Air Products invests in SA’s future
The challenge South African companies face in their corporate social responsibility initiatives is where best to focus their attention. South Africa is a country of comparatively scarce resources and, when it concerns upliftment, it is most important to ensure that financial resources are directed to areas where the maximum benefit can be derived for the future of the country.
In its corporate social responsibility drive, Air Products South Africa identified education as the area, which would provide the most effective means towards the advancement of South Africa.
In fostering education, Air Products is focusing its efforts in the geographical regions of the country where the company has its operations.
In 2008, social responsibility took on a personal note when, in the company of his wife Barbara, Air Products South Africa’s Chairman of the Board of Directors, Wayne Hinman, visited the Siphesihle Primary School. This is located in the suburb of Madadeni near Newcastle in KwaZulu-Natal. Newcastle is also home to one of Air Products South Africa’s major gas-producing facilities.
In disadvantaged communities, schools play a vital role, not only in the education of learners, but also in providing adequate nutrition through feeding schemes. The Hinman’s reason for visiting Siphesihle Primary was to see the two classrooms donated by the company in 2007. The couple was touched by the plight of the children and in particular the lack of facilities that existed to prepare their daily meals. This desperate situation prompted Wayne and Barbara to make a personal donation to the school so that a proper kitchen could be built. To ensure the success of the project, Air Products added a sum of money towards the building of the kitchen.
Wayne personally handed over the appropriately-named Hinman Kitchen to the principal and governing body of the school on December 8, 2008.
Principal of Siphesihle Primary, Christopher Mtshali explains that the number of children at the school has been growing rapidly. In 2007 the school had 450 children, however the number has grown to 750.
“We cannot turn children away,” explains Mtshali adding that there is a dire shortage of primary school education in the Madadeni area. The education budget of the KwaZulu-Natal education authorities has to be spread over a wide area. This means that help from the private sector is of cardinal importance.
“We appreciate the practical contribution that the Hinmans and Air Products have made to the future of the children of Madadeni,” says Mtshali.
“We look forward to further cooperation with this socially-conscious company in upgrading Siphesihle Primary,” he concludes.
Published on January 21, 2009 in Corporate Responsibility |
Caring for communities and education
Mike Hellyar, MD of Air Products South Africa (Pty) Ltd, officially handed over classrooms and a Dining Hall at three schools in the Madadeni Township at Newcastle on 8 February 2008. The plight of these schools came to Air Products knowledge in 2007. The Corporate Social Responsibility committee and the Managing Director decided to do something to help these communities and their schools which resulted in the building of classrooms and a new dining hall.
Izazi High School received classrooms for all of its 170 learners currently enrolled at the school. Established in 2004, the school aims to offer classes with special emphasis given to the fields of science and commerce. The principal of Izazi, Mandla Motloung said, “Air Products has been our savior, we have been housed at Sigodiphola Primary School since our school was established. We have never had a classroom or even a chalkboard to teach the children with before. The department kept promising us assistance but up until today we have not seen anything from them. We are so grateful to Air Products for these classrooms and we will endeavor to look after them.”
Siphesihle Primary also received classrooms sponsored by Air products. The school was established in 2001 with learners from grade one to grade seven with a total enrollment of 720 learners. From inception, the classes have been given in dark and gold makeshift structures. Learners suffer under the severe winter conditions as some of the “classrooms” have no doors let alone windows. These learners are from the poor families in the community, whose parents are not working or have passed on. The principal, Sibusiso Mtshali with his staff, has since the school’s inception, not received any infrastructure from the Department of Education. The joy of the learners and teachers was written all over their faces as Mike Hellyar handed over the keys to the classrooms. The learners were singing praises to Air Products.
A dining hall was presented to NOAH, an NGO which has branches in many parts of South Africa. Its purpose is to look after orphans whose parents passed on due to HIV/Aids. Noah in Madadeni is housed at Qedizaba Primary School where it is running a feeding scheme for 375 kids from the Madadeni district. Air Products took up the challenge to build a dining hall and kitchen for Noah where they can cook and feed the orphans. NOAH representative, Phumzile Nyembe was in tears as Mike Hellyar handed over the keys of the new dining hall where the children can now eat together as a family.
Published on February 8, 2008 in Air Products News, Corporate Responsibility |