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Bidvest commits to South Africa beyond Mandela Day

Bidvest agrees with the principles of Mandela Day, which seeks to promote education, peace and reconciliation in South Africa, as well as driving awareness that each person has the ability and the responsibility to change the world for the better. However, instead of just celebrating Mandela Day one day of the year, Bidvest’s Corporate Social Investment (CSI) strategy entails giving back to communities through its various initiatives, every day.

Former president Nelson Mandela said, “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead”. Bidvest lives this philosophy and continues to assist its communities by supporting projects that make a difference to their lives and puts their needs first. 

“While education is a basic need, quality literacy levels have a key role to play in South Africa’s future prosperity and development. Studies have shown that the reading skill level of the average 16-year-old in a rural South African school is up to seven years behind that of their urban counterparts.  Without effective reading and writing skills, these children will be unable to find work and become productive citizens who will contribute towards our country’s positive economic growth and poverty reduction strategies, which have a direct impact on reducing crime. It is for this reason that Rally to Read was established 16 years ago and is still one of Bidvest’s flagship CSI initiatives to provide literacy resources and training to rural primary schools to improve students’ reading, writing and general communication particularly at the foundation phases,” says Gillian McMahon, Executive Director of Bidvest South Africa. 

In 2013, Rally to Read reached 1,358 teachers and 40,581 learners. With the 2014 programme having kicked off in May, Rally to Read has already visited 49 schools in four provinces and engaged 12,850 learners and 447 teachers. The next phase of the 2014 Rally to Read continues in September and will see five provinces welcoming the initiative once again. 

Pink Drive is another community initiative sponsored by Bidvest, which offers mammography services and spreads breast cancer awareness.  According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which is part of the World Health Organization (WHO), there were an estimated 14.1 million new cancer cases and 8.2 million cancer-related deaths in 2012 alone.

Bidvest is doing its bit by getting involved and helping to create awareness and educating people in disadvantaged communities about the cancer and early detection in order to help reduce this burden. “Breast cancer patients have a high survival rate if the cancer is detected and treated early enough, but people in disadvantaged communities often do not have enough information to seek help in time. Bidvest therefore sponsored the Pink Drive with a mobile mammography unit which makes it easier when travelling to communities to provide them with immediate access to screening,” continues McMahon. 

The Pink Drive visits semi-urban and urban areas to offer disadvantaged communities access to education on breast self-examination and physical examinations in the fight against cancer. To date over 5,000 women have received free mammograms, while over 54,000 have had clinical breast examinations, 79,000 people were educated about breast cancer and over 90,000 informational leaflets have been distributed.

Another Bidvest CSI initiative that continues to change the lives of many South Africans is the company’s 10km Unity Walk which was officially launched in 2011 and is now hosted in four cities, Port Elizabeth, Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. 

The Quadriplegic Association of South Africa (QASA), an organisation that protects and promotes the interests of people with mobility impairment was selected as the Bidvest Unity Walk beneficiary. For every 75 employees who walk in one of the four events, Bidvest donates a wheelchair to QASA.

In 2013 more than 62,000 people participated across the four cities and 243 wheelchairs were donated to disadvantaged communities. 

“Contributing to the community in a meaningful way has always been part of the way we operate at Bidvest. Our contribution to the communities throughout South Africa that support us is part of our can-do approach to business, and that is why we are proud supporters of CSI initiatives that truly make a significant difference in the lives of many. These initiatives tie in perfectly with the aims of the Bidvest group's CSI philosophy that doing is good is good for business. I hope that our initiatives will create the kind of lasting legacy Mr. Mandela was referring to: ‘that we did not simply live, but lived significantly’,” says Brian Joffe, Group CEO of Bidvest.