assistance to entrepreneurs and nonprofit organisations;

• medical assistance for those in need;

• educational bursaries;

• the upliftment of schools and orphanages; and

• assistance to individuals who just need a helping hand.

“THE BATHROOM DONATION IS ANOTHER WAY FOR THE COMPANY TO GIVE BACK TO THE LOCAL COMMUNITY IN THE NORTH RAND REGION.” – SOPHIA MATLOU

“THE SUFFERING OF THESE POOR ANIMALS REALLY TOUCHED US. WE’RE DELIGHTED TO BE ABLE TO PLAY A PART IN SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVING THEIR LIVES.”– LLOYD MADURAI

The fully-equipped bathroom that has been provided at Sekhwiditsane Primary School.

SUPPORTING PREPRIMARY EDUCATION

Early childhood development (ECD) is essential for equipping a child to live a fulfilled life. Many areas in South Africa are underserviced in this regard. Offering its assistance in this area, the Balfour Mall in Johannesburg has made some of its retail space available and funded the development of a Scatterlings early childhood development centre. This caters for the needs of preprimary schoolchildren in the community, with 44 little learners already enrolled at the facility this year.

It is well-documented that integrated programmes in ECD can do much to prevent malnutrition, stunted cognitive development and insufficient preparation for school. Years of research have shown that ECD programmes can improve primary and secondary school performance, increase children’s prospects for higher productivity and future income, and reduce the probability that they will become burdens on public health and social service budgets.

FACILITIES

The almost 450-square-metre Scatterlings creche at Balfour Mall is thoughtfully designed to provide for all of the above and more. The new centre includes naturally-lit play areas, rest spaces, learning facilities, educational toys and dedicated bathrooms, all serviced by a team of committed teachers and caregivers. Children are provided with a healthy lunch and refreshments daily.

DID YOU KNOW?

During the fi rst three years of a child’s life, 50 per cent of their intellect is developed, with a further 25 per cent developed by six years of age. During these crucial early years, 80 per cent of brain cells form connections in response to external stimulation. It is these connections that contribute to the overall intelligence quotient (IQ) of the child. Consequently, parents and/ or other caregivers have only six years to develop the full potential of children in their care.

Source: Scatterlings ECD

Scatterlings is run as a nonprofit organisation started in response to the need to cater to the early development stages of young South African children. Today, over 500 creches use Scatterlings’ award-winning curriculum and learning programme that understands the importance of mental, emotional and social development. Teacher training includes recognising and identifying learning difficulties and special needs, health and safety and various forms of assessment.

“We are honoured to have had the support of Investec Property Fund to bring to life a quality ECD centre in the Balfour Mall. Investec’s team was passionate, professional and committed,” says Theresa Aaronson, founder and CEO of Scatterlings. “The Scatterlings ECD Centre in Balfour Mall would not have been possible without Investec,” she adds.

“Contributing to improving quality of life in South Africa is at the heart of our retail property business,” says Jenna Sprenger, CFO Investec Property Fund. “With education being so fundamental to empowering people and shaping society, we are pleased that we could contribute to fulfi lling this need with this exciting project.”

While the Scatterlings ECD at Balfour Mall aims to accommodate 70 learners this year, the facility has the capacity to increase that number in years to come.

ABOUT SCATTERLINGS

“We are honoured to have had the support of Investec Property Fund to bring to life a quality ECD centre in the Balfour Mall.” – Theresa Aaronson

Learners at the Scatterlings early childhood development centre

During the first three years of a child’s life, 50% of their intellect is developed, with a further 25% being developed by the age of six years.

A BOOST FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT

Five years ago, Breadline Africa set an ambitious goal – to take its infrastructure tally of just over 400 to 1 000 units in five years to celebrate the 30 th anniversary of its founding. On 17 February this year, the launch of the 1 000 th infrastructural unit was celebrated at Pooh Bear Educare in Delft, Cape Town.

NEW FACILITIES FOR POOH BEAR EDUCARE

Passionate about caring for the children in her community, Michelle Davids established Pooh Bear in 2009. As enrolment numbers grew, she applied for permission to use nearby land and approached Breadline Africa for assistance in building a new centre. In 2018, Pooh Bear Educare received a 60m2 prefabricated classroom, a 6m container kitchen and a 6m container toilet facility.

In partnership with GROW Educare and with funding from MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet, Breadline Africa was able to provide another three classrooms and a jungle gym in 2023.

At the opening of the new facilities, Prof Jonathan Jansen, professor of education at the University of Stellenbosch, committed to helping the preschool install artificial grass, making the first donation and inviting other guests to join him. Prof Jansen went on to say that research into education agrees on one thing, “investment in the foundation phase and in early childhood has positive benefits over the long term”.

Geordin Hill-Lewis, mayor of Cape Town, is a staunch supporter of Breadline Africa. During his address, he thanked the organisation for inviting him to these types of events: “I love attending them. It is wonderful to see. It was said, in an earlier speech, ‘may this be a place of safety for these kids’, we, the City of Cape Town, share the same commitment. We

are trying to build a safe, cleaner and more inclusive city where these children can grow up and have a wonderful future.”

MySchool MyVillage MyPlanet general manager Pieter Twine said that the new facilities at Pooh Bear Educare are thanks, in part, to the millions of programme members who give back – at no cost to themselves –with every swipe of a MySchool card at partner retailers. “By nominating organisations such as Breadline Africa as the beneficiaries of their swipes, our programme members are helping transform one small piece of South African society at a time and making a massive difference to communities across the country every time they shop.”

Breadline Africa director Marion Wagner said: “Through our infrastructure and in

collaboration with partners such as GROW Educare Centres, we aim to create a measurable impact in addressing school readiness and access to safe preschools. According to the ECD Census 2021, nearly 70 per cent of South African children under six are not enrolled in any early learning programme. Equipping preschools, together with our partners, will make a significant difference in preparing our children to succeed in school and into the future. Education is a path out of poverty.”

ABOUT

BREADLINE AFRICA

Follow Breadline Africa on Facebook at @BreadlineAfrica.

Working together to change lives.

Marion Wagner

New classrooms at Pooh Bear Educare.

MAKHOBA FARMS: A SWEET STORY OF HOPE

Makhoba Farms and Nestlé are proud to commemorate the fourth year of successful graduation of 100 Youth Employment Services (YES) interns. Launched by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2018 to address South Africa’s youth unemployment crisis, the government’s YES programme has changed the trajectory of 400 youths’ sprouting careers.

Inyosi Empowerment, the YES programme implementing partner, led the initiative at Makhoba Farms as part of Nestlé’s supplier development plan. Part of this development plan included a proposed YES initiative. After being introduced by Nestlé, Inyosi provided loan funding to Springfontein Dairy, Nestlé’s largest black-owned dairy supplier. To date, Inyosi, with support from Nestlé, has transformed the careers of hundreds of local youths and provided them with the tools to succeed in the workforce.

YES graduate and Makhoba community member Yamkela Mathe credits the programme with changing his life. “The YES internship at Makhoba Farms has been an amazing and truly life-changing experience. The knowledge I gained through the programme has positively impacted my career path, and I’ve been

able to open doors, especially in the welding department. I’m now working for DeLaval – an amazing dairy equipment supplier company. I wouldn’t be here and have access to employment opportunities if it wasn’t for Inyosi and the Makhoba Farms.”

In 2022 alone, 24 per cent of the Makhoba YES interns were employed by Makhoba farms upon graduation from the programme. Most of the remaining graduates have been employed by external entities, thanks to their enhanced skills training and experience. The training at Makhoba spans various agri-preneurship tasks, including:

• alien clearing;

• feed production;

• vegetable production;

• composting;

• animal care;

• fencing;

• security;

• construction;

• ICT and computer software training; and

• first aid.

Ntokozo Madlopha, who is currently living out his dream of running a sheep co-op called Ambitious Future Primary Co-op, shares: “Being a part of the programme was truly

life-changing for me. I will forever be grateful for the guidance, mentorship, and support provided by Mr Russell, Mr Veco and Mr Todd. They helped shape me into the person and employee I am today. The opportunities to attend AgriSETA training added invaluable knowledge and recognition to my qualifications. With hard work and determination, I hope to continue to grow and make a positive impact, contributing to the success of the Huntley dairy farm in Kokstad. I will always cherish the lessons and experiences gained through this programme.”

AN EXAMPLE OF SUCCESSFUL LAND RESTITUTION

Makhoba Farms also has a unique history as an example of successful land restitution and restoration. Makhoba Farms, owned by the Mzabane Makhoba Trust and chaired by Chief Ambrose Makhoba and 15 trustees, benefi ts 14 000 families. The land was transferred back to the Makhoba community in 2002 after a successful land claim. Since then, Makhoba has been steadily improving the farming operations.

Makhoba Farms has become a beacon of hope for communities seeking to reclaim their land and build a better future. “Makhoba Farms and, by extension, Springfontein Dairy is more than just a dairy farm, it serves as a model for agricultural and community development based on shared value. Our goal is to create a mutually beneficial ecosystem where the community is enriched and the farm leverages capital growth. It’s a shared value outcome for Nestlé and the community. It is not an easy journey, but it is one to which we are committed,” says Evan Jones, founder of Inyosi Empowerment.

Inyosi Empowerment has provided both Springfontein Dairy at Makhoba Farms and SMEs with much-needed access to funding, markets and skills. Its Annual Impact Report for 2022 indicates that the company has provided a cumulative R912-million in loan funding to black-owned businesses across a wide variety of sectors that meet its loan requirements. Moreover, Inyosi has contributed to the creation of 63 177 jobs since its inception in 2012, with a focus on black and female employees. INYOSI

ANNUAL IMPACT REPORT

“THE YES INTERNSHIP AT MAKHOBA FARMS HAS BEEN AN AMAZING AND TRULY LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE. THE KNOWLEDGE I GAINED THROUGH THE PROGRAMME HAS POSITIVELY IMPACTED MY CAREER PATH, AND I’VE BEEN ABLE TO OPEN DOORS.” – YAMKELA MATHE

YES graduates.

BOOSTING TOWNSHIP SMMES

First launched in 2016, Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa’s (CCBSA) Bizniz-in-a-Box (BiB) is aimed primarily at transforming aspirant entrepreneurs into fully fl edged business owners who can create a livelihood for themselves and others. Through BiB, CCBSA has financially supported and provided training to over 700 entrepreneurs countrywide.

Pirtunia Dhlamini, public affairs, communications and sustainability manager at CCBSA in Gauteng, says: “We believe that when companies grow their businesses the right way, not just the easy way, it will help create inclusive growth opportunities for communities and all their stakeholders for a better shared

future. This informs our collective decision with our partners to invest in the SMMEs in our host communities, such as Olifantsfontein.”

She adds: “We are collaborating with longtime partners, the Gauteng Department of Economic Development (GDED) and The City of Ekurhuleni’s Olifantsfontein Councillor Derek Thomson, to launch the CCBSA 2023 BiB hawker stalls as part of our economic inclusion programme to empower small, micro, and medium enterprises (SMMEs) in this community.”

The partnership has invested around R1-million in upgrades of the seven small businesses, including five food outlets and two car washes. Trading infrastructures were

upgraded to conducive food outlets and the car washes were provided with new structural building materials, such as painting, outdoor benches and other equipment, to help them run professional businesses.

“Our youth are resilient and enterprising and have shown that they can start their businesses to create a livelihood. But disillusionment remains high and, now more than ever, we need a focused approach to tackle some of the challenges we face as a country. There is a need for all stakeholders to collaborate and co-create solutions that will bring hope to our young people, be it providing access to education or helping them build businesses,” says Dhlamini.

