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Community Engagement Initiatives
This is a world class resource centre for learners, parents, teachers and the community at large in the Piet Retief and the broader Gert Sibande region. It is a partnership initiative involving Mondi Packing SA`s Piet Retief Mill, Mondi, Anglo American, Kangra Mines, Mkhondo Municipality and the Mpumalanga Department of Education.
The objective of this project is to improve the reading skills / literacy levels of children, particularly during the foundation phase of learning at school. This is a multi-stakeholder initiative involving, Mondi Packaging SA`s Springs Mill, Siegwerk Ink Packaging, Gillmich and the Gauteng Department of Education. The posters printed to date include, amongst others, the National Anthem, South Africa`s Big Five animals, the National Symbols and plants.
This is a health initiative whose main purpose is to provide a one stop centre for abused women and children, including men where such victims will get help in a holistic approach from doctors, nurses, the South African Police Service, and other professionals. It is a partnership initiative involving MPSA`s Springs Mill, Gauteng Department of Health and the Far East Rand Hospital.
In order to address health issues in a real and meaningful way, MPSA`s Springs Mill partnered with the Far East Rand Hospital to provide Kangaroo Mother Care for premature babies. The Kangaroo Mother Care is a method used in hospitals to take the role of an incubator in performing the following functions:
- Mothers nurse their premature babies against their bodies 24 hours a day
- The mother’s body heat helps the baby to grow
- Premature babies gain weight quickly through this method
- A good bond between the mother and the baby is created
The company provided all the equipment and material used in the Kangaroo Mother Care Unit at the Far East Rand Hospital. This Unit won an award as the best Kangaroo Mother Care Unit in Gauteng. The hospital used the prize money to buy sewing material which they use to provide the mothers with sewing skills during the time they spend in the unit. One of the retired professional nurses of the hospital is giving her time, free of charge, to teach the mothers sewing skills.
The Thembalitsha Foundation, which is a partnership project between MPSA`s Mondipak Western Cape and other sponsors has three focus areas namely; education, training and health. Themba Health / Care started in 2002 and it provides palliative care for babies with HIV / AIDS; parents are also accommodated at the centres and are trained as caregivers for when they return home with their babies. It has two palliative care centres in Athlone and in Grabouw in the Western Cape. The emphasis is on extension of life and enhancement of the quality of life.
This is an entrepreneurship development initiative, which has turned ex-employees of the company to business partners of the company. The partnership between the Owner Drivers and Mondi Recycling (a division of MPSA) continues as the Owner Drivers` primary responsibility is to supply Mondi with recovered fibre. The company can only watch with admiration as the ex-employees, the majority of whom come from previously disadvantaged communities, thrive as established entrepreneurs in the business community. To-date, the following Mondi Recycling branches have completed the outsourcing process:
- Pretoria
- Midrand
- Springs
- Tulisa Park
- Maydon Road
- Parow in the Western Cape
This project provides an intensive learning focus at a first world school during school holidays to learners from previously disadvantaged communities. Learners receive 4 weeks intensive schooling each year for 5 years (from Grade 7 to Grade 11), at which time they are well-equipped to successfully complete Matric with Maths and Science at their own schools.
This is an Early Childhood Development initiative. It is a world class Creche for children from the previously disadvantaged communities . It is a partnership involving MPSA, the community and the Gauteng Department of Social Services. The project is now 100% sustainable but MPSA employees still provide support to the institution on book keeping and administrative excellence skills.
Today, the number of AIDS orphans and vulnerable children in KZN is soaring. The 1000 Hills Community Helpers have been actively involved in uplifting the lives of the community in the Inchanga area since 1989. Mondipak Pinetown has saluted their worthy efforts and pledged their support in assisting them to become a self sustainable community development organization.
An initial pledge of support was a donation of building materials to assist in the construction of a child development center for the AIDS orphans and vulnerable children at the foundation and a Christmas party in December 2007 for +/- 80 children. The staff at Mondipak Pinetown have been donating old/new clothes, non perishable foods, household items, educational aids etc. Mondipak Pinetowns envisaged initiatives with the foundation for 2008 include:
- Providing of training and development for the care givers within the community in facilitating proper care of adults and children suffering from HIV and AIDS.
- Supporting of HIV/AIDS awareness campaigns.
- Providing training to the child care staff to ensure that the children who attend the center benefit from formal education programs as well as re-creational and extra curricular activities.
- Assisting in the food garden and tunnel farming initiatives.
- Providing support to the soup kitchen and feeding scheme run by the foundation.
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