Mon Jul 14 09:04:54 UTC 2014
Compassion, humility, inspiration, selflessness – these are just some of the words used to describe the late Nelson Mandela’s lifelong commitment to South Africa. Nelson Mandela once said, “It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it”. To honour him on what would have been his 96th birthday, the Group is celebrating the legacy of South Africa’s former President Nelson Mandela by mobilizing its staff and providing resources to assist needy organizations across the country with renovations, repairs, beautification, daily necessities and joyous celebrations on Nelson Mandela International Day.
Over the last few days, hundreds of staff members from the Group’s Head Office in Cape Town and its seven divisional offices in other main centres of South Africa have already started work on more than 15 projects. Stores in the Group are focussing on local projects that aim to contribute in a positive way to the lives of the elderly, abused and destitute women and children, disabled adults and children, and those who find themselves unemployed and homeless. Altogether, the Shoprite Group is focussing on over 300 projects throughout the country. The projects conclude with final touch-ups, donation hand-overs and celebrations at each organization on 18 July 2014.
Across the country, the various divisional offices are focussing on several projects over and above activities that individual stores are participating in within their communities.
Caring for the communities it operates in has always been a priority for the Shoprite Group. The Group appreciates the loyal support from the community and is continuously looking for ways in which to give something back to its customers. The Mandela Day projects provides the company with another unique opportunity to not only honour the late Madiba, but also to empower communities and extend a hand of hope to those in need. It supports the Mandela day motto – “Take action. Inspire change. Make every day a Mandela Day”.
Shoprite Head Office Mandela Day projects
Teams from the Shoprite Group’s Head Office in Cape Town have identified beneficiaries with a variety of interventions, which include:
In Manenberg, The Saartjie Baartman Centre for abused woman and children, will have their courtyard area upgraded, garden maintained and receive donations in the form of benches and umbrellas, stationery and toiletries. Kamvalethu Aftercare Centre in Kayamandi outside of Stellenbosch, is being assisted through the upgrading of their facilities and the construction of a new structure to assist in housing the children, the provision of table, chairs, whiteboard, cupboards, carpet, oven, gas heater and various grocery items. Jack and Jill Crèche, a small daycare in Morningstar, will be painted, play apparatus and equipment repaired, and receive donations towards required toys, books, blankets and food items for the daycare.
Solomon’s Haven in Mitchell’s Plain, is a home that takes care of abused, abandoned and neglected children. It will be renovated and painted, assisted with gardening requirements, and receive donations towards blankets, toys, books, school shirts, and various food items. Dine Cleopas Soup Kitchen in Kraaifontein, provides nutritious meals and assist in keeping children occupied after school in order to keep them off the streets. They will be assisted through donations for kitchen supplies and groceries, the construction of a rain shelter, and provisioning of tables, chairs, blankets, board games, DVD player and toiletries for the children.
In Bishop Lavis, House Nerina, a home for the aged which also provides support to the frail and people with psychiatric needs will be fully renovated – tiled, painted, new curtaining, ceiling repairs, fitting of handrails – and will be receiving donations in the form of kitchen utensils and supplies, bathroom accessories, bedding and outside benches. The Ghoempie Playschool in Scottsville, will be renovated through painting the inside of the crèche, paving of the driveway, repairs to the play area, and will receive donations of blankets and mattresses, educational games, stationery, shelves and cupboards and food items.
Shoprite Divisional Offices Mandela Day projects:
Gauteng:
A daycare centre for children and adults with disabilities, Bona Lesedi, based in Diepsloot, is receiving donations towards beds, linen, carpets and toys and repairs including painting, tiling, ceiling repairs and new light fittings are being done to the container therapy room, classroom, care centre and its ablution facilities. In Reiger Park, the Community Crisis Centre for abused women and children, offering counselling and support for rape, trauma, and physical and mental abuse, is receiving donations towards garden seedlings for their food garden, garden equipment, bakery utensils and stationery as well as renovations and general maintenance to the building and providing the gas supply for stoves. At Arise and Shine Educare Centre in Mamelodi, which focusses on early childhood development, the centre’s children will be treated with a fun day filled with special eats and entertainment and will receive donations including much needed stationery, tables, chairs, toys, cutlery, toiletries, blankets and grocery items.
Free State:
Beudene Day Care for the Disabled in Bloemfontein is receiving assistance in growing their vegetable garden, fencing, various donations towards cleaning materials and toiletries, as well as special entertainment arranged for the day, where each child will also be receiving an individually packed backpack filled with necessary stationery items and toys.
Eastern Cape:
St Patrick’s Primary School in Humansdorp, Eastern Cape is having their classrooms upgraded and painted and receiving new shelving, curtains, handwash basins and donations towards other required school necessities.
Western Cape:
The Haven Night Shelter in Bellville, a welfare organisation that provides temporary shelter, physical care and social welfare to homeless adults will be assisted through painting of the dormitories and donations towards food, bedding, board games and clothing items. The GH Starke Centre in Hanover Park will receive donations towards toiletries, clothing items, grocery and food items, and on the day the senior citizens will be hosted for a small celebration – each receiving their own small gift bag.
KwaZulu-Natal:
The LIV Village based in Cottonfields outside of Durban, will be painted, cleaned, assisted with gardening, improvement of the children’s play area and receive donations towards products required to care for the orphaned and vulnerable children.