The spirit of a gift that keeps on giving

Issued by Watt Communications & G Watt Design for Axiz
Johannesburg, 03 Apr 2008

There was much excitement at the St Joseph's Care and Support Trust in Onverwacht as 83 bicycles were distributed to the community through non-profit organisation Qhubeka.

The handover was arranged by leading IT infrastructure distributor Axiz, in lieu of giving end of year gifts to reseller partners and UPS specialist, MGE Office Protection Systems.

In line with Qhubeka's philosophy of "hand-ups" as opposed to "handouts", the children at St Joseph's will earn their bicycles by weeding a community garden in Onverwacht every month, help plant seeds and water the seedlings.

They will also take responsibility for their bikes, learn to ride responsibly and understand bike safety rules. Qhubeka does not just hand over the bikes; it keeps in close contact with the recipients and receives quarterly reports on the impact of the bikes in that community.

Aldean Prior, marketing manager, Axiz, says St Joseph's Care and Support Trust was selected by Axiz because of its tireless commitment to its people and the vital services it provides to the community.

Founded in 1999, St Joseph's is the only organisation offering a comprehensive and holistic HIV/Aids programme in the Metsweding District. In addition, the organisation takes care of 820 orphaned and vulnerable children across nine communities, as well as providing numerous community services covering health, social welfare and skills development.

Of the 83 bicycles donated, the majority will be distributed to children who are unable to get to school due to a lack of transportation in the area. Four bicycles will be given to caregivers who require transport to better serve the community.

Reggie Carolisen, project leader, St Joseph's: "We are excited to receive the bicycles from Qhubeka. Our orphans and vulnerable children can finally travel to school easily as opposed to walking long distances to and from school and having less time to focus on their studies. The donation provides motivation for them and we are thrilled that they are learning to take responsibility at such a young age. It's almost like having their first car."

Christelle Larkins, area manager - South Africa - MGE Office Protection Systems, said the company is delighted to participate in such a unique programme. "We often take transportation for granted, forgetting that for some a journey to school could take as long as an hour one way. The difference that Qhubeka makes is tangible, long-term and far-reaching, which is why we have chosen to offer our support."

Axiz founded the Qhubeka 'Moving us Forward' programme as a non-profit organisation in 2005. It focuses on using human power to develop sustainable transport means. "By focusing on the establishment of social infrastructure, Axiz, Qhubeka and its partners are contributing to the sustainable upliftment of communities through the transfer of skills, technology and education. This helps these communities to become productive members of society."

For more information, visit:
Qhubeka - www.qhubeka.com
St Jospeh's - www.sizanani.org
Axiz - www.axiz.com
MGE Office Protection Systems - www.mgeops.com

Or contact Aldean Prior on 011 237 7133.

Axiz

Established in 1989, Axiz is an ICT infrastructure distributor whose product range comprises in-campus computing infrastructure, namely servers, desktops, mobiles, printers, networking, storage, memory, peripherals, components and consumables. The company enables customer efficiency and productivity through its partners by merging technology with intelligence, and providing quality products. By equipping its reseller partners with innovative thinking and technology intelligence, Axiz is at the forefront of technology thought leadership. The company innovates by constantly challenging and pushing boundaries and turning its people's knowledge and expertise into keen insights that strengthen its reseller partners' success, improve people's lives and achieve prosperity for everyone in its various communities.

Axiz is committed to building a sustainable company, actively contributing to a sustainable economy for South Africa, and the African continent by dynamically living the Five Capitals Model of Sustainability. The company has already become a pioneer, innovator and leader in its sector through the implementation of its Ledibogo Programme, its Business Partner Development Programme, as well as other initiatives such as founding and supporting Inqolobane (the Employee Ownership Association Africa, www.eoaa.co.za) and Qhubeka (the Motive Power Movement, www.qhubeka.com).

Eaton

Eaton's electrical business is a global leader in electrical control, power distribution, uninterruptible power supply and industrial automation products and services. Eaton's global electrical brands, including Cutler-Hammer, MGE Office Protection Systems, Powerware, Holec and MEM, provide customer-driven PowerChain Management solutions to serve the power system needs of the industrial, institutional, government, utility, commercial, residential, IT, mission critical and OEM markets worldwide.

Eaton Corporation is a diversified industrial manufacturer with 2006 sales of $12.4 billion. Eaton is a global leader in electrical systems and components for power quality, distribution and control; fluid power systems and services for industrial, mobile and aircraft equipment; intelligent truck drive-train systems for safety and fuel economy; and automotive engine air management systems, power-train solutions and specialty controls for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton has 63 000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 140 countries. For more information, visit www.eaton.com.

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