The Big Think Business and Society
Corporate SA taking societal challenges along in commemoration of Nelson Mandela International day : Vodacom taking part in #ActionAgainstPoverty Campaign Vodacom in partnership with Gift of the Givers, South African basic Education and the Nelson Mandela foundation contributed to the Nelson Mandela legacy by packing an estimated 50,000 buckets of nutritional food for identified children in previously disadvantaged schools across the country. A total of R5.2-million has been spent on the packing and distribution of food parcels for Mandela Day this year. This initiative forms part of a larger project facilitated by the Vodacom Foundation, building on its annual food security drive in honour of Nelson Mandela Day International launched in 2013. The Vodacom team comprised of its employees and other volunteers were joined by the Vodacom sponsored Kaizer Chiefs football club, Blue Bulls rugby team and South African wheelchair basketball team to help pack the buckets. The volunteers including Vodacom employees and the players were divided into groups of 100 people per session and asked to pack [2500] food parcels in 67 minute over three sessions per day spread over two days. Each bucket contains canned beans or vegetables, jam, pilchards, tea, soup, mielie meal, stock and cerevita cereal as well as a stationary pack for learners consisting of an A5 exercise book, a pen, pencil, ruler, sharpener, eraser and a lollipop. A total of 15 000 food parcels were packed in Midrand alone.
Taki Netshitenzhe, Chief Officer Corporate Affairs, says: “As the world reflects on Madiba’s legacy, we give thanks for his life, his leadership, his devotion to humanity and humanitarian causes. We salute and honour the sacrifices he made for our freedom and our future.” Netshitenzhe adds: “Ubuntu is one of the values that we embrace at Vodacom and, as such, the genesis of Vodacom joining the Nelson Mandela Foundation in celebrating Mandela Day is because Vodacom Foundation’s work stems from Mandela’s passing on of the torch of public service to everyone. It was Madiba who famously said: “We can change the world and make it a better place, it’s in your hands to make a difference.” Chief executive officer of the Nelson Mandela Foundation, Sello Hatang, said: “This year marks the 5th year with Vodacom as a dedicated partner, helping to take Madiba’s legacy forward.” Since the launch of the Nelson Mandela Food Packing programme in 2013, Vodacom employees and stakeholders have packed in excess of 193 000 food parcels.
“We salute and honour the sacrifices he made for our freedom and our future.”
KATALYTIK BUSINESS REVIEW 1
Edited by Tsele Moloi 19 July 2017