According to statistics from Trading Economics, South Africa’s unemployment rate was at 32.9 per cent in the third quarter of 2022, down from 33.9 per cent in the prior period and below market estimates of 33.4 per cent.

“It is through initiatives such as BiB and collaborative efforts between the private and public sectors that we will see a gain in job creation and eventually eradicate poverty in our communities,” Dhlamini concludes. “We must continue to invest in the future of our women and youth in business.”

ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMME TO HELP BUSINESS START-UPS

The Silulo Foundation, in partnership with the University of Notre Dame’s Urban Poverty Business Initiative and the University of the Western Cape’s Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, recently launched an entrepreneurship programme aimed at empowering aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners with the skills and tools they need to succeed in today’s competitive market.

In his keynote address at the launch event, Alan Winde, Premier of the Western Cape, said: “It is critical that we foster entrepreneurship for expanding employment and earning opportunities and reducing poverty.”

The Silulo Foundation will fund 50 per cent of the tuition fees for the entrepreneurship programme – a 10-month intervention aimed at people in townships and rural areas who want to start and run their own businesses. The programme’s first intake comprises 30 registered and enthusiastic students.

The programme’s overarching objectives are to leverage university and community resources to create new for-profit and nonprofit ventures owned by those facing economic and other disadvantages and assist existing small business owners to become sustainable and grow. The foundation, its partners, and mentors will work closely with those in adverse circumstances on the development of both the person as an entrepreneur and the business as a successful venture. Progress is measured and tracked based on the development and performance of entrepreneurs and their ventures and programme participation. The entrepreneurial achievements of those facing adversity are also celebrated.

“The Silulo Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme is an important step towards empowering aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners with the skills and tools they need to succeed. We are committed to providing support

and resources to help these individuals reach their full potential and achieve their entrepreneurial dreams,”

ABOUT THE SILULO FOUNDATION ENTREPRENEURSHIP PROGRAMME

The Silulo Foundation Entrepreneurship Programme.

says Luvuyo Rani, CEO of the Silulo Foundation.

“WE ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING SUPPORT AND RESOURCES TO HELP THESE INDIVIDUALS REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL AND ACHIEVE THEIR ENTREPRENEURIAL DREAMS.” – LUVUYO RANI

CCBSA, together with longtime partners, the Gauteng Department of Economic Development and The City of Ekurhuleni, recently rolled out BiB Hawker Stalls as part of an economic inclusion programme to empower small, micro, and medium enterprises in this community.

CREATING A MORE Sustainable AGRI-SECTOR

The Land and Agricultural Development Bank of South Africa (Land Bank) is an agricultural development fi nance institution established with the purpose of contributing to the development of the agricultural sector. It does so by providing fi nancing solutions and products to expand access to agricultural land, and increase the productive capacity of both new-generation and established farmers on a sustainable basis. As a wholly owned government entity, the Land Bank promotes agricultural and rural development to create a more inclusive sector, improve food security and support economic growth.

The Land Bank has been working to find unique solutions to the challenges that exist in transforming the sector, with the objective of facilitating the sustainable participation of youth, women and other previously disadvantaged groups in the economy.

Through its corporate social investment (CSI) programme, the bank supplements its development financing programmes by reaching out to the communities in which it operates to try and facilitate greater participation in the sector. The CSI programme has three distinct focus areas to boost participation within the agricultural sector:

• Food security: Upskill and provide resources to households to improve food security and reduce vulnerability to hunger.

• Employment quality: Build capacity for smallholder farmers by upskilling them to pursue sustainable agricultural practices and employment opportunities.

• Sector growth and transformation: Build the agricultural sector skills pipeline, which focuses on youth development and women, including youth agri-awareness programmes (education, careers and business opportunities).

her father passed away in 2011 she took over his farm despite having no prior farming experience. Undeterred by the challenges, she embarked on a journey of learning and self-discovery that has led her to become a successful farmer and owner of Lekung Food Group, a 10-hectare farm in Rustenburg, Bojanala Platinum District that produces fresh produce and livestock.

Like many farmers, Moloko has encountered difficulties along the way, one of the most significant being the lack of funding for infrastructure and compliance.

Fortunately, Moloko was selected to participate in the Land Bank’s CSI Market Readiness Programme. The programme helped her become market-ready, and enabled her to supply pack houses, pursue more clientele and increase production. As a result, her business is now projecting an increase of 30 per cent on its turnover for the season via an offtake agreement procured through the Khula Fresh Produce Marketplace. She has received funding for seedlings, fertilisers and chemicals from the Land Bank to supply this agreement.

The impact of global gap (funded by the Land Bank CSI programme) goes beyond compliance. It has enabled Moloko to obtain a consistent formal market via the offtake agreement, and to eventually export her goods.

FAST FACT

The Land Bank and Khula APP CSI programme supports ten farmers across various provinces.

The Land Bank has partnered with Khula APP (Pty) Ltd on various programmes to support farmers with preand post-investment services for beneficiaries. The programmes offer agricultural education campaigns, business development, market links, and local and global gap certification to enable the farmers to supply formalised local and export markets. Through the partnership with Khula APP, the Land Bank’s CSI programme has supported farmers and assisted them in growing their businesses. An example of a successful beneficiary of the programme is the Lekung Food Group.

Lekung Food Group

Koketso Moloko’s inspiring story is one of resilience, determination and hard work. After

Moloko’s long-term goals include increasing the farm’s infrastructure to erect more tunnels, build a pack house, purchase a medium-sized truck, and processing some of her goods (such as chillies and tomatoes). As she continues to achieve her goals, she remains motivated by the critical role farmers play in ensuring consistent food access and supply for all.

For more information:

Lion Phasha

lphasha@landbank.co.za www.landbank.co.za

The Land and Agricultural Development Bank’s targeted interventions go a long way in making a big difference in growing and transforming South Africa’s agricultural sector

As a wholly owned government entity, the Land Bank promotes agricultural and rural development to create a more inclusive sector, improve food security and support economic growth.

BIZNIZ-IN-A-BOX PROGRAMME SUPPORTS ENTREPRENEURS

The

institutions, have trained more than 750 young entrepreneurs and helped over 200 more take their businesses to the next level while creating hundreds of additional jobs by employing shop assistants.

The BiB programme further offers young entrepreneurs the opportunity to learn business skills to enable them to grow and run their own small- and medium-sized SMMEs.

CCBSA hopes that, with the support and skills training it provides, these business owners will develop far larger enterprises in the future, creating more jobs and further growth opportunities.

BiB is designed to help build and grow township and rural economies by developing black youth-owned businesses that are responsive to the needs of their communities. It also aims to help reduce youth unemployment and associated poverty and inequality.

Bizniz-in-a-Box (BiB) envisages an ecosystem of viable microbusinesses offering complementary products and services in township communities alongside the local spaza shop. Each business operates out of a custom-designed container and covers a wide range of services, from business centres providing internet access and car washes to fast-food shops or mini bakeries.

Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa (CCBSA) understands how critical the small, medium and micro enterprises (SMME) sector is to economic revival following the COVID-19 pandemic and the important role small businesses will play in the future growth of South Africa and Africa. It is why CCBSA continues to invest in the Bizniz-ina-Box initiative to help create employment and stimulate economic growth, particularly among the youth and women.

CCBSA and its longstanding partners, the Gauteng Department of Economic Development and the City of Ekurhuleni, recently rolled out BiB hawker stalls as part of an economic inclusion programme to empower SMMEs in the Olifantsfontein community.

Seven small businesses were upgraded and their trading infrastructure improved to help them run professional, more aesthetically pleasing operations.

HELPING BUSINESSES TO GROW AND CREATE JOBS

Agreement Mthethwa started running her eatery in 2008 alongside her daughter Regent Mthethwa who is following in her mother’s footsteps. Agreement’s restaurant, warmly named Agreement’s Kitchen, is located on Olifantsfontein Road and employs seven young people from communities, such as Thembisa and Clayville.

Regent has her own business, Xibhotanini, which sells traditional food in Olifantsfontein. She employs four young people from the area. “I qualified in public management, but due to unemployment decided to open the eatery with my mother’s help. Today, CCBSA is supporting both our businesses to grow,” says Regent, who encourages young people to create opportunities as she has done

Bizniz-in-a-Box was piloted in 2015 in the Free State. The programme is dedicated to creating opportunities for young people and integrating them into the economy. It aims to contribute towards revitalising township and rural economies and supporting the country’s developmental agenda.

Through BiB, CCBSA and its partners, including national and provincial governments, local municipalities and development finance

The programme commences with a recruitment drive at selected townships or villages, where town hall information sessions are held to register interested youth and other aspiring entrepreneurs. The assessment and selection of candidates incorporate a “Do-Teach” model in which candidates are assessed and given clarity on the rigorous nature of being a successful entrepreneur.

Successful candidates are required to agree to the repayment of a predetermined amount for the setup costs, after which ownership of a container spaza shop is transferred to. The BiB programme is evaluated annually and feedback is incorporated into future roll-outs of the programme.

For more information: www.ccbsaco.com

Bizniz-in-a-Box programme is the brainchild of Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa, which recognised it as the which created the ideal platform to support emerging and small businesses, particularly those run by young people and women, writes PIRTUNIA DHLAMINI, public affairs, communications and sustainability manager at Coca-Cola Beverages South Africa

Scan this QR code to go directly to the Coca Cola website.

Regent Mthethwa and Agreement Mthethwa restaurant, warmly named Agreement’s Kitchen, is located on Olifantsfontein Road

Tebza car wash & Tekkie wash located on Olifantsfontein Road

FOR THE LOVE OF READING

The Bookery is a nonprofit organisation that creates school libraries. Established in 2010 as part of the Equal Education campaign for school libraries, the organisation became independent in 2013. The Bookery has created 91 libraries across three provinces: the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, and Gauteng. We have distributed more than 360 000 books, reached over 94 000 learners and trained and employed over 75 library assistants.

School libraries are an essential part of the education experience, particularly for learners from disadvantaged communities, as they give every child the opportunity to read and learn. Libraries play a crucial role in supporting school curricula and teaching, helping learners to pursue learning beyond the classroom. Libraries offer a safe and supportive environment for promoting curiosity in learners and exposing them to a new world of ideas.

VISION, AIMS AND PROGRAMMES

The Bookery’s vision is to create dynamic school libraries that inspire a love of reading, break barriers, and change lives. The first step is the Library Creation Programme. The organisation engages with prospective schools to develop a sustainability plan for the library and the collection of resources to set it up. We do not build school infrastructure, but use the

spaces available at the schools. We repurpose the space by adding flooring, bookshelves, furniture, computers, printers, and books. We aim to provide learners with books that reflect their lives, cultures, and languages. Relating to stories is an essential element in developing a love of reading and learning. Diversity of culture and language is a defining feature of South Africa – an important part of The Bookery’s work is to provide spaces for multilingual reading and learning. Learners are encouraged to read books and engage with materials in their mother tongue.

After the Library Creation Programme, we continue our involvement through our Literacy Support Programme, which includes employment and training of unemployed youths as library assistants. They are the heart of the libraries. They help guide, encourage, and cultivate a love of books and reading in learners. The Bookery provides skills development training for them to conduct literacy activities in the libraries. The content and activities are complementary and supplementary to the school syllabus.

