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Social review

South Africa
Through our CSI initiatives, we are making a significant contribution to the lives of thousands of needy South Africans, particularly children. Apart from projects featured below, PPC is involved in numerous other initiatives (Social review).

PPC believes in partnering with its beneficiaries for at least three to five years and a number of projects are beginning to show true sustainability. 
 
Time for Change – 164 beneficiaries have graduated from the sewing and baking projects and are now running their own initiatives to support their families. Other NGOs caring for street children have also sent their youth for training. The centre is slowly developing into a skills development centre for the youth of the streets and former commercial sex workers. The focus is now on looking for business to make the centre self-sufficient. 
 
TLC – some R350 000 was invested in establishing a poultry farm at this NGO (formally Tender Loving Care Ministries) which cares for abandoned babies. The poultry farm will provide much-needed cash from the sale of eggs and chickens. 
 

Taking CSI beyond our borders
PPC has extended the scope of its CSI activities to include countries of operation outside of South Africa, reflecting the group’s commitment to investing in all the communities in which it operates. During the year, initiatives were started in Botswana and Zimbabwe.

Although each country is unique, the social development challenges facing African countries are similar. Lessons learned from PPC’s South African CSI projects are being applied to programmes in Botswana and Zimbabwe because we believe sharing this wealth of knowledge across borders can prove invaluable in ensuring the success of projects in other countries. 
 

Botswana – investing to empower
PPC is working with the Pan-African Christian Women’s Alliance (PACWA), a group of retired professional women who provide care and support for marginalised people and youth on the streets. The organisation runs bakery and sewing projects to enable beneficiaries to earn a living. PPC invested in the bakery equipment and work is under way on the construction of a new building to house the two initiatives.

In addition to the flagship project, PPC invested in renovating a crèche. Located within walking distance of its Botswana factory in Gaborone, this crèche is used by the children of many of the company’s 150 Batswana employees. 
 

Zimbabwe – a prosperous future through education
Part of PPC’s transformation agenda is to develop future black leaders, and therefore education is critical. Schools in Zimbabwe are woefully under-resourced and PPC has focused its CSI efforts in this country on education.

The company adopted three primary schools and one secondary school in areas surrounding its operations, supplying stationery, textbooks and furniture. The project had an additional income-generating benefit, as both the textbooks and furniture were developed, produced, printed and manufactured by Zimbabwean businesses. This ensures the projects benefit the whole community, and not just those people employed by PPC. 
 

Case study – Riebeeck community project
As a leading company in the Riebeeck West and Riebeeck- Kasteel district, PPC Riebeeck plays an important role in initiating and nurturing projects that uplift whole communities.

After introducing a permaculture project at Wielie Walie Crèche, youngsters are learning to grow a variety of vegetables, herbs and fruits using eco-friendly methods. These include optimum watering techniques and using organic insecticides.

After Food and Trees for Africa invited a well-known horticulturalist to run workshops from the premises, the team at Wielie Walie are turning these practical lessons into income-generating opportunities. By incorporating this project into its social and labour plan, PPC is providing the required support to convert the garden’s fresh produce into value-added products. 
 

Case study – Giving builders the opportunity to shine
In February 2010, and to mark its 50th year in Botswana, PPC pioneered a contest to identify the country’s best builder. Given the importance of the construction sector in Botswana – it employs almost 30 000 people or 20% of total private and parastatal employment – PPC is encouraging building excellence, safer worksites and better workmanship.

The competition comprises two categories: civil and commercial construction, and building construction. Judging criteria focused on safety consciousness, quality of workmanship, timeliness, budget adherence and appearance of final product. The contest attracted over 3 000 entries.

Importantly, all competition winners will receive certificates of excellence in building, endorsed by the construction industry bodies, Association of Building and Civil Engineering Contractors (Abcon) and Tshipidi Badiri. 
 
In addition, PPC has numerous other initiatives at various stages of implementation, including those listed below.
 
