Locals chosen to ‘change the world’

MBOMBELA – Three Mpumalanga residents have been appointed to help change lives across the country as part of the Vodacom Change the World (CtW) programme.

This is part of the parent company, Vodafone’s international programme with the same name. The companies support non-profit organisations (NPOs) by matching highly skilled individuals with an NPO and backing them up financially for 12 months. The goal is to reach and enrich the lives of as many disadvantaged people as possible.

“Many South Africans would love to volunteer but they don’t know how or where to start,” says Suraya Hamdulay, head of Vodacom’s corporate citizen department. “The programme doesn’t want to give just anyone the opportunity to volunteer. There are many professionals who want to volunteer but don’t know how, so we are providing them with an avenue to give back their skills and their time.”

Since its inception in 2010, Vodacom CtW has employed 40 volunteers from across the country and thus 40 NPOs. It pays them a personal allowance for that year. “For that year you can actually give up your day job and be a full-time volunteer at an NPO of your choice,” says Hamdulay.

This year they appointed 20 volunteers out of 12 000 applicants. Lowvelders Alice Barlow-Zambodla, Magda Rall and Past Simon Mdluli were among the lucky winners.

Barlow-Zambodla is involved in information communications technology (ICT) training and sustainable-development programmes in nine schools in the Manyeleti area around Sabie Sands. They form part of the Buffelshoek Trust, which Vodacom will now fund.

“I am involved in setting up ICT centres and getting them going in a sustainable fashion, while getting the teachers to become skilled in the use of the technology. We want to increase the schools’ tools to promote academic learning.”

The schools with which Barlow-Zambodla are involved have also started vegetable gardens to teach the children how to live sustainably. Magda Rall is a counselling psychologist. She works with the care workers of Great Rape Intervention Project (GRIP), which is an NPO caring for rape and domestic-violence victims, by implementing a numbers of workshops.

“They work with other people’s trauma and it’s often disturbing. I debrief and counsel them on a regular basis and we have healing circles.” Rall also works directly with the rape victims.

Simon Mdluli teaches life skills at Up Up Up Youth Project. He is a pastor, “but when I’m with Up Up Up I am one of them”. Mdluli has always been involved in projects to uplift the youth, teaching ways to steer clear of gangsterism and drug abuse.

“Vodacom CtW is an extension of our commitment to volunteering,” says Hamdulay. “Volunteering is an integral part of Vodacom.”