“Where you are, is not who you are.” This axiom urged Nology's Managing Director, Riaan Leuschner, to take a different stance on corporate gift spend and allocate this towards Nology's Corporate Social Responsibility.
The organisation, therefore, funded construction of a classroom for the Kgatelopele Christian Cr`eche.
Says Leuschner: “The cr`eche provides care for 47 children between the ages of two and five years old. Our goal was to develop these kids, providing them with a sense of value. Allocating funds to this cause will provide a sustainable difference in the long-term.”
The cr`eche is situated in Mmakau in the township of Ga Rankuwa, just north of Pretoria, and has two dedicated teachers. The children receive daily lessons on the basics of sound morals and ethics, which is the foundation of Christianity, and a full-time cook is employed to provide regular nutritional meals to support their growth and development.
Kgatelopele is a registered section 21 non-profit organisation and funding comes from the goodwill of donors. The modest fees charged by the cr`eche cover most of the running costs.
“A corporate initiative must be practical and sustainable so that it can provide the biggest impact to its recipients - the children,” explains Leuschner. “I don't believe that simply applying a coat of paint is going to be a way of showing these children that they are valued. Nology will be looking at an expansion project in 2011 to provide additional classrooms for the cr`eche, in order to provide care for more kids in the community.”
Leuschner adds: “We are also enlisting the services of local Greengrocers to have fresh fruits and milk delivered to the cr`eche regularly.”
In addition, Nology will be partnering with a company that provides nutritional cereals, which will act as an immune booster for the children.
Leuschner adds: “We believe that providing affordable day-care for the local children assists parents, in turn, to focus on their work, which in turn develops the community.
“We took our initiative one step further and emphasised the importance of playtime for the kids. Nology provided various educational toys for the different age groups to promote structured, age specific, independent play. A few of the carefully planned toys that we provided are building blocks, wooden puzzles, doll houses, and alphabet builders. To promote group play and activities, we provided instant lawn as well as a 12-metre long jungle gym. Playtime gives the children a chance to interact socially by teaching them to take turns, share, and be sensitive to each others' space - all important aspects of developing emotional intelligence in children.”
The project was launched in July, and the building was completed in late September last year. The classroom also has kiddie size toilets and basins, to promote independence and convenience.
The final touches of the classroom were completed earlier this month to incorporate the flooring, the sunny yellow paint and the African wallpaper theme (of lions and giraffes); all of which combine to instil a pride in the children's heritage.
“By instilling a sense of ownership into the community, we hope to foster a sense of pride and of being valued, which we believe are just as important as education in a child's early development,” Leuschner explains.
“Nology acknowledges the loyal support of our customers throughout this year, which makes a project like this one possible, and enables us to take corporate responsibility to another level,” says Leuschner.
“Children are our future and we must look after them and give them the opportunities they need to become the transformational leaders of tomorrow,” he concludes.
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