Reading for leisure is pivotal to a learner’s education. According to the 2016 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study, 78 per cent of South African Grade 4 learners cannot read at an appropriate level. This is unsurprising, given that 74 per cent of schools in South Africa do not have libraries on their premises. And of the 26 per cent of schools that have libraries, only 8 per cent are functional.

Reading and literacy skills are critical in promoting not only education, but also future employment, and ultimately

Reading and literacy skills are critical in promoting not only education, but also future employment, and ultimately improving the quality of life for learners and their communities.

improving the quality of life for learners and their communities.  A key element of this is increasing equality through access to educational resources, this is where the organisation has an important role to play.

“Children must have access to books, and many children can’t go to a store and buy a book. We need our public libraries to be funded and staffed properly as well as our school libraries. Many children can’t get to a public library, and the only library they have is a school library,” says Katherine Paterson, an American children’s book author, speaking about the importance of libraries.

The Bookery aims to set up at least 20 new school libraries stocked with age-appropriate multilingual fiction and nonfiction books and staffed with library assistants within the next three years. We cannot achieve this goal without your support. Together we can create a country of educated, informed, active citizens.

The Bookery sets up school libraries, trains library assistants and supplies books to promote literacy among children.

By

LWAMBESO LUNGA NQADOLO, managing director, The Bookery

PARTNERSHIPS FOR DEVELOPMENT

Meaningful corporate social investment partnerships can have a significant impact on children’s education and development, writes ANÉL LEWIS

FROM GRASSROOTS LITERACY PROGRAMMES TO MATHS CENTRES

The Datatec Educational and Technology Foundation’s more than 15-year partnership with OLICO had a humble beginning as an informal computer literacy project in Ivory Park, Midrand. A few volunteers from Datatec took part in this early initiative, which soon developed into a maths support programme for learners across grades. Five years later, OLICO asked the foundation to pilot a maths programme in Diepsloot. With funding from the foundation and another donor, OLICO has become a multi-award-winning maths support intervention helping learners, nongovernmental organisations and schools countrywide.

“Datatec Foundation’s stance has always been to adopt a long-term mindset towards

partnerships with organisations that seek to improve the quality of education, particularly in mathematics and science,” says Maya Makanjee, chair of the Datatec Educational and Technology Foundation. The significant advantage of this long-term partnership is that OLICO has been able to dive deeply into solving the complex issue of maths education.

INCREASED FOOTPRINT

Datec has recently partnered with OLICO to expand the foundation’s footprint and impact into the rural parts of KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

THE IMPACT OF INVESTMENT

What started 17 years ago as a partnership to establish a centre for extra maths and science lessons in Soweto has grown into a network of 16 Promaths centres countrywide. Investec partnered with the Kutlwanong Centre for Maths, Science and Technology to challenge the myth that maths was too difficult, explains Setlogane Manchidi, head of CSI at Investec. The programme has grown “substantially” since then. While Investec funds 10 of these centres, other funders have also come onboard to support and expand the programme. Investec recently announced the opening of two new Promaths Centres at Photo Primary School in Glen Cowie, Limpopo, and Ebenezer Majombozi Secondary School in the Eastern Cape, both provinces with low maths and science performances in recent years.

“Our belief is that the support of carefully considered educational initiatives aligned to our CSI strategy facilitates meaningful broader societal transformation

and delivers much-needed impact,” says Manchidi. In 2021, Investec-funded Promaths learners in mathematics and physical science achieved more than 700 distinctions.

FOOD FOR LEARNING

KFC’s Add Hope initiative, started 14 years ago, has helped to supply over 30 million meals annually to children daily at more than 1 000 feeding centres nationwide, says Andra Nel, brand purpose and reputation manager at KFC. The fast-food franchise gives a fixed percentage of its income, as well as R2 donations from customers to its partner nonprofit organisations involved in feeding schemes. Since its launch, Add Hope has contributed 250 million meals and aims to hit the 500 million mark by 2030, says Nel. “Acute malnutrition in children younger than five can prevent them from reaching fundamental milestones.

They may not develop the cognitive and physical capabilities they need, and they’re unlikely to be able to contribute meaningfully to society or the economy later on. Our goal is to help create a South Africa where all children have what they need.”

This partnership, which includes the KZN Department of Education, involves a pilot WhatsApp Maths Hotline for 500 Grade 7 to 9 learners. “This simple support could prove revolutionary if used effectively to support in-class teaching and learner backlogs,” explains Makanjee. Grassroots development has always been at the heart of the foundation’s work. “The Datatec Educational and Technology Foundation is fully committed to supporting South Africa’s economic development through advancing our youth in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) subjects, and we are in it for the long run.”

EXTRA HELP

The Vodacom Foundation has been working with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) since 2008 and other private sector organisations to support the strengthening of the South African education system. “Education-centred CSI partnerships such as this are crucial for our country. Not only has the foundation assisted in upgrading education facilities into spaces that are truly conducive to learning, but Vodacom’s ICT expertise is also being harnessed to unlock the transformative power of technology so that learners are prepared for a digital future,” says Takalani Netshitenzhe, director of external affairs, Vodacom South Africa. The foundation has established 13 Schools of Excellence, and Vodacom has invested more than R25-million in upgrading infrastructure, increasing security, installing a fully equipped ICT lab, and training educators at these schools.

Maya Makanjee

Takalani Netshitenzhe

Setlogane Manchidi

QUALITY EDUCATION FOR ALL

The challenge, imperative and reward of creating educational excellence and access.

By LARA KLEMENT, head of advancement at St David’s Marist Inanda

As a school with deep roots in South Africa, St David’s Marist Inanda’s history is intertwined with that of our beautiful, vibrant and challenged country. The first Marist school opened in France in 1818 in response to the dire need for schooling by the most marginalised after the French Revolution. In 1867, the Marist Brothers ventured to South Africa, establishing its first school in Cape Town, and later further schools across South Africa.

In addition to the five South African Marist schools, there are 600 Marist schools and universities in more than 80 countries across five continents, making Marist education one of the largest and most diverse education networks globally.

ACCESS AT THE CORE OF THE MARIST ETHOS

Marist education was born out of the identified need for quality education for those to whom it was least accessible, with the key values of humility, simplicity and modesty. The concept of access has always been central to the Marist ethos, coupled with that of social justice. Access does not only apply to the level of teaching and facilities, but also includes access to “other” – the rich diversity of thought, experiences, skills and beliefs that enrich a community or institution. In this approach, everyone brings richness to the table, despite economic circumstances.

The need for access to quality education is one of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, with the necessity at the forefront in our own country. The Gini coefficient, measuring income inequality between the rich and the poor, places South Africa as the most unequal country in the world. It is incumbent upon all of us, individually and collectively, to address this inequality in whatever way we can.

Growing and maintaining excellence is critical for our country’s growth and sustainability and is linked to the retention and attraction of skills and investment. Schools are a critical

part of the eco-system of attraction and retention – education being one of the litmus tests by which families measure a country and which influences their decisions to remain in or relocate to a country.

PARTNERSHIP AND INVESTMENT ARE KEY

St David’s Marist Inanda is located in the “richest square mile in Africa”, more by chance than by design. When it was opened by the Marist Brothers 81 years ago, the school was a farm in peri-urban Johannesburg. Sandton has burgeoned around the school, and the changing landscape has somewhat informed people’s perception of the school. However, it is worth noting that St David’s Marist Inanda, like many independent schools, remains a nonprofit organisation. All fee income is invested back into the school, primarily into staff costs because no state subsidy is received. The nonprofit business model allows us to invest completely in impact (both excellence and access) without any pressure or requirement to produce a profit for shareholders. One of the success factors of this model has relied on the partnership and investment of those who share the vision and values.

These partnerships have allowed us to develop and grow our bursary programme and also to embark on two exciting projects – a capital development campaign to enhance our Inanda campus to remain at the pinnacle of education on a global level, and a satellite campus, launched in January 2023, in Alexandra township on the grounds of the St Hubert Catholic Church. St David’s Marist Alexandra Campus reintroduces Catholic education into Alexandra 53 years after the Holy Cross Sisters were forced to withdraw by the apartheid government in 1970. This satellite campus model hopes to inspire a new way of approaching and increasing both excellence and access to quality education.

While strategic and well-considered, projects such as these are also acts of faith. As Pope Francis said: “Education is always an act of hope …”. At a time when hope is often challenged and faith in much of what has felt secure has been shaken, we invite and challenge those who are looking to invest in impact, humanity, education, excellence and access to have a conversation with us. Who knows where it may lead?

THE CONCEPT OF ACCESS HAS ALWAYS BEEN CENTRAL TO THE MARIST ETHOS, COUPLED WITH THAT OF SOCIAL JUSTICE.

Lara Klement

St David’s Marist Inanda

ST DAVID’S MARIST INANDA BURSARY PROGRAMME – EXCELLENCE AND ACCESS

homework with Wi-Fi and in a conducive study environment. Nonboarders are provided with data and a Wi-Fi router to assist them with studying at home. The scholars also receive a small monthly allowance to purchase personal items or visit the tuckshop with their friends.

THE POWER OF PHILANTHROPIC PARTNERSHIPS

A key objective of the foundation is to increase the number of bursaries at St David’s, with the aim of having five bursaries per grade.

St David’s Marist Inanda, an all-boys school in Sandton, Johannesburg, is an African Marist Catholic school committed to educational excellence.

St David’s believes that a quality education based on sound values is imperative in shaping the lives of our youth and transforming our country into an equitable and just society.

BUILDING BRIDGES OF HOPE AND SUPPORT

The St David’s Bursary Programme has, over the past 15 years, formalised into a more structured programme of holistic support, built upon learnings and feedback from previous bursary scholars.

While exciting, it is daunting for a Grade 8 bursary scholar to join the school. Helping them to have the best possible experience, support and opportunity to thrive requires a carefully guided approach.

Learnings built into our bursary programme include:

• A complete analysis of what the bursary funding needs to cover (only covering tuition fees is not feasible).

• Psychosocial support from our wellness department. Ensuring that the bursary scholar’s parents/guardians are part of their son’s life at St David’s and are able to attend parent-teacher meetings and school events.

• A bursary programme co-ordinator who serves

as the central point of contact within the school, and connects and updates the St David’s Marist Foundation on awardees’ progress.

• Termly breakfast mentorship meetings to engage and connect with the bursary scholars and receive their open and honest feedback on how to further build and strengthen the programme.

IDENTIFYING A BURSARY CANDIDATE

Potential bursary candidates are identified by the school, in partnership with the Alexandra Education Committee, the Student Sponsorship Programme, and feeder schools and partners. Bursary applications are also received via the school’s admissions office, which manages the assessment and interview process to identify boys with the potential to thrive at St David’s. This process includes a financial needs analysis of the family, and the school proposes a funding budget to the St David’s Marist Foundation to support a number of the identified candidates. The school and foundation aim to meet as many of the needs and costs as realistically possible to ensure a bursary scholar’s best possible chance of success at St David’s.

Weekly boarding was reopened in 2018, and several of the bursary scholars have been accommodated to enable them to engage as fully as possible in school life and activities, as well as being able to study and complete

The foundation’s donors include private individual donors, St David’s community donors (parents, old boys and past parents), corporate companies, local and international foundations and trusts, and the St David’s staff, many of whom contribute to the Staff Giving Fund. Funders and trustees of the foundation also include previous St David’s bursary scholars. Partnering with even more like-minded donors and funders is key to making access to quality education a reality for boys for whom this would otherwise be an unattainable dream. St David’s Marist Inanda and the St David’s Marist Foundation are committed to educational excellence and creating access to our excellent school, in support of our own Marist ethos, our country’s needs and the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal No 4 – Access to Quality Education.

