Bidvest helps to fight poverty

from I Africa Business

In an initiative designed to dovetail government's strategy of combating poverty through economic growth, a unique partnership between Bidvest and ORT, the SA Public Benefit Organisation, was launched on Thursday.

Bidvest chief executive, Brian Joffe, announced a R3.7-million commitment over four years to the educational and community support work of the non-profit organisation.

Starting in the township

The primary beneficiaries will be all the primary schools in Alexandra Township, where all foundation phase educators will receive training and classroom-based support in Foundation phase maths, science and technology. The Educator Empowerment programme aims to improve the quality of MST in a community whose schools have been chronically under-resourced.

Shortcomings in MST tuition have been identified as a key constraint to skills development and sustained economic growth.

Bidvest, the listed services, trading and distribution group, recently received one of the 11 inaugural Unity Awards for combining the growth of shareholder value with social progress in categories such as job creation and training.

Growth to drive employment

Cyril Ramaphosa said that, "Bidvest is living proof that growth creates wealth, jobs and opportunity. We are therefore committed supporters of government's drive for six percent GDP growth as a means of creating employment and combating poverty."

"Our corporate social investments already focus on community support and educational needs, but we decided even more had to be done to spotlight the vital importance of the private sector partnering with government to tackle structural constraints such as limited MST capacity,” added Brian Joffe.

Providing the tools

"It is a core Bidvest belief that companies report growth; people create it. But our youth cannot realise their full potential unless we give them the right tools — starting with a firm educational base in MST.

"We also believe in the need for consistency and long-term commitment rather than stop-start planning and implementation, which is why we are announcing a four-year involvement with our experienced, results-focused partners at ORT SA."

The programme is endorsed by the Department of Education.

Internationally, ORT has been involved in community upliftment, educational assistance and vocational training for more than 70 years. Its work in South Africa is chiefly focused on support for previously disadvantaged families and communities.

The ORT SA effort in Alexandra targets 12 local primary schools. Each will benefit from training in maths, science and technology. This classroom-based support will be provided in the academic years from 2007 to 2010.

In year one, ORT SA teams in collaboration with local educators will assess literacy and numeracy levels and set goals for improvement.

In August 2007, training and planning for integration of new resources for 2008 for grade one will begin.

The Bidvest initiative builds on successes achieved by ORT SA and the Department of Education in 2004/05 when 75 Foundation Phase educators were trained in science and technology in Alexandra. The knock-on effect was an improvement in the education of 10 440 township pupils.