COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

2008: THE STANZA BOPAPE COMMUNITY HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT CENTRE
As part of our ongoing CSI strategy, we identified projects at the Stanza Bopape Community Health and Development Centre in Mamelodi East to support during 2008. This centre provides skills development programmes to the community and also runs day-care and drop-in programmes for vulnerable children from the community of Mamelodi.

CSI initiative
BE at UP contributed significant educational resources and material to the day-care and drop-in programmes at the Centre and upgraded the recreational facility for the children. The objective was to provide the children with access to stimulating resources that will enhance their perceptual development and meet their educational and entertainment needs.

Dr Ina Joubert from the Department of Early Childhood Development (ECD) at the University of Pretorias Faculty of Education supported our project with her professional expertise on the type of resources to be purchased for the children. Dr Joubert is also presenting a training programme for the women who care for the children.

Enterprise development initiative
We supported a group of entrepreneurs, called the Bakgotsi Catering group, who have received catering and baking training at the Stanza Bopape Community Health and Development Centre, with a fully equipped kitchen container to conduct their business from. The women provide catering services for various types of functions and will now also prepare and sell food from their new container facility which is located at the Centre. We will continue to provide support to the group to develop their business and achieve long-term sustainability.

The handing-over ceremony took place at the Stanza Bopape Development Centre on 10 October 2008. Prof Mogotlane, vice-principal of the University of Pretoria and overseer of the Community Engagement Department of the University, was also present.

Mr Deon Herbst, CEO of BE at UP, Prof Ramaranka Mogotlane, director of BE at UP and vice-principal at the University of Pretoria, Ms Maureen Rannyama, manager of Stanza Bopape Community Health and Development Centre and Mr Success Mabooe, project coordinator of the Stanza Bopape Community Health and Development Centre.

Children at the day-care centre enjoying some of the equipment provided.

Mr Success Mabooe, project coordinator of the Stanza Bopape Community Health and Development Centre, Mr Deon Herbst, CEO of BE at UP, and Prof Ramaranka Mogotlane, director of BE at UP and vice-principal at the University of Pretoria.

The Bakgotsi Catering Entrepreneurs Yvonne Ramatsetse, Martha Makgae, Sphiwe Khumalo and Abram Kekana standing in front of their fully equipped container.

2007: SPONSORS MARKETING AND COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA TO ATTEND AN INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR IN GERMANY

Towards the end of September 2007 the University of Pretoria furthered its internationalisation strategy by providing an opportunity for students from a disadvantaged background - who have never been beyond South Africas borders - to attend a joint international seminar in Hanover, Germany.

BE at UP sponsored two of these students from the Department of Marketing and Communication Management (Ms Yamangalisa Mbatha and Mr Benedict Siyotula) to benefit from this international seminar. The sponsorship included a contribution to their flights and expenses during their stay.

The opportunity to visit Germany gave these students the opportunity for academic development, personal growth and international exposure. The topic of the seminar was reputation management and related issues, which culminated in a presentation to the management of Volkswagen Head Office in Germany regarding current issues this multinational company is experiencing.

This busy but rewarding week was well summarised by Benedict Siyotula, I can never be the same person that left here two weeks ago I gained invaluable knowledge and experience that led to a new-found confidence in our abilities both as professionals-to-be and also as individuals looking to accomplish big things in our lives.

Ms Elsamari Coetzee (Lecturer, Marketing and Communication Management), Mr Deon Herbst (MD: BE at UP), Prof Ronel Rensburg (Head of Marketing and Communication Management, UP), Ms Yamangalisa Mbatha (Student, Marketing and Communication Management), Ms Celia da Silva (Marketing Manager: BE at UP), Mr Benedict Siyotula (Student, Marketing and Communication Management), Mr Izan Crause (Operations Manager: BE at UP), Mr Cobus du Plessis (Finance, Administration and Systems Manager: BE at UP)

2006: ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE AT THE MAMELODI CAMPUS

BE at UP places a premium on enterprise development initiatives, as we believe they can be important catalysts of community empowerment.

An exciting initiative undertaken towards the end of 2006 was to afford financial support to Ms Susan Mahlangu, a Mamelodi businesswoman, who won a three-year contract at the Mamelodi campus of the University of Pretoria. Ms Mahlangu provides students on the Mamelodi campus with affordable food and other refreshments. The contract allows her to use the facilities at the cafeteria on campus to this end.
We have, of course, made a long-term commitment to this initiative by striving to provide Ms Mahlangu with the necessary marketing and business expertise to ensure sustainable development and growth of her business.

The official handing over ceremony was held on 15 March 2007.

Official handing over ceremony. From left: Mr Deon Herbst (MD: BE at UP), Mr Edwin Smith (Director: Mamelodi campus), Ms Susan Mahlangu (entrepreneur), Prof. Ramaranka Mogotlane (Vice Principal, University of Pretoria and Director: BE at UP)