For more information:

St David’s Marist Inanda

36 Rivonia Road, Sandton

www.stdavids.co.za

St David’s Marist Foundation foundation@stdavids.co.za

www.stdavids.co.za/foundation

The St David’s Bursary Programme provides funding for young boys with potential. By ST DAVID’S MARIST FOUNDATION

MEET THE WOMEN LEADERS BEHIND THE LOVE TRUST

Mabel Sikhakhane, Felicity Wyche and Michelle Peters share why they are passionate about the work and mission of The Love Trust.

By Talitha Utton

The Love Trust was founded in 2009 as a South African charitable nonprofit organisation (NPO) with a vision to nurture future generations of servant leaders. The NPO provides vulnerable children with quality Christian-based education and social care focused on academic excellence, spiritual strength and moral integrity.

The core focus of The Love Trust is delivering quality education to primary and preprimary schoolchildren at its Nokuphila School in Thembisa, Midrand. It also focuses on training black South African adult women as accredited early childhood development teachers qualified to teach Grades 000, 00 and Grade R. The Love Trust supports the South African government’s development commitments to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Mabel Sikhakhane, Felicity Wyche and Michelle Peters have all walked a different journey with The Love Trust, but they started by answering the call to do more for the community and South Africa at large.

MABEL SIKHAKHANE, PRINCIPAL OF NOKUPHILA PRIMARY SCHOOL

Mabel Sikhakhane’s journey began when she joined the Nokuphila Primary School as a Grade 2 teacher in 2013. Her hard work and dedication was recognised by The Love Trust and she was soon promoted to head of the foundation phase. She already had more than two decades of teaching experience by then. After further successes such as heading up the preschool, Mabel is now the school principal. As principal, her responsibilities include ensuring the school runs smoothly and the curriculum is followed. She is also a member

of the school-based support team and offers her knowledge and expertise as a certified counsellor. The driving forces behind her career are her calling to teach and her will to empower herself by moving into positions of authority to enact the changes she sees are needed.

“I always tell parents education is the key to success,” says Sikhakhane, “and that their support of their child’s education is crucial for that success. Yet, many of the parents didn’t finish school and think there’s no point in trying to pick up their educational aspirations – that it’s too late. But it’s never too late to be educated. For example, one of The Love Trust’s Nokuphila Teacher Training Academy students is 75 years old! There are several ways that adults can complete their school careers, and I am always happy to offer help and advice.”

FELICITY WYCHE, CONTRACT ADMINISTRATIONS MANAGER AT THE LOVE TRUST

With a BA in psychology and communication and diverse career history, Felicity Wyche feels her learned skill set has been extremely useful over the past five years in her role as the contract administration manager for The Love Trust. Together with The Love Trust’s South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) Accreditation partner, Teacher Learning Centre, and the Nokuphila Teacher Training Academy team, Felicity ensures that The Love Trust’s vision of quality education, with an emphasis on due diligence, is achieved throughout all its teacher training centres.

To this end, she has set an ambitious goal: to ensure quality education standards are met at each of their nine national teacher training centres across the six provinces. The Love

THE CORE FOCUS OF THE LOVE TRUST IS DELIVERING QUALITY EDUCATION TO PRIMARY AND PREPRIMARY SCHOOLCHILDREN AT ITS NOKUPHILA SCHOOL IN THEMBISA, MIDRAND.

Mabel Sikhakhane

Felicity Wyche

Learners at Nokuphila Primary School.

THE NOKUPHILA TEACHER TRAINING ACADEMY SPECIALISES IN TRAINING INDIVIDUALS FROM THEMBISA, WHO ARE ALREADY WORKING IN THE EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT field, TO EARN THEIR ACCREDITED NQF LEVEL 4 OR 5 ECD QUALIFICATIONS.

Trust’s goal is to eventually have a teacher training centre in each of the nine provinces. To support the sustainability of this growth, The Love Trust will look at established branches. Wyche’s words of encouragement to other women are “prayer and perseverance”. “I look at women in any challenging situations and they persevere,” she says, “and eventually, they get there. I also think we tend to forget, in the busyness of the day, what a couple of words of encouragement can do for somebody. Our director of academics, Silas Pillay, always encourages us to be the shoulders for somebody else to stand on – it’s not all about us.”

MICHELLE PETERS, HEAD OF TRAINING AND FACILITATION AT NOKUPHILA TEACHER TRAINING ACADEMY

Michelle Peters learnt about The Love Trust through the Christ Church in Midrand. Peters and her family have always been passionate about making a difference in their country, particularly when it comes to supporting vulnerable children. So, when the request for volunteers for The Love Trust was made, Michelle didn’t hesitate and began volunteering as a receptionist when the NPO launched in 2010. In 2012, she started teaching Grade R and, in 2014, she was appointed principal of the preschool until the beginning of 2021 when she took over the role of head of training and facilitation at the Nokuphila Teacher Training Academy.

The Nokuphila Teacher Training Academy specialises in training individuals from Thembisa, who are already working in the early childhood development (ECD) field, to earn their accredited NQF Level 4 or 5 ECD qualifications. The aim is to provide them with tailored programmes that not only offer theoretical insight, but practical implementation as well, with Christ at the centre of the teachings.

“I have a passion for developing teachers,” Peters says, “because I know the value of a well-trained teacher based on my experience as a teacher and mother. I know that what we’re doing here is impacting more than just Nokuphila, it’s impacting children all over the country and, in particular, thousands of children in Thembisa.”

WHERE WE ARE HEADED

The Love Trust’s goals for the near future are to:

• grow our reach and footprint by strengthening our partnerships with organisations that share our vision of delivering quality education to vulnerable communities;

• grow our reach beyond primary school level. We aim to mobilise our resources to realise the dream of Grades 8 and 9 at Nokuphila School; and

• develop Level NQF 6, NQF 7 – B Ed curriculum for ECD teachers with a view to commencing classes in 2023.

THE UN’s SDGs

LEARN MORE ABOUT THE LOVE TRUST

Michelle Peters

Nokuphila Primary School in Thembisa.

EMPLOYEES STEP UP TO HELP COMMUNITIES

It takes a collective effort to drive South Africa’s growth, and Standard Bank employees are contributing by volunteering their time, skills and money, writes PEARL PHOOLO, Standard Bank SA CSI senior manager

Standard Bank aims to positively impact the societies, environment and economies in which it operates by driving sustainable growth and value for all its stakeholders. The organisation is driven by its purpose, Africa is our home, we drive her growth, and is committed to being transparent and accountable for its impacts

This mission is lived out by embedding the organisation’s social, economic and environmental impact into all its business areas, recognising the challenges and opportunities to improve the lives of its clients, people and broader stakeholders. Standard Bank knows its people are best connected to the communities where it operates, and so – through volunteering options – helps them to make a direct positive impact on those communities.

GIVING FOR THE GREATER GOOD

The World Giving Index (WGI) 2022 by Charity Aid Foundation reports that three billion people globally helped someone they didn’t know in 2021, increasing by approximately

half a billion people, compared to before the pandemic. Around 200 million more people donated money to charities worldwide, with donations rising by 10 per cent in high-income economies. Giving to others is in South Africans’ DNA, and we continue to see people helping those less fortunate, even though it has been a tough few years. The WGI has also shown that the emerging South African middle class gives away almost a third of their earnings each month to help others.

But it is not just about money. Helping others can come from giving your time and skills – everyone has something valuable to contribute. The Standard Bank Forgood platform provides a comprehensive volunteering programme that encourages employees to make a difference through monetary donations or meaningful volunteer work. In this way, employees can find and connect to a cause and receive instant feedback on their impact. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is find a place where you can make a difference, and so Standard Bank offers a range of deserving projects for its

employees to choose from. But, over and above that, for any money donated to these causes, the organisation commits to matching each rand donated by employees. One leave day is also allocated to all employees to spend time giving back to their community.

Matching our staff’s contributions to our communities enables our employees to live the Standard Bank purpose.

Standard Bankers have answered the call to assist those less fortunate and grow their communities. Using the Forgood platform, their donations have been matched, rand for rand, and their skills and services have helped nongovernmental and charity organisations across South Africa.

EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEERING

Standard Bank volunteering had a successful 2022 year that saw an increase in employee engagement. Connections between employees and nongovernmental organisations increased by 45 per cent, driven mainly through events and money donations. Employees supported 108 causes, including National Literacy Month, which allows employees to read stories to young children and hosts events for children to listen to storytelling by prolific South African authors.

Boxes of Joy packing: employees packed gifts and essential items that were delivered to 12 causes (Mpumalanga Youth Council and Sekusile Day Care in KwaZulu-Natal to name a few) across South Africa.

BENEFICIARIES

In 2022, 70 causes benefi tted from the bank’s Rand4Rand matching initiative with an overall donation of R536 536 from employees matched by Standard Bank South Africa. The top fi ve causes that benefi tted in 2022 from the matching initiative are:

1. Salaam Foundation: disaster relief and emergency services. Salaam Foundation helps communities by providing meat and vegetable packs from their farms and community gardens in the northern Free State, Robertsham, Johannesburg and Johannesburg South.

The foundation provides the communities with seedlings and infrastructure and later purchases produce from the community growers. It also creates networks for other buyers to purchase from these community farmers to create further self-sufficiency. The meat and vegetables are packaged and delivered, providing some 10 000 meals monthly to various communities in South Africa. Employees donated R125 000 to this cause.

2. LIV Lanseria: community development. LIV Lanseria places a strong focus on childcare, community development and skills upliftment through education and mentorship with the aim of raising the next generation of leaders in our nation. Its mission, purpose and passion is to place vulnerable or orphaned children into a family environment where they receive care and nurturing, and all their physical needs are met.

LIV Lanseria also has various programmes focused on early childhood development, after-school projects, abandoned babies, a Saturday kids’ programme, a nursery, and recycling opportunities. Employees donated R50 000 to this initiative.

3. Oasis Haven of Love Foundation: babies, children and youth. Oasis Haven is a child and youth care centre that runs two homes for 20 children. It also runs a foster care programme that places children in the care of private individuals.

THE STANDARD BANK FORGOOD PLATFORM PROVIDES A COMPREHENSIVE VOLUNTEERING PROGRAMME THAT ENCOURAGES EMPLOYEES TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE THROUGH MONETARY DONATIONS OR MEANINGFUL VOLUNTEER WORK.

Oasis Haven’s mission and vision are centred around providing quality medical care, education and family for children at risk. The model aims to provide a firm foundation that will enable the girls and boys to become self-sufficient and confident members of society. Employees donated R35 000 to the Oasis Haven of Love.

4. Abraham Kriel Bambanani: babies, children and youth. Abraham Kriel Bambanani provides care and skills development for traumatised children and youth in need in the greater Johannesburg area. It provides shelter, physical care, rehabilitation and skills development for those that have been subjected to trauma, abuse, molestation, poverty, neglect and unemployment. This is done via residential care, community services and educational programmes. Employees donated R25 000 to this cause.

5. Humanitarian and Disaster R4R support. In response to the 2022 KwaZulu-Natal floods, Standard Bank donated an initial R1-million to Gift of the Givers and R1-million to OneFarm Share to ensure food reached nongovernmental organisations supporting flood-impacted communities with emergency food relief. These donations were followed by a call for employee matching, which saw employees contribute R338 943 towards Gift of the Givers and

R90 427 towards OneFarm Share. These funds were matched by the bank. These efforts and donations by both the organisation and its employees are changing the lives of many affected South Africans.

