The Old Mutual Foundation (OMF) is proud to showcase the inspiring work of two of the initiatives it supports: The Clothing Bank and Sparrow Schools.
Both are committed to empowering the lives of people and communities in need, and demonstrate the transforming power of positivity combined with a clear, strategic focus.
Established in 1999, the OMF drives socioeconomic development and supports the upliftment and empowerment of disadvantaged communities through five focus areas: enterprise development, education, skills capacity building, support for the vulnerable and staff volunteerism.
The OMF believes that by helping to create economically viable communities it can play a part in driving the positive transformation of South Africa, and enable positive futures for all South Africans.
Traditionally, corporate social responsibility (CSR) was viewed as the charity arm of large businesses; a good thing to get involved in, but strategically not all that important or relevant.
As Old Mutual’s CSR arm, the OMF is today integrated into the company’s overall vision, strategy and business model. Working for the greater good is now a key aspect of its stakeholder engagement strategy.
Empowering single mothers
The Clothing Bank is an NGO that empowers unemployed single mothers through enterprise development to become financially and socially independent.
It was founded in 2010 by Tracey Chambers and Tracey Gilmore, in response to the rising incidence of unemployment among single mothers who lack support from the fathers of their children.
The Clothing Bank provides a two-year training programme to provide these women with the skills they need to start and grow their own small, sustainable clothing trade businesses.
Significant donations of excess and waste clothing sourced from major retailers are collected, sorted, de-branded, repaired, stored and sold.
Through these processes and a hands-on enterprise development programme, The Clothing Bank teaches vital skills and business acumen to the participants.
Within six weeks of joining the programme, the women begin running their own small clothing businesses within their communities, earning about R3 500 a month — enough to feed, clothe and educate their families.
Over the past three years, The Clothing Bank has trained 330 women. Collectively they have generated incomes worth more than R10-million, which has enabled them to settle many of their debts and start living independently.
The Clothing Bank is primarily a learning organisation. Each year it selects and recruits 100 applicants. Training combines practical learning with life skills, coaching and mentoring to help nurture self-confidence and hone business skills.
The first year focuses on building self esteem and creating awareness of the benefits of self employment.
The second year focuses on developing a deeper understanding of business and encouraging the women to enrol in the New Venture Creation Course and become independent.
They are assisted to find alternative micro franchise business solutions and mentored to migrate from their small retail businesses to new business-in-a-box opportunities.
The Clothing Bank has 11 staff and 40 volunteers, serving townships around Cape Town, Paarl and Johannesburg.
Education and skills development
The second example of a successful initiative supported by the OMF is Sparrow Schools, which helps children and youth with learning difficulties from primary school to high school, then through to a further education and training (FET) college and onto employment.
The school has an excellent track-record with many of its learners being employed as welders, motor mechanics, carpenters and floor layers.
Sparrow Schools caters for about 600 children and young people from impoverished communities, employing more than 100 staff.
It comprises three entities: a Foundation School for learners with learning difficulties and disabilities from grade 1 to 7, a high school for learners in grades 8 and 9, and an FET college offering programmes from NQF 1 to NQF 3.
All three are served by a Learner Support Unit with educational psychologists, speech therapists and counsellors.
Most of the learners come from children’s homes and difficult circumstances, and require extensive counselling and support.
The Sparrow Schools initiative gives these young people the lifeline they need.
Through quality and specialised education they now have the opportunity to get out of a life of poverty and non-achievement.
In the process, Sparrow Schools is also addressing the vital need for skills development in South Africa.
This article forms part of a supplement made possible by the Mail & Guardian's advertisers. Contents and photographs were supplied and signed off by Old Mutual and Nedbank