ABSA

At ABSA, caring for communities is as important to them as being great bankers, the see the two as being interlinked. Absa recognises that social giving is not enough in its own right: for corporate social investment (CSI) to be truly effective and make an ongoing and meaningful difference to the lives of underprivileged people and to the overall economic wellbeing of the country, it needs to be well-managed and underpinned by the driving principle of sustainability. For this reason, the company adopts an integrated sustainability approach that encompasses all the Group’s stakeholders including the OLIVE LEAF Foundation in Port Elizabeth, where Absa supports OLF’s initiative to provide nutritional support to Orphans & Vulnerable Children.

BICSA

BICSA funds the Abalingani Gender Programme to facilitate gender and MAP (Men as Partners) work as well as CAT's (Community Action teams) with children from 10 high Schools in Soweto.

Part of this agreement is to help BICSA with their internal employee well-being programme around Gender and HIV/AIDS issues.

Bos Theatre Productions

Khayelitsha United Mambazo is one of the choirs who participated in the Abalingani Gender Programme. They are still involved in teaching boys from their neighbourhood about traditional music, and through this about responsible manhood. Through facilitation offered by the OLIVE LEAF Foundation the group have been presented the opportunity to work with Bos Theatre Productions.

The group passed an audition with the Bos Theatre Production company and will be involved in an eight month production about the life of Nelson Mandela. The production will be rehearsed and performed in Amsterdam. Bos Theatre Productions are based in Amsterdam and perform in the top theatres in Europe. They have also collaborated with performances of artists like David Kramer, Miriam Makeba and Freshlyground.

Coca-Cola South Africa

Coca-Cola South Africa funds the Abalingani Gender Programme to conduct gender work around the sites in South Africa.

Coca Cola South Africa provides essential support in the gender based education and activism which enables women to drive sustainable community prosperity. With Coca Cola South Africa’s support since 2004 the programme has grown to now reach four provinces in South Africa. In 2007 the Abalingani Gender Program significantly changed the attitude of 43 000 prominent community members. These were mostly (70 %) male, and were recruited from three urban and two rural communities in South Africa through all the activities mentioned above.

Coca-Cola Peninsula Beverages donated free stock and merchandise to the children who are part of the the OLIVE LEAF Foundation Vendor Model project. They have also committed to allow the children to do job-shadowing in the Company.