MORE INFORMATION ON STANDARD BANK’S OVERALL IMPACT

FUNDING CRISIS FOR BASIC EDUCATION

Investment in South Africa’s public education sector is on the back burner as multiple other crises consume government’s attention.

By PAUL ESTERHUIZEN, CEO of School-Days

One of the problems with National Treasury’s 2023/2024 national budget, announced in February, is that the allocation for education is not keeping abreast of inflation.

The Department for Basic Education’s (DBE) budget allocation for the next financial year has increased by 5.6 per cent, yet its total expenditure is due to increase by 7.2 per cent. Minister of Finance Enoch Godongwana announced that an additional R22-billion would be allocated to address the shortfall in education compensation. Of the R48.7-billion to be allocated to an education infrastructure grant, R2.1-billion would be allocated to address infrastructure backlogs at schools that don’t meet the basic norms and standards.

Over the medium term, government said the focus of the DBE’s spending will be on improving school infrastructure, providing support to improve matric completion rates, providing support materials for learners and teachers, and increasing the supply of teachers.

Public schools in South Africa face a host of challenges, including poor maintenance, inadequate infrastructure and insufficient teaching and learning materials. Education advocacy group Equal Education says overcrowded schools, insufficient teachers and learning resources, and deteriorating infrastructure are a direct threat to the future of learners. It says that 17 832 of the country’s 23 276 public schools are still without libraries. More than 14 per cent lack reliable electricity, 25 per cent lack reliable water supply, and a shocking 9 per cent still rely on pit toilets as their only form of sanitation.

ABOUT SCHOOL-DAYS

School-Days is a rewards and incentives programme that helps parents and members of the public provide financial assistance to South African schools by shopping with partner merchants, known as School-Days Earn Partners, while still earning their normal retailer loyalty points.

The initiative started with the idea of raising funds by earning Edu-Time Points (ETPs) to help families pay towards their family’s school, college and university fees. The focus of the School-Days programmes has subsequently been extended to allow the public to assist others. ETPs can now be used to support up to two South African schools of their choice as beneficiaries, support disadvantaged schools by choosing the Adopt-a-School Foundation, or use their ETPs to pay towards their child’s fees.

Equal Education adds that the physical state of our public schools clearly indicates that the system is not functioning as it should. Given these appalling conditions, it’s no surprise that many learners struggle with foundational skills such as reading.

The group estimates that basic education funding is shrinking each year once inflation is taken into account.

In the basic education sector, teachers’ salaries make up the bulk of expenditure. When the budget allocation is not increased sufficiently, schools cannot employ more teachers, significantly impacting class sizes. The shrinking budget also has implications for resources and support for learners.

IRREGUAR SPENDING

As Equal Education has pointed out previously, it’s not only basic education funding that is a problem, but also how provincial education departments spend the money allocated to them. According to the Auditor-General, the DBE is the third highest wasteful spender of all government departments. Between 2011 and 2021, 29 per cent of the budget allocated to school infrastructure grants was not spent. And between 2018 and 2021, a shocking R5.7-billion was irregularly spent.

GREATER OVERSIGHT NEEDED

These figures clearly illustrate that budget allocations that are not keeping pace with inflation are only part of the problem. There is also an urgent need for better oversight and control over the department’s spending. Although government spends around 20 per cent of gross domestic product on education, the bulk of the budget goes towards salaries rather than constructing new schools. Until a concerted effort is made to construct new schools and employ more teachers where the demand is highest, overcrowded classrooms will persist. Similarly, government needs to take its oversight role more seriously and ensure that funds allocated to provincial education departments are not mismanaged and wasted.

Every child in South Africa has a constitutional right to basic education. They deserve more than empty promises.

MORE ABOUT SCHOOL-DAYS

THE FOCUS OF THE DBE’S SPENDING WILL BE ON IMPROVING SCHOOL INFRASTRUCTURE, PROVIDING SUPPORT TO IMPROVE MATRIC COMPLETION RATES, PROVIDING SUPPORT MATERIALS FOR LEARNERS AND TEACHERS, AND INCREASING THE SUPPLY OF TEACHERS.

Paul Esterhuizen

ENSURING SUSTAINABLE MEASURES FOR THE FUNDING CONUNDRUM

Literacy in South Africa is in a dire state. According to the 2016 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), almost eight out of ten (78 per cent) of South African Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning. South Africa was ranked last out of the 50 countries that participated in the study. Professor Martin Gustafssohn’s research on the effect of the pandemic on reading literacy rates in South Africa states that by the end of 2021, the average Grade 4 learner could not read as well as the average Grade 3 learner before the COVID-19 pandemic.

When the 2021 PIRLS report is published at the end of this year, the extent of the pandemic’s impact on literacy rates will be understood. However, as it stands, the picture looks bleak. With this outlook, a collaborative effort between the government, corporate South Africa, philanthropic foundations, nonprofit organisations (NPOs) and ordinary South Africans is needed to improve these statistics.

A DROP IN SPEND ON EDUCATION

In 2021, Trialogue conducted research on the CSI expenditure of 69 multirand corporate companies. The fi ndings showed that education was supported by 91 per cent of the companies and received 39 per cent of the CSI expenditure in 2021. This is 50 per cent less than the CSI expenditure on education in 2020. Over 10 per cent of the 39 per cent of CSI expenditure went on language and literacy. Participating companies include Old Mutual Limited, Shoprite Holdings and Anglo-American Foundation, among others. The decline in CSI expenditure is something that we experienced fi rst-hand when we saw

some of our donors either reduce or withdraw their funding to the organisation.

A CHANGING FUNDING LANDSCAPE

Gone are the days of writing long funding proposals and having only one person responsible for the financial stability of an organisation. Fundraising has become a team effort between board members and management. NPOs must focus on diversifying their funding pool, attracting both local and international donors and ensuring sustainable measures are built into their programmes.

Critical questions NPO leaders and board members need to ask themselves include:

What is the organisation’s fundraising strategy, and is it responsive to the changing funding climate?

Are conversations around the importance of fundraising centred around providing solutions for funding challenges?

How much of the annual budget and human capacity is allocated to fundraising?

A piece of advice I carry with me is “donors are people, speak to them”. Fundraising is about relationship-building. This advice and knowing that 74 per cent of schools in South Africa don’t have a library, and of the 26 per cent of schools that do have libraries, only 8 per cent are functional, leaving millions of learners without access to age-appropriate reading material to foster a love for reading, has kept the organisation true to its mission of putting libraries in South African schools.

The pandemic’s impact did not only affect learners’ reading levels, but also the availability of funding for school-based literacy NPOs

that provided interventions to learners while at school. Donors posed questions to NPOs regarding the sustainability of their programmes and the responsiveness to the pandemic as programmes were halted due to the prolonged school closure. Some of the questions we were asked included, “how are you going to implement technology into your programming? and “how are you ensuring that learners have access to reading books while at home?”

We acknowledged that technology is part of the solution, and the organisation is not opposed to using it during a time of crisis, but The Bookery remains an organisation that provides access to physical books through the creation of school libraries.

As NPOs navigate the changing funding climate, philanthropic foundations and corporate South Africa must ask: if the CSI expenditure is distributed geographically and demographically; if funding is distributed among existing and new-entry NPOs?; what the bottlenecks are that hinder accessing the available funds; and if they are funding scalable and cost-effective programmes geared at influencing government spending on literacy interventions?

I then pose the question of whether there is enough financial support for organisations tackling literacy challenges in South Africa.

ABOUT THE BOOKERY

NPOS MUST FOCUS ON DIVERSIFYING THEIR FUNDING POOL, ATTRACTING BOTH LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL DONORS AND ENSURING SUSTAINABLE MEASURES ARE BUILT INTO THEIR PROGRAMMES.

Lwambeso Lunga Nqadolo

LWAMBESO LUNGA NQADOLO

, managing director

of The Bookery, asks whether there is enough financial support for organisations tackling literacy challenges in South Africa

Part of Astron Energy’s integrated approach to learning includes literacy and elements of numeracy to ensure the foundations and basics are in place. The fuel company calls this STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics).

Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) will provide career opportunities and economic impetus over the coming years as we increasingly embrace the fourth industrial revolution (4IR) and progress inexorably towards a fifth industrial revolution (5IR) future.

The World Economic Forum has characterised 4IR as “a fusion of technologies that is blurring the lines between the physical, digital and biological spheres”.

According to Nexford University, a next-generation online university based in Washington DC, software engineers, network administrators and data scientists will be among the most in-demand careers in South Africa over the next three years.

BUILDING TALENT AND EXPERTISE IN STEM

This is why Astron Energy, a leading supplier of petroleum products in Southern Africa, continues to make significant investments in educational initiatives in a bid to address gaps in key skills and help build a pipeline of talent for a future driven by technology.

A research article published in The Journal of Higher Education towards the end of last year, “Examining motivator factors of STEM undergraduate persistence through twofactor theory”, pointed out that 34 per cent more jobs required expertise in STEM over the past decade.

Astron Energy has invested over R21-million in future skills programmes and each year reaches over 250 000 learners and young people across South Africa through focused educational support programmes.

STEM subjects are generally perceived as being difficult. Mathematics, for example, is sometimes seen as hard to grasp, especially if one misses out on receiving the foundational building blocks. Science, likewise, builds on previous learnings, and it can be tricky to go back and fill in the gaps.

But if we want to be globally competitive as a nation, capable of giving our young people the best platform to excel and participate in the global digital economy, we have to persevere and support our educators and learners.

Astron Energy CEO Thabiet Booley, who holds a post-graduate degree in chemistry, says: “In South Africa, we need to build from the bottom up. We need to ensure that our children get into school, we help them through the grades by providing support and encouragement, and then direct them into appropriate courses of study.”

USING STEAM TO POWER SOUTH AFRICA’S DIGITAL FUTURE

The fourth industrial revolution requires the 3Cs – communication, critical thinking and collaboration – and Astron Energy is supporting this with its integrated approach to learning

WHAT IS STEAM

Booley says that Astron Energy realised that the growth and development of key STEM skills in South Africa faced a deep challenge due to a basic lack of literacy and numeracy among many learners. Literacy and numeracy shortcomings impact the ability of children to comprehend and engage effectively.

In response, the company adopted the STEAM approach with the aim of improving literacy levels, developing problem-solving skills and giving young people the best possible chance of succeeding in a digital future.

The 2016 Progress in International Reading Literacy Study revealed that eight out of 10 Grade 4 learners cannot read for meaning across all languages in South Africa.

The 2016 study – the most recent survey – saw South Africa placed last out of the 50

participating countries. This was before the COVID-19 pandemic, which saw schooling severely disrupted, and is likely to have had a detrimental effect on key learning outcomes.

“With our focus on a more rounded educational approach, the result is that STEM has become STEAM,” Booley explains.

“The aim is to not only improve literacy and numeracy levels, but to develop problem-solving and process-based learning, which are crucial in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“We believe that this approach will provide young people with the holistic education they seek to broaden their knowledge and skills and will open the doors of opportunity to the digital economy,” Booley says.

Digital Library For Learners

KEY STEAM-FOCUSED PROJECTS

Astron Energy invests in focused educational support and future skills programmes for learners and young people across South Africa

CASME

Together with the Centre for the Advancement of Science and Mathematics Education (CASME), Astron Energy established a resource centre that makes natural sciences, physical sciences and maths resources available to teachers in the uMlazi district of KwaZulu-Natal.