Project   Description   Beneficiaries   Investment 2010 (R000)
             
             
Housing infrastructure support 
   Construction of low-cost houses through Niall Mellon Township Houses Trust and Habitat for Humanity    To date, 40 houses have been built, and over 370 people trained in various construction skills   500
  Every year PPC partners with Department of Human Settlement to sponsor building houses in support of Women’s Month   Women   100
  Construction of early childhood development centres through MaAfrika Tikkun    3 000 bags of cement to construct Phuthaditjaba Community Centre in Alexandra and Arekopaneng Community Centre in Orange Farm    180
             
Job creation and poverty alleviation 
            
Siziwe Mini Bakery – Johannesburg inner city    Operated by former street children and ex-commercial sex workers. Income generated supports the centre with food and toiletries. It also supports sub-projects such as art lessons, as well as providing school uniforms, bus fares, hospital fees, etc    To date eight direct jobs created with beneficiaries receiving a monthly stipend of R500–R2 000    40
Time Sewing – Johannesburg inner city    Operated by former street children and ex-commercial sex workers    To date 12 direct jobs created with beneficiaries receiving a monthly stipend of R500–R2 000    70
PPC NOAH’s Ark Bakery, Kliptown (gas ovens)    Operated by eight trained NOAH volunteers supplying bread to the Ark feeding scheme and selling to the public    The eight volunteers get an extra stipend and the feeding scheme is assured of fresh bread daily    40
Latita Community Soap Project   Soap-making initiative in partnership with Calabash Trust    15 women and one man (unemployed) from Kwadwesi and Joe Slovo informal settlements in Port Elizabeth    100
             
Welfare
            
Food gardens   Permaculture food gardens (in partnership with Food and Trees for Africa)    Two schools – Parkgate Primary School, KZN, Ntsha Peu School in Pretoria    350
    Earthbox vegetable gardens (in partnership with partner Operation Heartline)    Time for Change, New Nation School and Kliptown NOAH’s Ark    130
Support   Refurbishment of Alex Clinic pharmacy   Alexandra community    60
    Security fencing at Kliptown NOAH’s Ark   Children at the Ark from Kliptown, Soweto    68
    Implementation of a poultry farm at TLC Ministries (for abandoned children) and purchase of car    Abandoned babies from around Johannesburg    520
    Installing water tanks at Phuthaditjaba in Alexandra and Arekopaneg in Orange Farm    Phuthaditjaba Community Centre in Alexandra and Arekopaneng Community Centre in Orange Farm    280
    Implementation of bakeries   Forest Town School for children with disabilities for their work experience programme (WEP). Funds covered purchase of bakery equipment, renovations to existing building, electrics and plumbing    216
        Kanye Mini Bakery (Botswana) run by Pan African Christian Women’s Alliance (PACWA). Funding was for bakery equipment and construction of bakery structure    210
    Contribution towards specialised wheelchairs for the QuadPara Association of South Africa    Quadriplegics from various communities    68
             
Education and community training 
   Community bursaries for people with disabilities    Quadriplegics from various communities    51
    Early childhood development centres   Dinaledi bursars at MES and support to Crèche on Wheels    136
    Contribution towards production of climate change diary and distribution to 2 000 learners    Grade 12 learners from schools around the 10 PPC operations and sales offices    70
    School furniture, stationery and school textbooks    For learners from four schools around PPC operations in Zimbabwe    700
    Field Band Foundation (Music for Life as a tool for Aids awareness)    Supporting three bands – Galeshewe in Kimberley, Cullinan in Pretoria and Danielskuil in Lime Acres    538
    Dinaledi bursary programme (administered through CareerWise)    Tertiary students from very disadvantaged families    1 500
    African Leadership Academy   Support for two students’ fees and upkeep    280
    African Leadership Initiative   Contribution towards leadership programme with over 20 leaders from various disciplines and organisations    300
    Girls & Boys Town   Support for two students’ upkeep (accommodation, education and training, food, transport, etc)    91

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