Sasol donates school uniform kits to deserving Thembisa learners

The pandemic and the ensuing turmoil that ravaged portions of KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in July 2021 were a source of sorrow for many.

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In response to this, Sasol set aside R10 million to rehabilitate devastated communities, NPOs, and small companies.

Last week Sasol joined with two Sasol Retail Convenience Centre (RCC) franchisees from Andrew Maphetho and Sasol Thembisa to hand over school uniform kits to 70 students from five Thembisa primary schools.

This children’s project is financed through Sasol’s Friendly Neighbour retail social impact initiative, and it addresses needs identified in families affected by the pandemic and the job loss devastation that followed the July riots.

Learners from Thembisa’s Gahlanso, Moduopo, Umthambeka, Welamlambo, and Simphiwe primary schools were among the beneficiaries.

Each of the chosen learners received a kitbag that included shoes, a jersey, socks, a tracksuit set, pants for boys and tunics for girls, as well as a school bag.

Before the donation, Sasol Energy Business and its Thembisa franchisees worked with the Ekurhuleni Department of Social Development and several NGOs to identify underprivileged and child-headed homes in Thembisa who will benefit from school uniforms.

Many families were hit by harsh lockdowns linked with the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Palesa Mokaba, vice-president of marketing for Sasol’s Energy Business.

“The social unrest that followed in July 2021 was still another blow for poor families.

“The beginning of the academic year posed yet another challenge for these families who had to secure school uniforms that Sasol has now provided to bring some relief and to serve as encouragement for young and talented learners,” said Mokaba.

David Pooe, franchisee at Sasol’s Andrew Maphetho RCC, said that as franchisees they are delighted to partner with Sasol to be a force for good in fenceline communities.

“The initiative is about co-creating socio-economic activities within a specified radius of a Sasol RCC focusing on community development programmes such as health, environment and work skills development,” Pooe said.

Sasol’s Friendly Neighbour concept is a social impact initiative developed in partnership with franchise owners to improve fenceline communities surrounding Sasol’s RCCs.

Sasol evaluates franchisee ideas for community upliftment and matches the franchisee proposal or co-created concept after approval.

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