SCIENCE2GO

We have extended our reach to over 15 000 learners in the eThekwini area by funding a Science2Go Mobile Resource Centre. The mobile centre, which carries laboratory equipment and materials, supports maths and science teaching and learning at 15 schools in the area.

CODING AND ROBOTICS

Astron Energy partners with a number of organisations and institutions to introduce and instil a love of coding and robotics

in children, particularly in previously disadvantaged schools and communities.

These include a partnership with nonprofit organisation ORT SA, which runs the very successful Let Kids Code competition. ORT SA trains learners and educators as part of the joint project before asking them to identify and explore challenges in their local communities and see how these could be solved using technology.

We also partner with the Cape Town Science Centre on a programme called Code on the Road, which takes coding to selected schools in communities surrounding the Astron Energy refinery in Milnerton, Cape Town. The programme helps to bring the magic and enjoyment of coding to life and instils sound coding practices and foundations as part of an “enrichment” support to the formal coding syllabus.

ASTRON ENERGY SCHOOLS PROGRAMME

Astron Energy also supports the Cape Town Science Centre through funding for teacher training and learner tuition programmes as part of its Astron Energy Schools Programme. The programme, which provides coding classes, matric masterclasses and physical science tutoring sessions, supports over 20 schools in communities surrounding the Astron Energy refinery.

PRIMARY SCIENCE PROGRAMME

In 2018, we partnered with the award-winning Primary Science Programme. This project reaches children at a foundational phase to help instil a love and curiosity for science and maths at a young age. We have worked with over 1 300 teachers from 120 schools to benefit 100 000 learners in the Western, Eastern and Northern Cape provinces.

Learners from Mega Primary with their school safety system design.

FREE WI-FI PROJECT

In 2022, Astron Energy rolled out free and cheap internet access to tens of thousands of residents of Du Noon, a community located near our company’s refinery in Milnerton, Cape Town, as part of a significant investment.

Almost 4 400 learners and 120 educators from Sophakama and Du Noon primary schools and Inkwenkwezi Secondary School now have free daily internet access.

Around 11 000 households also have access to cheap internet. Residents can buy 24-hour uncapped Wi-Fi for only R5 from one of the 60 community vendors that form part of the job creation and empowerment project in the community.

Over R1-million has been invested in the project to date, and we intend to add more households each year as the project expands.

DIGITAL LIBRARIES

ASTRON ENERGY’S VALUES

Our company values define our culture and guide us in our daily business interactions with each other internally and with all our external stakeholders.

In partnership with information and communications technology company Ruratech, Astron Energy has rolled out state-of-the-art and innovatively packaged digital libraries to schools across South Africa. Each digital library consists of 40 tablets, a server, a laptop and a printer, and Ruratech provides training and support for educators and learners for a full year.

Astron Energy has donated digital libraries, which cost R270 000 each, to schools in the Western Cape, Gauteng, the Northern Cape and Mpumalanga.

This is an ongoing initiative as we understand that we cannot focus only on teaching children critical future skills, but we must also provide them with the essential tools to learn and live out their digital aspirations.

RESOURCE SUPPORT

As part of our ongoing relationship with the communities in and around our refinery, we have funded the renovation, restocking and operating expenses of primary and high schools in areas such as Du Noon, Joe Slovo, Bothasig and Milnerton.

These support measures have primarily focused on the upgrade of computer and science labs and libraries.

ASTRON ENERGY PARTNERS WITH A NUMBER OF ORGANISATIONS AND INSTITUTIONS TO INTRODUCE AND INSTIL A LOVE OF CODING AND ROBOTICS IN CHILDREN, PARTICULARLY IN PREVIOUSLY DISADVANTAGED SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES.

Project Isizwe WIFI zone 2

Astron Energy digital library

Learners from Michael Mkhwanazi Primary School with their project at the Let Kids Code competition

Hand-in-hand

We believe that every business – large and small – has a duty to reach out and see where assistance and relief can be provided, particularly during times of crisis and hardship. Together, we can overcome the challenges facing people and communities and help build the South Africa we all long to see.

CARE PACKS

In 2021, during the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, Astron Energy donated over 400 care packs to health workers in the COVID-19 wards at Tygerberg Hospital in Cape Town.

The gifting of the care packs formed part of efforts to support and thank COVID-19 healthcare workers, acknowledging the tremendous toll the pandemic was taking on the mental wellbeing of frontline staff.

Astron Energy further donated more than R3-million to coronavirus relief efforts across South Africa, including providing PCR testing kits through the Gift of the Givers and working alongside FoodForward SA, Rise Against Hunger, and Country Duty to provide hundreds of thousands of meals and food vouchers to communities in need.

FCP PACKS

We partner with nongovernmental organisation Friends of Child Protection (FCP) to help put together comfort packs to be used in the police’s Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences units and Thuthuzela Care Centres, which support and assist survivors of sexual violence.

The statistics around gender-based violence and child abuse are horrifi c and heartbreaking, but we salute those who

give so much of themselves to help those in need. We look around to see where the need is and then assist with support.

This annual project forms part of our employee volunteering programme during July, our Month of Caring, during which time we also support a number of other organisations such as Rise Against Hunger and the Amy Foundation.

Let’s work together to break the cycle of gender-based violence and build a nation where women and children can feel safe and secure at all times.

EMERGENCY RELIEF

In the aftermath of the civil unrest in 2021 and the fl oods that devastated parts of Kwazulu-Natal in 2022, we worked with prominent relief organisations, Gift of the Givers and FoodForward SA, to provide relief to affected communities through donations of essential supplies.

CREATING A BETTER FUTURE FOR ALL

We live in a country of extremes and South Africa is a tremendous challenges. But we are also a country of promise and immense potential.

At Astron Energy, we believe in working together to create a future that is better, more prosperous, and inclusive for all people and communities.

We are focused on being a responsible corporate citizen, promoting education, health and economic development in an effort to build stronger communities and drive sustainable economic growth.

We are committed to growing South Africa’s potential and creating opportunities as part of our journey of transformation and hope.

Let’s build South Africa together.

For more information: (021) 403 7911

CRM@astronenergy.co.za

www.astronenergy.co.za

Scan this QR code to go directly to the Astron Energy website.

We live in a country with immense and varied needs. They are simply not solvable by government alone, so need the support of the private sector and corporates

WE BELIEVE THAT EVERY BUSINESS – LARGE AND SMALL – HAS A DUTY TO REACH OUT AND SEE WHERE ASSISTANCE AND RELIEF CAN BE PROVIDED, PARTICULARLY DURING TIMES OF CRISIS AND HARDSHIP.

Packing of care packs

WE BELIEVE IN WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE A FUTURE THAT IS BETTER, MORE PROSPEROUS, AND INCLUSIVE FOR ALL PEOPLE AND COMMUNITIES.

FUTURE-PROOFING OUR COMMUNITIES

The recent rebrand of Astron Energy (owner of the former Caltex brand) was an opportunity for the company to reassert that it is a proudly South African organisation that needs to contribute to solving some of the country’s problems, which it does partly through its CSI programmes, writes RYLAND FISHER

Corporate social investment (CSI) is critical and at the heart of what Astron Energy wants to be, says the company’s corporate affairs manager, Jill Koopman. She says Astron Energy’s main CSI focus is on STEAM (science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics) education.

“This is an area where government needs support, but it is also something that could benefit our organisation in the long run. Focusing on the STEAM area allows us to start nurturing skills at a very young age. Through our CSI initiatives and bursary programme, we have supported some learners at school level and then at university. From there, we recruited appropriate students into our two-year graduate internship programme and later absorbed them into our employee base.”

The “arts” in STEAM is important because it allows learners to express a different part of their personalities, she adds.

“But it is also about literacy. We have a challenge with low literacy levels in our schools and the workplace. If we do not equip our STEAM learners with literacy skills, how will they understand the problems they face? How are they going to understand the textbooks they’ve been given?”

Koopman adds that Astron Energy’s CSI initiatives are making a tangible difference in

FAST FACT

Each year, Astron Energy impacts 250 000 direct benefi ciaries through its social. Investment partnerships.

the communities it serves because “we put a lot of effort into our work. We do not just sit in our offi ces and hand out money. We meet with partners regularly, and we go into the schools and other places where we work.

“Recently, we were at a coding and robotics programme in Springs in East Gauteng. At the graduation ceremony, these young grade six children presented their coding and robotics programme to us. It is phenomenal that children who would never normally have had an opportunity to experience coding could come and show us how they were going to solve everyday problems.

“They came up with simple solutions to problems such as load shedding, crime and access to healthcare, using what they had been taught during the year to solve those problems. It was a tangible demonstration of how we are making a difference.”

AREAS OF IMPACT

Two of the biggest projects tackled by Astron Energy involve the Shine Community Trust, which focuses on literacy, and RuraTech, a nonprofit organisation in KwaZulu-Natal that has a digital classroom in a box.

“We began working with the Shine Community Trust about three years ago. The organisation undertakes outreach programmes in disadvantaged communities. It uses unemployed youth to deliver literacy workshops and lessons. That helps to create employment,” says Astron Energy’s corporate affairs manager, Jill Koopman.

“RuraTech’s digital classroom comprises a teacher’s laptop, a printer and 40 tablets for the learners. It comes with Wi-Fi and is equipped with an antitheft mechanism because many of the schools are vulnerable to vandalism and theft.

We also provide the schools with training and support for a year after the programme roll-out. We intend to take this into some of the most rural areas. We try to make these assets or resources available to schools in marginalised and disadvantaged areas.”

NEW DEVELOPMENT FUND

Astron Energy is set to increase its CSI impact with the launch of a new R220-million development fund that will focus on supporting small and emerging businesses in the company’s value chain.

“Through this fund, we can provide additional loan funding and mentorship and support the community to grow their businesses in ways that will eventually benefit us as future procurement opportunities. It is new, and we are still building our pipeline. There is a need for plenty of education and training. Our big focus this year is to work with those communities and fill up that pipeline through our portal,” says Koopman.

“WE DO NOT JUST SIT IN OUR OFFICES AND HAND OUT MONEY. WE MEET WITH PARTNERS REGULARLY, AND WE GO INTO THE SCHOOLS AND OTHER PLACES WHERE WE WORK.” – JILL KOOPMAN

Astron Energy education initiatives go from STEM to STEAM.

Learners supported by Astron Energy in The Let Kids Code project.

ONE CHALLENGE AT A TIME

Sustainable public-private partnerships are making a major difference in the public healthcare sector and in the lives of millions of people.

It would be simplistic to look at the public healthcare system in South Africa and say it needs “saving”, when what it really needs is support in meeting the health needs of the millions of people it serves.

Public-private partnerships have proven successful in many areas, and several companies are committing at least some of their CSI spend to helping boost the efforts of the public health sector.

LESSENING THE BURDEN ON THE PUBLIC HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

Mande Toubkin, general manager of emergency, trauma, transplant and corporate social investment at Netcare, says the Netcare Foundation was established because the company recognised that South Africa’s needs required the intervention of good corporate citizens. “We understand the need for help in the public health sector and decided to harness all our facilities and expertise in establishing the Netcare Foundation as a nonprofit organisation,” she says. “We wanted to formalise support for the sector and undertake specific projects to make as much of a difference as we can because the country’s problems are our problems.”

