The PPC Mandela Day Challenge at Growing up Africa’s Devland Education Campus in Soweto drew 300 volunteers and resulted in 20,000 bags being filled with sand in less than three hours.
“It was wonderful. It was crazy,” said Deborah Terhune, founder and director of Growing Up Africa.
PPC was committed to improving the lives of all South Africans this Mandela Day through its participation in the Growing Up Africa Mandela Day Challenge, said Kabira Akoob, Manager Group CSI at PPC.
The Devland Education Campus is a 2,100-m2 building situated on a 7,000-m2 site in Devland Soweto. The R40-million project was identified as an ideal fit to PPC’s CSI mandate. PPC’s decision to partner with the (non-governmental organisation (NGO) – Public Benefit Organisation (PBO), Growing Up Africa, in the building the educational campus supports this mandate.
“Our partnership with Growing Up Africa, began late last year when we donated R150 000 towards the campus building and we are proud to now be amongst the 136 companies, to have contributed materials and community labour funding, towards this initiative,” explained Akoob.
“As part of the PPC Mandela Day Challenge, staff members, including the PPC executive team will attempt to fill 1,000 sand bags which will be used to fill the cavity walls of the Devland campus building. In keeping with the 67 minutes for Mandela theme, PPC will also donate R67 for every bag filled on the day. To raise more funds, the company has challenged other project partners to match or beat this donation towards the community labour cost to complete construction of the project.
Each year, PPC invests in excess of R10 million in community development initiatives aimed at empowering marginalised groups through upliftment and partnership programmes. PPC’s Corporate Social Investment in South Africa include, amongst others, Learner Focus Week and Mobile Science Labs.
“Building on our rich 125-year legacy, we remain committed to creating value for the company and our stakeholders. With this in mind, our CSI philosophy is designed across pillars of community infrastructure investment, regional socio-economic development and education – each aimed at benefitting South Africa and the rest of our African markets” Akoob concludes.
More information at www.ppc.co.za
