BIHL birthday culminates in 40 CSI projects for the year

Staff Writer | Tuesday December 15, 2015 08:23

The communities in which the Group and its subsidiaries operate have been rewarded for their trust and support in the form of 40 CSI projects throughout the course of the year in recognition of their significant contribution to the BIHL heritage.

Throughout the course of 2015, the Group rallied employees to conduct philanthropic projects directly and through the BIHL Trust, aimed and strengthening the culture of giving and community engagement. Employees were encouraged to champion projects of their own accord, supported by the Trust. This falls on the back of 3 years of championing sustainable social development through the work of the Trust.

 “It has been an honour and a privilege for all of us at BIHL to have crossed paths and engaged with so many invaluable members of our community, be it individuals or organisations. We as a Group always strive to drive sustainable community development, and have a long history of CSI efforts in that regard,” said BIHL Group CEO, Gaffar Hassam,

He added; “It is part of the very fabric of our culture. As we commemorated the special milestone of 40 years however, we wanted to give back to the communities who have, during the last 40 years, enriched us in so many ways. They have placed their trust in us through investing, policies, and even simply financial guidance. We have reached this milestone of 40 because of them and so it is to them that we dedicate it and to them that we give back.”

The initiatives developed and driven by the Group’s 380 staff cut across all spaces and demographics. These ranged from annual legacy projects such as the Thomas Tlou Scholarship, Maru-a-Pula OVC Trust and Stepping Stones International Literacy Training Programme, to more isolated efforts such as the #RhinosInTheCity platform, donations to Khama Rhino Sanctuary, and contribution to the Tshwaragano Trust, which raised funds through summiting Mount Kilimanjaro.                                        

“One of the most important things for us when we set out to embark on our 40th CSI target, beyond ensuring sustainability at the heart of everything we do, was to leverage the culture of philanthropy within the Group. Many of our staff, in their own right, are involved in various community initiatives. We wanted to embrace this and grow that culture even further for the benefit of those in our communities. It is phenomenal to see this brought to life in the projects we have run this year,” said BIHL Trust Administrator, Mrs. Tebogo Keepetsoe.

Some of the staff driven projects include that of: Connie Rahube, who donated to the School of the Blind in Mochudi; Tiny Vaughn, who donated 100 pairs of school shoes in Molapowabojang; and Tshepang Tshweneetsile, who donated school shoes to students in Lerolwane. 450 students in Shadishadi received much-needed toiletries courtesy of Judith Mapitse, while Sedilame Babedi donated uniform and PE wear to 10 underprivileged children in Jwaneng. These were just some of the many initiatives, majority of which are being documented on the BIHL Trust Facebook page (www.facebook.com/bihltrust) to create greater awareness around the importance of CSI activities.

Lebogang Medupe, currently working at Botswana Life, noted that the platform allowed her to extend her already existing community efforts in a bid to make an even greater difference. “I had personally been donating clothing, shoes and used books to a child in Shoshong who I had adopted. It has been about five years. I decided to then extend the donations to the same village where the child goes to school.” Medupe’s 40th contribution saw her provide schoolbooks to Little Souls Primary School in Shoshong.

“At BIHL, we celebrate 40 years of people, and people remain at the heart of who we are and what we do. The countless members of our local community who, each and every day, contribute to who we are as a business, are a great part of that. After a strong year of CSI activities, it does not end there. We are committed to driving sustainable social improvement across Botswana, and indeed, beyond her borders,” concluded Hassam.