One of the major challenges in the public healthcare space is the backlog for acute healthcare. “We can’t remove the burden from the public healthcare system, but we can lessen it and change the lives of some people by broadening access to healthcare, using our facilities and experts, who give freely of their time,” says Toubkin. “There is a massive backlog in cataract surgeries in the public sector due to COVID-19 lockdowns, so if we can do 100 a year, that’s 100 that the public sector doesn’t need to worry about.”

The Netcare Foundation operates Sexual Assault Centres at 40 of its facilities across the

By TREVOR CRIGHTON

country, a project they’ve supported for a long time – and the organisation believes in long-term partnerships.

While being clear about the Netcare Foundation’s role in supporting, rather than saving the public healthcare sector in South Africa, Toubkin says they measure success in terms of seeing people’s progress in life once they’ve had the chance to access much-needed medical treatment.

MAKING SYSTEMIC CHANGE

For over 20 years, the Discovery Fund has been contributing to building human capabilities, reducing infant and maternal mortality, protecting the most vulnerable people in society and helping improve the capacity of state health resources through strategic, multistakeholder partnerships with community organisations, government and other corporates.

“South Africa has eight doctors for every 10 000 people – less than half the global average – with shortages more concentrated in public healthcare and exacerbated in rural areas, where some districts barely have one doctor for every 10 000 people,” says Ruth Lewin, head of sustainability at Discovery. “Those statistics are important because they speak to our mandate of helping plug some of the holes in the public healthcare sector – particularly in those rural areas. We don’t see public health as solely the government’s responsibility – we have a role to

play in supporting service delivery and making a real, impactful contribution.”

Lewin says the challenge of supporting the public health sector never seems insurmountable when there’s a clear focus on and understanding of the needs. “We only have a finite amount of money and need to ensure that it’s spent in the most impactful way. There are huge challenges, but with a clear strategy of wanting to help bring about systemic change, we believe we can make a sustainable contribution to the public healthcare sector. Some incredible pioneers are doing amazing work in the public sector; we want to make their work easier by supporting them and complementing what they’re doing so that they can continue to impact the lives of marginalised people in significant ways.”

Lewin’s focus is on helping the Discovery Foundation institute sustainable healthcare programmes. “A lot of the programmes we work with are such great models that can be replicated in other areas. Many are great models of getting the most out of human resource capacity that can be applied to other sectors, such as training teachers,” she says. “That’s the real story – it’s about delivering innovative models that can be deployed into other areas, driven by ordinary people who have had to think creatively in the face of limited resources – and who have made a huge impact.”

“WE CAN’T REMOVE THE BURDEN FROM THE PUBLIC HEALTHCARE SYSTEM, BUT WE CAN LESSEN IT AND CHANGE THE LIVES OF SOME PEOPLE BY BROADENING ACCESS TO HEALTHCARE.” – MANDE TOUBKIN

Mande Toubkin

Ruth Lewin

The Discovery Fund contributes towards improving the capacity of state health resources.

WE CAN SOLVE AFRICA’S WATER CHALLENGES

By

Water is life. It’s not just the crucial resource that helps nature and humans survive. Our modern world would fall apart without water. It helps cities sustain growing populations. Farms rely on water to grow our food. Even our electricity systems require water for cooling.

In the book How the World Really Works, author Vaclav Smil estimates that sub-Saharan Africa must increase energy output several times if the region wants to create the same opportunities as the developed world. Africa’s future depends on how we handle and protect water to support urbanisation, agriculture, manufacturing and the basic utilities that underpin everything else.

Yet we are still a distance from those opportunities. One out of three Africans faces water scarcity, according to the World Resources Institute. Of the nearly 800 million people without reliable access to safe drinking water, 40 per cent are in sub-Saharan Africa, says Global Citizen, an international education and advocacy organisation. Climate change, already prompting major droughts and floods in the region, will only make the task of maintaining a sufficient level of water security, even more difficult.

But as they say, when the going gets tough, the tough get going. It may be a cliche, but it’s true. Humans have an incredible capacity to face staggering odds and fix our most pressing challenges. Xylem, a leading global water

solutions provider, strives to be a part of that positive change.

“Water itself is not the problem,” says Chetan Mistry, strategy and marketing manager for Xylem Africa. “There is a lot of water – enough for everyone. The challenge is how we manage water and move it around to ensure everyone has access to it. This is a big part of Xylem’s purpose. We don’t just want to solve water security issues for large customers. We want to help solve it for everyone. And we make that part of our vision.”

SAVING WATER WITH PURPOSE

Xylem derives its name from a plant membrane that transports water from the roots. It was established in 2011 when the parent company ITT Corporation split its operations into three companies. Xylem is the future in effective water management, where it applies expertise, collaboration and technology to enhance how we use and safeguard this resource. It is on seven continents, employing over 17,000 people across 150 countries and 350 operating

locations, and earning US$5.5 billion in revenue (2022) with a fifth generated in emerging markets. In SA, Xylem is a BEE Level 1 organisation. “We Solve Water” is the Xylem motto, and it tackles water problems through three primary areas: expertise, sustainability and community.

Xylem’s expertise stems from a range of technical, design and management skills that deliver solutions such as pumps for urban and industrial applications, water infrastructure design and refurbishment, analytics solutions for data-driven strategy, wastewater treatment modernisation, water recycling, and efficiency engineering for multiple sectors such as agriculture, mining and manufacturing. A market-leading stable of brands, including Flygt, Godwin and Flojet, help Xylem deliver on its core objectives.

Sustainability is essential to Xylem’s success, and from the start, its leadership has made sustainability goals a central part of its strategy. The company’s 2021 sustainability report showcases its commitment to achieving a sustainable future:

• Reduce over 3.5 billion cubic metres of nonrevenue water.

• Treat over 13 billion cubic metres of water for reuse.

• Prevent over seven billion cubic metres of polluted water from flooding communities or entering local waterways.

We should focus on water to create a strong, prosperous, competitive continent.

XYLEM WATER SOLUTIONS

AFRICA’S FUTURE DEPENDS ON HOW WE HANDLE AND PROTECT WATER TO SUPPORT URBANISATION, AGRICULTURE, MANUFACTURING AND THE BASIC UTILITIES THAT UNDERPIN EVERYTHING ELSE.

• Reduce water’s CO 2 footprint by over 2.8 million metric tons.

• Provide access to clean water and sanitation solutions for at least 20 million people living at the base of the global economic pyramid.

“We combine our brands with top talent to develop the best answers for situations where we can improve how someone accesses and uses water,” says Mistry. “Xylem is home to world-renowned brands, and we spend over $200-million annually on research and development. Our focus on sustainability is the foundation of our purpose. A world where everyone can access safe water will grow from strength to strength. We want to help create that world.”

JOINING FORCES WITH AFRICA’S COMMUNITIES

Xylem’s third pillar is community. It collaborates with and supports various initiatives to improve the prospects of everyday people, including major infrastructure projects and grassroots action through Xylem’s social investment programme, Watermark.

Recent landmark projects include Egypt’s Abu Rawash Wastewater Treatment Plant, new pumping systems for the Kenya Electricity Generating Company, specialised systems for the Lake Kivu KivuWatt Project in Rwanda, and modernising the Strandfontein Wastewater Treatment Works in South Africa. The company works with an extensive network of partners to develop large and smaller solutions for governments, commercial ventures and residential customers.

Xylem also works directly with communities, the ultimate custodians of water and its future. Through Watermark, which consists of Xylem employee volunteers and supports numerous

nongovernmental organisation (NGOs) partners, the company is enhancing water security across the continent. In South Africa, the company has helped repair schools damaged during the recent KwaZulu-Natal floods. The volunteer employees helped repair school roofs, repainted walls, and gifted the schools with a water system that would ensure the learners and staff had access to clean water.

In Cape Town, Xylem teamed up with local NGOs to clean the waterfront around Strandfontein beach and Mitchells Plain and continues to support river, beach and wetland cleanups. During the COVID-19 lockdowns and recovery, the company worked with local groups to provide water and sanitation access in disadvantaged communities. Watermark groups frequently contribute their time and expertise alongside Xylem-sourced equipment to enhance schools and community gardens.

Other examples include sponsoring Kenya’s first Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition and contestants, launching a made-in-Africa children’s book called Splash that teaches kids about water. In Ghana the company helped fund the erection of water towers, and more recently Xylem volunteers climbed Mount Kenya to highlight the continent’s water challenges. Xylem has also developed local manufacturing and repair capacities to bring more industry and employment to Africa.

“Sustainability and all that comes with it, including working with communities, is central to what Xylem does,” says Mistry. “We sell water solutions. If nobody protects water or only a few benefit from it, there is no market for us. The more the world and all its people excel, the better for Xylem. That’s why we take community and sustainability so seriously. We want to solve water

and we want to include others because that is the only way to ensure sustainable solutions.”

The famous ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau once said: “The water cycle and the life cycle are one.”

Water is the key to a better world and better lives for all its people. Xylem strives to make this a reality on all levels: innovation, commercial solutions, community upliftment, education and sustainability.

Join forces with Xylem and see how we can solve Africa’s water challenges together.

Scan this QR code to go directly to the Xylem website.

For more information: 021 561 6000 www.xylem.com

Xylem volunteers read Splash, a children’s book locally curated by Xylem South Africa at a recent Watermark activation.

Xylem’s Lowara pumps and boosters provide long term economical solutions for pumping and circulating clean or contaminated water.

Xylem’s Godwin pump, designed for tough conditions, in action at on open-cast mine.

Xylem volunteers help clean up Strandfontein beach whilst ‘plogging’ at a recent Watermark initiative.

COLLABORATION FOR BIODIVERSITY GOALS

CSI-FUNDED ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTS

Environmental consultancy NCC Environmental Services spends a percentage of turnover on supporting staff and the communities where it operates. It focuses on sustainable environmental development, environmental education and enterprise development in the environmental sector. The organisation also sponsors third-year nature conservation students by funding the costs of administration, accommodation, travel, living allowance, protective clothing, IT, mentorship and coaching. NCC’s Greener Futures Academy is a nonprofit company that hosts graduates in a structured 12-month learnership programme that equips them with the necessary experience, skills and competencies to be more suitable for employment opportunities.

The Groen Sebenza project was launched in 2013 by then-minister of Water and Environmental Affairs Edna Molewa. The aim is to grow a pool of young biodiversity professionals with the skills, confidence and competence to secure full-time jobs, enjoy meaningful careers and catalyse further job creation in the biodiversity sector. Spearheaded by the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), the first phase of the R30-million project set out to provide 800 unemployed graduates and matriculants with two-year internships that would hopefully result in permanent employment in the sector.

SANBI SUCCESS

Vivian Malema, director: biodiversity education and public engagement at SANBI, says that 955 young people were selected for the first phase because of the demand for positions.

“The first phase built mentoring capacity in the environmental space, changing the perception that mentoring is a valuable tool to enhancing the sector rather than being an additional task. There’s been a realisation that giving back and mentoring young people is a way of continuing the development of what was previously an ageing sector. Of those 955 recruits, about 600 were

able to take up permanent employment in the sector,” she says.

Malema says Groen Sebenza has also resulted in more collaborative work among biodiversity organisations, particularly in skills development and biodiversity management. “More than 50 per cent of the phase one recruits also spoke to rectifying transformation figures in terms of age, gender and race in a profession that was largely white-maledominated,” says Malema. “It also tackled the issue of spatial transformation with most of the opportunities previously urban-centred, so we challenged ourselves to recruit more people from rural and distressed areas.”

INTO THE FUTURE

Phase two of the project was launched in June 2022 and aims to increase the scope to 1 050 young people who will be contracted across 85 host organisations – nearly double phase one’s 43 – for a two-year period.

