On 14 January 2015 Kaya FM and Amalgamated Beverage Industries (ABI), the soft drink division of SAB (Pty) Ltd, welcomed learners from Mvelaphanda Primary school and Reagile Primary back to school by giving them tools to ensure a successful start to the year, which included stationery and a durable school bag to weather the elements.
The reality of the beginning of the school year is usually a daunting time for many parents who are financially challenged, and for these reasons Kaya FM, Thebe Foundation and ABI have pledged partnerships with these schools to empower young learners to have a successful start to the year.
Corporate social responsibility for Kaya FM, ABI and Thebe Foundation is about sustainability. Thebe Foundation believes in setting up a proper foundation, to set up the learners at their foundation phase for a better outcome in the future. These organisations have been giving resources, time and commitment to various schools within Gauteng. A very big thank you to Pick 'n Pay for providing the learners with food packs.
ABI launched a successful schools recycling programme, where a total of 240 primary schools within ABI territories, namely North West, Free State, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng participate.
The campaign is geared at driving the recycling message from primary school level and to spark environmental conversations amongst learners from the participating schools. Corporate Affairs Manager at ABI, Itumeleng Matlaila commented: "Caring for the environment is one of the key drivers for sustainable development. It's therefore important that we plant that seed at the foundational learning level so that it could grow in the kids educational journey through to their adulthood and to entrench that culture in our future communities."
Recycling is a learning experience and ABI hopes that with this initiative students, teachers and parents can learn not only the basics of recycling, but of sustainability and environmental stewardship.
The two schools that we have partnered with are participants in the recycling project and through this initiative are able to sustain their schools through funds received from recycling. The financial returns are great for the schools but for the learners making recycling part of their daily lives puts them in line to receive personal success from the awards hosted by ABI for those who are active and innovative in recycling.
MD at Kaya FM Greg Maloka commented: "As a radio station, our strength is putting our broadcast power towards initiatives and content that are about changing lives. Afropolitans are concerned about the environment and the social impact they make in the world. We must remember the words of the late Nelson Mandela "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world"."
