SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

THE NEDBANK AFFINITIES

 

THE NEDBANK CHILDREN’S AFFINITY

 

About the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund

The vision of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund (NMCF) is to 'change the way society treats its children and youth'. It was founded by former president Nelson Mandela in 1995 to look after orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children and youths from birth to 22 years of age. To maximise the positive impact of its resources the NMCF works closely with fellow development organisations, government, the private sector and other interested parties. The ultimate goal of the NMCF is poverty eradication and not merely the amelioration of difficult circumstances.

There are five key strategic programme areas supported by the NMCF, namely: the wellbeing of a child; leadership and excellence; education and development; disability; and 'goelama'.

Wellbeing of a child

This programme focuses on children living on the street, court support, refugee children, early-childhood-care development and various models of care, and therefore deals with every aspect of child care and support. It includes:

• The Child and Court Support Programme – It seeks to ensure the high success of court cases against abusers and also sensitises the community to the intolerable abuses against children. Court support familiarises the child with the environment and the people, and provides the assurance of protection from perpetrators.
• The Children Living on the Street Project – It focuses on the rehabilitation of children and links children back to families or communities.
• The Refugee Children Programme – It is designed to integrate refugee children into South African society and to ensure access to basic services, including clinics and schools.
• The Alternative Models of Care Programme – It explores appropriate models of care for children in need of alternative care, including alternative fostering and adoption arrangements and financial support.
  
• Early Childhood and Care Development – It is a family-based early-childhood-development programme aimed at providing children between the ages of 0 and 9, and their caregivers, access to early-childhood services.

Leadership and Excellence Programme

The approach of this programme is to seek out youth with leadership potential and expose them to experiences that would develop that potential. Leadership and excellence interventions are undertaken in the areas of arts and culture, sport, access to information and community service.

 

Skills Development Programme

This programme focuses on the potential of young people to contribute positively to their own development and that of their respective communities; creating an environment for the youth to build and enhance their potential to achieve. The NMCF has a three-pronged focus to skills development, namely the identification and addressing of gaps in entrepreneurship models; strengthening the institutional capacity of implementing partners; and increasing the access of youth to information, opportunities and resources to enhance their passage to gainful employment and/or to create their own jobs.

 

Disability Programme

The programme is aimed at improving the quality of life of disabled children by facilitating their integration into mainstream society and it responds to an apparent exclusion of children and youth with disabilities within the mainstream society, alienating and depriving them of development opportunities, inter alia:

• early-childhood care and development opportunities;
• the opportunity to attend school and receive a general education;
• participation in social outings and interactions; and
• participation in household chores and other family life activities.

Goelama Programme

The Goelama Programme started as a pilot project in 2000, with the aim to improve the wellbeing of orphans and vulnerable children and to help build stronger links between services offered by government and non-government organisations (NGOs) in communities. The main programme activities are intended to ensure sustainable livelihoods and households, especially in families that care for orphans and vulnerable children.

Some examples of projects funded by the NMCF include:

• Kids Radio – It is a training initiative, working with community radio stations, aimed at empowering children to become child radio producers, presenters and researchers of their own programmes.
• Sonke Project – The programme works with young people between the ages of 15 and 22, including teenage mothers, ex offenders and drug users. The programme develops the youths' talents and provides them with skills that will enable them to pursue careers that are linked to their talents.
• Agisanang Domestic Abuse Prevention and Training (ADAPT) works with young people and their families to minimise the incidences of sexual violence against girl children. The project is based in Alexandra and works with 1 200 learners in five high schools.
• Agape Copeland Train – Based in Upington in the Northern Cape, the programme equips young people with innovative study techniques and life skills to become agents of social change in their respective communities. The objective is to establish a cadre of critical thinkers who act as social entrepreneurs.
• The Far North Health Care Centre (FNHCC) – It addresses the social ills of the HIV and Aids pandemic, and other potential pathologies that hamper the total development of human potential and enhancement of life. Funds provided through the NMCF are used to help the strengthening of households, community systems, integrated local government response and behavioural change to prevent new HIV/Aids infections as a cut-across result area.

Since the launch of the Nedbank Children’s Affinity, Nedbank Group has donated over R15 million to the NMCF. In 2009 donations to the NMCF grew to over R5,8 million (2008: R4,5 million).

 

THE NEDBANK SPORT AFFINITY

The Sports Trust was established in September 1995 as a joint venture between the private and public sectors – all with a shared goal of providing opportunities for all South Africans to play sport, at all levels, across all sporting codes and thereby building communities.

Since its inception The Sports Trust has spent nearly R42,5 million on more than 200 projects throughout South Africa, providing sporting equipment and upgrades to sporting facilities in outlying or previously disadvantaged communities. The trust also advances sport in South Africa by identifying and developing young sporting talent.

The Nedbank Sport Affinity Programme has donated in excess of R10 million to The Sports Trust. In 2009 Nedbank donations to The Sports Trust grew by about 3% to just over R1 million (2008: R997 000).

About The Sports Trust

The vision of The Sports Trust is to build active communities through sports. The Sports Trust was established in September 1995 as a joint venture between the private and public sectors – all with a shared goal of providing opportunities to play sport to all South Africans, at all levels, across all sporting codes, thereby building communities.

