FOCUS in their matric
FOCUS in their matric subject choice. In the Free State, 15 high and intermediate schools and 39 primary feeder schools are part of the OMEFP. One such school is Ntemoseng High School in Botshabelo, a small town in the eastern Free State plagued by unemployment and poverty. Here, five participating schools each have four specialist mentors in maths, science and accounting, and school management for principals and their management teams, to enable teachers to manage their classes and curriculum content more effectively. Ntemoseng High School is now the second best performing school in Botshabelo out of 14 schools. The Old Mutual Foundation provides a R100 000 grant to the Bartimea School for the Blind and Deaf. In 2015, the Foundation contributed R27 870 000 to various South African communities which funded the development of small black-owned businesses, skills development projects, support for staff volunteerism initiatives and donations towards vulnerable communities. In the Free State specifically, the Old Mutual Foundation invested R268 000 via its Old Mutual Staff Community Builder programme in which employees can receive up to R45 000 over three years to financially assist the organisations at which they volunteer. This financial investment aided in the support of 14 projects and positively impacted 6 187 beneficiaries. The Foundation has financially supported the Earthrise Trust in the eastern Free State, near the town of Ficksburg. The R1.5-million grant given to this enterprise aimed to establish a co-operative communitydriven vegetable-farming enterprise. The project to date has created 20 jobs (in the form of co-operative members) and promotes food security, The Emfuleni feedlot in Tweeling is a Masisizane beneficiary. FREE STATE BUSINESS 2017 38
FOCUS Maths teacher, Mr Moyo, at Ntemoseng High School in Botshabelo, Free State. nutrition and sustainable rural livelihoods for trainee farmers at Naledi and the surrounding villages. Another demonstration of the Foundation’s input into the well-being of Free State communities is a R100 000 grant to the Bartimea School for the Blind and Deaf for Perkins Braille writers for blind learners. The Masisizane Fund (“Masisizane”), an Old Mutual initiative that was established in 2007 as a non-profit funding company to provide loan financing and support to small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), is also a contributor to the empowerment of the Free State. Masisizane was set up to contribute to job creation, reduce inequality, promote economic growth and support, develop and promote entrepreneurship, while attracting investment to SMMEs. The Emfuleni feedlot in Tweeling is a Masisizane beneficiary, which has grown from a small business enterprise,established in 2013, to a feedlot that now has capacity to hold 8 000 sheep and employs 28 full-time staff. Masisizane provided a loan in 2014 so that they could buy more sheep and feed in order to sustain the business. Masisizane continues to provide post-investment support. “Old Mutual’s long-term success is closely connected to being part of, and being trusted by, flourishing and sustainable local communities,” says De Beer. “We’re committed to being a responsible business with a view to the long term, and we continue to focus on areas where our businesses can make a material impact and create meaningful change for all our stakeholders. After all, we know that what’s good for South Africa is good for Old Mutual, and vice versa.” For more information contact: Julie Hutchins, Communications Manager Tel: +27 11 217 1648 Cell: 072 553 7366 Email: jhutchins@oldmutual.com 39 FREE STATE BUSINESS 2017
