Johannesburg, 12 Jul 2017
In Phillipi, Cape Town, Aunty Suzi's Daycare plays an integral role in the local community. Together with her helpers, she gives parents and guardians the opportunity to work, while their little ones are being cared for responsibly and lovingly. Her vision is to care for children in a way that they deserve and prepare them for the next step in their journey. And she does so with very little at her disposal.
Based on the value that this childcare facility offers, the Association for Healing the Arts (AHA), an effective non-profit organisation, approached Dimension Data in the Western Cape with an extensive list of the essentials that Aunty Suzi's Daycare was sorely in need of.
"Facilities like Aunty Suzi's play an instrumental role in helping children become functional, educated, whole adults that are capable of achieving their dreams. It also gives caregivers the peace of mind to leave their children in trustworthy hands so that they can pursue employment and look after their families," says Leanne Stellenberg, AHA.
Knowing it could be of great assistance, Dimension Data contacted Britehouse (a division of Dimension Data), which formulated a plan that would go above and beyond the items on Aunty Suzi's wish list.
Says Jennifer Custers, HR Business Partner for Britehouse Digital: "We thought it best to set our sights on the security aspect of their needs, and so, in addition to donating some of the requested items, we fenced the premises, installed a jungle gym that was donated by Dimension Data, and added some grass around the play area. We also made sure that we provided an element of fun on the day of the visit to Aunty Suzi's, and donated balls for playtime, face paint, and chocolate coins for the much-anticipated treasure hunt."
The great reveal took place on 2 June 2017 at Aunty Suzi's Daycare, in Phillipi, with much fanfare and celebration. Britehouse and Dimension Data employees teamed up to make sure it was a wonderful day for all involved. With the help of a voucher from Shoprite and generous donations from both companies, they provided the children with snack-packs, cupcakes, lunch for the day, and chocolates for the teachers in addition to the planned fun activities.
This wasn't the first time that Dimension Data had been involved with Aunty Suzi's Daycare. After the community came together to build the 42sq metre cr`eche facility, the company assisted with various donations and urgent projects, such as completing the roof, painting the building, building shelves, and supplying indoor games, books and beds. It has also helped with making knitted blankets and successfully implementing the Santa Shoe Box project.
"Corporate social investment is a crucial part of how companies should approach the way that they run their businesses, and should form part of their overall strategies. It makes a powerful statement about Britehouse and Dimension Data's commitment to communities across South Africa," says Michael Abendanon, South West Africa Regional Executive for Dimension Data Middle East and Africa.
"We firmly believe in having a positive impact on society as a whole, but to do that we need to take a closer look at our local neighbourhoods and start with supporting the development of healthy communities, which is why we are drawn to initiatives like Aunty Suzi's Daycare and why we will continue to do so in the future," says Zimkhita Buwa, Regional Manager for Britehouse, Western Cape.
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