Since its inception The Sports Trust has spent nearly R42,5 million on more than 200 projects throughout South Africa, providing sporting equipment and upgrades to sporting facilities in outlying or previously disadvantaged communities. The trust also advances sport in South Africa by identifying and developing young sporting talent.

Some of the projects supported by The Sports Trust include:

Soccer

In anticipation of the 2010 World Cup, 2009 saw The Sports Trust doing a lot of work in soccer development. Some of the soccer initiatives included:

• SA Correctional Services support – provides soccer equipment as part of government's programme to use sport to change the lives of offenders for the better.
• The House of Homework in Soweto – an educational, sporting, health and wellness programme that integrates the life skills orientation aspect of outcomes-based education and encourages youths to consider careers in sports.
• The Nedbank Corporate Soccer Challenge – a soccer clinic that helps children to polish their football skills and involves such soccer greats as Neil Tovey, Doctor Khumalo, Mark Williams, Morgan Gould, Siboniso Gaxa and Marc Batchelor.

Cricket

The SA Deaf Cricket Association was provided with equipment and kits for players participating in the third Deaf Cricket World Cup in New Zealand. Upon return, the equipment is being used by the association for the promotion of the game and development in this sector. The 2009 Deaf Cricket World Cup was held over two weeks, beginning 28 December 2009 at Auckland's Waikaraka Park, and involved host country New Zealand competing against Australia, England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, South Africa and Bangladesh, and current deaf cricket world champions, India.

 

Cycling

Since inception in 2006 the Nedbank Sports Trust Community Schools Cycling Programme has funded over 400 development cyclists. The 2009 programme included 82 young development cyclists from De Doorns and surrounding areas, who were provided with bicycles and cycling kits to participate in the 2009 Cape Argus Pick n Pay Cycle Tour.

The schools for 2009 were selected in conjunction with the Western Cape Department of Sport and Recreation and form part of the government's Siyadlala Mass Participation Programme.

The Bicycling Empowerment Network supports sustainable transportation, while at the same time supporting the youth and the disadvantaged in transportation. The project also helps young people to live healthier lifestyles.

Over R500 000 has been invested in cycling development through the programme and Nedbank Group has donated more than R900 000 to cycling development as a whole since 2006.

	Project funding Project selection criteria The Sports Trust only considers funding for the following: Upgrading and enhancing existing indoor and outdoor facilities for sport, recreation or training. New facilities to complement existing facilities. Provision of sports equipment (bats, balls, etc) and kit where a sustainable programme is in place. Provision of maintenance equipment (mowers, etc) for the upkeep of facilities. Application The closing date for applications is 31 March of each year. The Sports Trust executive team reviews the submitted applications and presents them to the Project Committee, which meets at least once a year and when required. The Project Committee then submits projects for final acceptance by the trustees, who meet at least twice a year.

 

THE NEDBANK ARTS AFFINITY

The Arts & Culture Trust (ACT) is a unique alignment of agencies involved in the development of culture and the fostering of creativity in South Africa through the support of arts, culture and heritage projects.

Since inception, Nedbank Group has donated over R9 million to ACT through the Arts Affinity Programme. In 2009 Nedbank donations to ACT grew by 58% to nearly R750 000 (2008: R472 212).

	Project funding Project application process ACT considers applications for funding throughout the year based on the funds available for disbursement. If a letter of enquiry is successful, applicants may then be invited to submit a detailed funding proposal. This process may take up to three months and up to six months for a final outcome. The ACT Board of Trustees, made up of eminent people within the arts community and other businesspeople in the arts, makes decisions with regard to all applications for funding. The projects are first reviewed by the ACT Projects Committee and are then approved by the board of trustees.

ACT’s mission is to attract and provide funding for the sustainable development and growth of the arts, culture and heritage in South Africa via mutually beneficial partnerships between the corporate, public and cultural sectors to make a positive difference to the lives of all South Africans. Since it was founded in 1994, ACT has funded nearly 600 projects focused on the development areas of job creation, creative skills, management skills, cultural diversity and cultural tourism marketing. Some of the projects funded by ACT include:

• Vuyani 10th year celebration –10 young dancers received intensive training during 2009 so that they will be able to drive the troupe’s outreach programmes in the townships.
• Black Tie Ensemble – The Black Tie Ensemble develops, nurtures and promotes talented SA classical singers from diverse cultural backgrounds. The grant from ACT enables the ensemble to host development concerts so that the 18 members of the group can gain performance experience and develop their repertoire.
• Soul Dancer – This dance festival, aimed at emerging young choreographers from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, offered various workshops for aspirant dancers and choreographers.

ACT has so far disbursed nearly R15 million for arts and culture development projects in South Africa.

TOP: Black Tie Ensemble – The Black Tie Ensemble develops, nurtures and promotes talented South African classical singers from diverse cultural backgrounds.

BOTTOM: Soul Dancer – This dance festival, aimed at emerging young choreographers from previously disadvantaged backgrounds, offered various workshops for aspirant dancers and choreographers.

 

HOME | PRINT | BOOKMARKS | CONTACT | DOWNLOADS | a A A