Malema says that once the second phase spots are filled, there are plans for a third phase. “We’ve already increased our intake and the number of participating organisations, so the initial challenge will be seeing how many of our 1 050 participants are able to secure permanent employment in the sector at the end of their contracts,” she says. “If retention is higher, we demonstrate the need for skills in the sector and increase our likelihood of securing more funding for future phases.”

Engen continues to increase its contribution to a cleaner environment and more sustainable business practices by offering continued support to the Rose Foundation, which concentrates on recycling used oil. Engen is also involved in ongoing work in the Durban South basin that ensures it remains vigilant of its impact on communities and schools in the area. The Nedbank Foundation, the bank’s main corporate social investment vehicle, provides funding to deserving social and environmental causes and projects and also helps guide the group’s CSI strategy. The foundation’s vision for the green economy is that it will be a catalyst for sustainable economic growth, especially in rural and semi-urban communities. The foundation drives entrepreneurship, skills development, job creation and education in the agriculture, waste, water and energy sectors.

She cautions that it’s important not to discount the fact that phase two is rolling out in an environment where 70 per cent of the country’s unemployed people are young people. “It’s hard in an environment where an organisation places an ad for two posts that invited 35 applications. This illustrates the desperate need in the sector,” says Malema. “It’s important to have programmes such as Groen Sebenza to help skilled graduates with diplomas, degrees and PhDs gain the fi eld experience most permanent job positions demand.”

“THE FIRST PHASE BUILT MENTORING CAPACITY IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL SPACE.” – VIVIAN MALEMA

Vivian Malema

Groen Sebenza initiative could be a model for boosting skills and employment in other sectors, writes TREVOR CRIGHTON

Groen Sebenza pioneers at the national inducation. A mentor workshop in the Northern Cape.

WHY MENTORSHIP MATTERS

Shireen Motara, CEO of Tara Transform, believes “mentorship gives you access to the insights, experience, skills and networks of other people who have been there before”. Motara is an executive coach who spends most of her working days supporting women leaders in the nongovernmental organisation, global agency and corporate sectors to navigate their executive journeys. She also assists organisations with succession planning.

She explains that while coaching is a process of unleashing and nurturing someone’s abilities and strengths to progress, mentorship is really about drawing on the strengths of others as guides and role models and ultimately acting on the opportunities they offer. “Very often people get caught up in thinking success is exclusively about skills, but often it’s the simple advice and insights, the practical experience of those familiar with how things work and who can connect you to opportunities and feel key people, that make the difference.”

This is critical in a country where many young people live in communities affected by poverty, unemployment and a lack of resources. The resulting marginalisation makes it difficult to even conceive of developing the attributes – such as collaboration, complex problem-solving, critical thinking and analysis, leadership skills and social influence – deemed necessary for success in the 21st century.

In this context, Motara explains, “mentorship can play a meaningful role in helping people understand what they need to succeed”. This is why she founded Young Women Thrive – to provide mentorship and assist young women in benefitting from more experienced people while training them to engage critically, seek clarification and ultimately act on the guidance and opportunities that mentorship affords.

PROVIDING ACCESS TO SKILLS, EXPERIENCE AND ADVICE

The provision of access, a cornerstone of mentorship, is a game-changer for young people, believes the chief executive officer of the National

Mentorship Movement (NMM), David Wilson. “Mentorship provides access to valuable skills, experience insights, advice and networks that help the youth bridge the barriers resulting from their personal and community circumstances.”

For Wilson, the power of mentorship was particularly illustrated during the pandemic, which had a devastating impact on many small businesses. He witnessed small businesses pivot and thrive because of the interventions and experience afforded them through mentors. For example, the young woman who, when her tourism business was hit by the downturn, leveraged her passion for wine to launch a wine brand earlier this year with the support of her mentor, a retired head of a leading advertising agency,

THE NMM MODEL

Wilson’s organisation provides a platform that connects mentors with those who would benefit from being able to tap into them as sounding boards and champions. NMM partners with companies or organisations that mobilise mentors or recipients of mentorship in a structured programme, described by Wilson as mutually beneficial.

Organisations that have partnered with the NMM include the Da Vinci Institute, Mancosa, Old Mutual, Pernod Ricard, Printing SA, Standard Bank, Sanlam Investment Group, the Technology Innovation Agency, the Tourism Business Council of South Africa and the V&A Waterfront.

Wilson explains the benefits to organisations whose colleagues, acting as mentors, have the opportunity to understand first-hand the lived experiences of many people whose realities they might otherwise be oblivious to. It also often culminates in appreciation from the staff mentors for a company that demonstrates care.

The NMM’s objective is to match mentors or mentees with the best possible partner to create a meaningful relationship that assists mentees to achieve their goals. In so doing, the NMM helps create confident and successful people, transform the economy, grow employment and build relationships of trust across society, thereby ensuring a sustainable future for all South Africans.

The following model is used to achieve that.

NMM’s Everwise mentorship platform is a central pillar of the programme. It is where mentors and mentees register and receive onboarding information and are matched with a relevant partner.

NMM’s partners form the second pillar of the programme and include large and small corporate and social impact organisations and individuals. They help to access and support mentors and mentees and create successful mentorship relationships. The final pillar comprises programmes with specific focus areas, such as entrepreneurs, women, unemployed youth and students across different industries, geographies and sectors.

“MENTORSHIP GIVES YOU ACCESS TO THE INSIGHTS, EXPERIENCE, SKILLS AND NETWORKS OF OTHER PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN THERE BEFORE.” – SHIREEN MOTARA

The benefits of supporting mentorship programmes yield success for the individual, but also, more importantly, the community at large, writes LORELLE BELL

WORKING TOGETHER TO PRESERVE AND CELEBRATE OUR HERITAGE

LEADERS GIVE THEIR BLESSING

Bushman leader Petrus Vaalbooi says he is proud of the social compact agreement that guarantees the socioeconomic and heritage rights and benefits of his people and the greater Khoi and Bushman nation.

The development at the Two Rivers Urban Park, near Observatory in Cape Town – popularly known as the River Club – has been mired in controversy. At the heart of it is how to preserve the cultural heritage of the Cape.

The developers have, in their corner, the biggest representative organisation of the First Nation people in the country, the Western Cape First Nations Collective (WCFNC). Under the leadership of Chief Zenzile Khoisan, the WCFNC has been trying to reunite the different indigenous tribes so that they can gain recognition and restitution.

Chief Zenzile, the chief to the Gorinhiqua Tribal Council, has succeeded in uniting the

Gorinhaiqua, the Gorachouqua, the Cochoqua, the San Traditional Royal House, the Griqua Royal Council, the National Khoi and San Council, and the vast majority of tribal councils and houses.

They have negotiated with the developers of the River Club to include a First Nations Heritage and Cultural Centre to be used by all indigenous people.

“It is abundantly clear that the only acceptable outcome of the fight at the River Club development is that the First Nations Heritage Centre must be secured and preserved, and with it the right of the first nation descendants to return to the land of their ancestors,” says Chief Zenzile.

“The support of the vast majority of indigenous groups for the development is recorded in properly and legally deposed documents, affidavits and letters of support,” he explains.

Chief Poem Mooney agrees: “We want everyone to know we accept that we were properly consulted and that this development received our blessing.”

Chief Zenzile adds: “I went with this plan and the abundant support of the different tribes to the developer, Liesbeek Leisure Properties Trust (LLPT) that bought the property where the River Club is situated.

“We as a collective want and need growth. We consulted the developer about adding to the plans a heritage and cultural centre and an institute that will bring all these broken and lost people together. The descendants of South Africa’s Khoi and San foundational peoples are currently poised to achieve a significant victory – reclaiming a space for memory, cultural practice and communication.”

He says that besides the heritage aspects – a first in the City of Cape Town – the development

Chief Zenzile Khoisan

a social compact agreement between the Khoi and San collective tribal councils and houses signifies a mutually beneficial partnership between the private sector and the First Nations of the Western Cape, reports SALETTE CLOETE

“THE DESCENDANTS OF SOUTH AFRICA’S KHOI AND SAN FOUNDATIONAL PEOPLES ARE CURRENTLY POISED TO ACHIEVE A SIGNIFICANT VICTORY – RECLAIMING A SPACE FOR MEMORY, CULTURAL PRACTICE AND COMMUNICATION.” – CHIEF ZENZILE KHOISAN

The proposed River Club redevelopment.

will also include developer-subsidised inclusionary housing, safe and accessible green parks and gardens along the Liesbeek River. There are plans for significant road and other infrastructure upgrades in the area and major rehabilitation of the polluted and degraded waterways adjacent to the property. It is also a development that will be climate-change resilient and a Green Star-recognised project.

VOICE OF DISSENT

Despite the support of Chief Zenzile and his council, a group known as the Goringhaicona Khoi Khoin Indigenous Traditional Council, together with the Observatory Civic Association, recently obtained a court interdict to halt construction at the site. The interdict against the developers was filed in August last year.

Chief Zenzile believes that the Deputy Judge President, Patricia Goliath, who granted the interdict, had erred in her ruling. His group used the remedies in the law, seeking leave to appeal from the higher court, which reviewed their petition and granted leave to appeal.

A MODEL OF CO-OPERATION

Trace Venter, chief operations officer of LLPT, says they had engaged meaningfully with the majority of Khoi and San groups over several years, which culminated in the signing of a social compact in June 2021.

“The social compact is a model of co-operation between the Khoi and San collective tribal councils and houses, known as the Western Cape First Nations Collective, signifying an important partnership between the private sector and the First Nations.”

Venter also says the developer will fund the construction of the heritage amenities.

“The delays continue to cause fi nancial loss and uncertainty regarding the overall development, including putting at risk the many benefi ts it will bring to the City of Cape Town, including the creation of 6 000 direct and 19 000 indirect jobs and the Cape Peninsula Khoi memorialising their cultural heritage associated with the broader area,” she adds.

Chief Zenzile says a wall, which will tell their stories, will be built, as well as a medicinal

WESTERN CAPE ROLE IN KHOI AND SAN HISTORY

The history of the Khoi and the San has not been recognised properly in the Western Cape, says Chief Zenzile Khoisan.

“The Western Cape is critically important, central to how our country was founded, central to the earliest history of how our country came to be and what it is today. It is also a place that saw the first successful resistance against colonial incursion.”

The biggest and most successful anticolonial battle in Africa was fought from 28 February to 1 March 1510 in Cape Town. The first Khoikhoi-Dutch war from 1659 to 1661 was also fought in the Western Cape.

“In the Western Cape, the colonisers set out to destroy and vanquish us, to disown us of our land, our culture, our language, and our sense of being.”

garden, amphitheatre, historical and cultural museum with the latest technology to help people search their family history, and a centre where the indigenous nations and their children will be welcome.

“There will be an institute where children can learn the language of their forefathers. This school will link to numerous internationally acclaimed schools and universities.”

What they wanted, he says, was recognition, restitution and restoration going forward. “I made them sign a social compact that is enforceable for seven generations and renewable in perpetuity.”

“THE SOCIAL COMPACT IS A MODEL OF CO-OPERATION BETWEEN THE KHOI AND SAN COLLECTIVE TRIBAL COUNCILS AND HOUSES, KNOWN AS THE WESTERN CAPE FIRST NATIONS COLLECTIVE.” – TRACE VENTER

The River Club redevelopment project will include residential, retail and commercial components, a hotel, offices, conference centre and schools.