Community change to the world
As the nation celebrates 20 years of democracy, Vodacom is also excited about its 20 years of providing communication services.
MBOMBELA – As the nation celebrates 20 years of democracy, Vodacom is also excited about its 20 years of providing communication services.
For the past two decades of its existence, the telecom network has been passionate about volunteering and in 2010, it launched the Vodacom Change the World (CtW) programme.
Speaking to journalists during an information-sharing breakfast at Cappuccino’s on Tuesday morning, HOD for corporate citizenship, Ms Suraya Handulay said the company was passionate about giving back to the community.
“Vodacom holds volunteering close to its heart and this programme was another way of contributing to communities nationwide.
She added that the Vodacom Change the World programme was first introduced in 2010, giving individuals the opportunity to volunteer their time and skills to work at a non-pofit organisation (NPO) for a period of 12 months. To date 40 volunteers with their 40 respective NPOs have successfully participated and each one of them has made a difference.
“It is evident that the Vodacom CtW volunteers have over these past years not just made a difference at their NPOs and the lives of their beneficiaries, but some have also realised that the world of social entrepreneurship is where they want to be,” she added.
In the Lowveld, Vodacom has sponsored three volunteers. Past Simon Mdluli who specialises in youth skills development is a trainer at the Up Up Up Youth Project in Mbombela. He is a practising pastor and has a diploma in ministerial theology.
He has always been involved in programmes to uplift the youth, which encourage them to abstain from drugs use and gangsterism.
He previously worked with Rise and Shine a youth-empowerment organisation. He will focus on life skills, outreach programmes and computer-skills training at the Up Up Up Youth Project for the next 12 months.
Ms Magda Rall who has extensive experience in trauma counselling, will volunteer at the Greater Rape Intervention Project (GRIP) in Mpumalanga. She will focus on gender-based violence and has volunteered at GRIP before, through her involvement in the local policing forum.
Rall has a PhD in interdisciplinary studies (psychology and sociology). Rall will be the counselling and programme manager at GRIP, where she will train caregivers, sharpening their skills and debriefing them. Her tasks will also include developing and writing training manuals for counsellors and caregivers in the programme.
The project has a large rural footprint but there is a great need to train and upskill more caregivers. Ms Alice Barlow, who has a PhD in education, says she is fascinated in how ICT can complement learning in the classroom.
She has been working in the ICT field for the past 10 years and understands the challenges and opportunities associated with its infrastructure in rural and urban schools.
As the programme coordinator and mentor for the Buffelshoek ICT in Rural Schools Programme, she will work with children from disadvantaged communities. Vodacom is also refurbishing ICT centres at nine schools in the Busbuckridge.
Barlow-Zambodia will provide support and mentoring for teachers using technologies and open education resources. The Buffelshoek Trust was started in 2001 to address educational needs. It chose education as its focus area.
