Page 101 - Capricorn IAR 2020

2020 INTEGRATED ANNUAL REPORT
Subsidiary-driven social sustainability initiatives
N$2.5 million was raised during the 2019 Bank Windhoek Cancer Apple Project (2018: N$3 million) and was handed over to the Cancer Association of Namibia in November 2019. The funds are used for cancer outreach programmes and maintaining the House Acacia and CHICA interim home where cancer patients from various parts of Namibia are housed during their treatment at no cost.
Through its Social Investment Fund, Bank Windhoek supports the Gondwana meal-for-two-project that feeds vulnerable communities. The project target was to reach 2,000 individuals through the distribution of meals to a number of projects located across Namibia. During the first six months, the programme provided 45,700 meals to 2,500 individuals, exceeding the target. Bank Windhoek supports several non-profit organisations that work towards poverty alleviation, job creation and supporting overall economic growth. This includes Women@Work which provides training to individuals in skills such as cooking, hospitality and needlework.
Read more about Bank Windhoek’s social contributions in the sustainability report on the Bank Windhoek website.
With health as one of its key focus areas, Bank Gaborone focused on raising cancer and diabetes awareness through two projects:
• Journey of Hope Botswana – Through this initiative the
bank sponsors a group of women made up of a team of 30 doctors, nurses and support crew, including cancer survivors, who partake in an annual motorcycle ride to promote testing for breast cancer and raising breast cancer awareness. Since inception, the project has reached over 10,000 people around the country and conducted over 10,000 breast examinations nationwide.
• Bank Gaborone diabetes apple project – Bank Gaborone partnered with the Diabetes Association of Botswana (“DAB”), Tsetseng Retail Group and SPAR Botswana to raise funds for the DAB by selling apples in SPAR’s stores. Bank Gaborone also conducts tests for diabetes at its branches and dispenses information to its customers. During the year, Bank Gaborone and its partners successfully raised BWP350,000 towards this project.
The adopt-a-school programme, now in its third year, involves each branch or business unit selecting a public school within its vicinity. The branch or business unit then takes initiatives to assist the school with specific needs to create an environment conducive for learning. Through this initiative, a total of
12 schools have been assisted with books, school uniforms, sanitary towels and repainting of school premises.
In terms of social contributions, CAM committed N$472,110 plus an extra N$500,000 to corporate social responsibility initiatives during the financial year. Our signature project is the Class of 20XX Basic Education Project in which less privileged grade 1 learners receive school clothes to start their education. Where possible these clothes are sourced through local manufacturers.
We have an active affordable housing investment through Calibre Capital Trust and some of our unit trusts, to the amount of N$13.3 million. The total project has thus far supported the construction 64 affordable houses. Over the past year CAM funded two bursaries for honours studies for two previously disadvantaged students, who graduated and were awarded internships with CAM.
Entrepo’s primary social impact focus is on food and education. During the extreme drought period, Entrepo ran
a feeding scheme that distributed 25 tons of maize meal amounting to N$80,000 through our branches in the northern parts of Namibia to 5,000 families.
We made a N$120,000 contribution to the Step out of Poverty through Education, Encouragement and Support (“SPES”) charity relief fund to be used for the distribution of food parcels, providing at-risk children with a daily healthy meal.
In terms of education, Entrepo supported Kanono Combined Secondary School with 150 scientific calculators and two full science kits. We also funded the restoration and replacement of desks and chairs for the scholars. The combined value of the assistance to the school amounted to N$68,380.
Entrepo purchased full sets of teaching materials for
130 primary school learners in Gochas at a cost of N$36,176 and sponsored forklift training for 16 trainees through Kayec Trust to the amount of N$20,800.
Entrepo is involved with Side-by-Side early intervention care centre, which caters primarily for the development and care of disabled children in and around Windhoek. N$180,000 was donated to the centre to fund the continuation of their programmes.
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