One of South Africa's premier online information service providers is creating a sector benchmark for social responsibility commitments.
Sabinet is an online information centre which specialises in library support services, electronic government gazettes, Bills, Acts, legal information and journals. Not only does it have expertise in facilitating access to information, it also assists with advice and the development of projects. Sabinet is also actively involved in a number of corporate social investment initiatives, through its Chairperson's Fund.
Sabinet donates 10% of its pre-tax profit to its Chairperson's Fund. The objective of the fund is to contribute to the social and educational development of deserving communities in South Africa.
"The fund's philosophy is to focus on making a success of one or two well-appointed projects rather than dissipating energy and effort in a multiplicity of unproductive ventures," says Sej Motau, Sabinet's Chairperson.
One of the fund's premier projects is the West Park School Children's project, where the company has adopted learners from poor households and is assisting by paying their school fees and buying their school uniforms.
Another remarkable project is the "Adopt a Library" Project, where Sabinet has adopted the West Park Community Library through an equipment sponsorship. Thanks to Sabinet, the library now has access to computers, a fax machine, book shelves, educational computer games, videos and DVDs, a Sony PlayStation 2 with games, and computer tutoring classes. A positive outcome of this sponsorship is that some of the attendees of the computer classes have found employment based on new computer skills acquired at the library.
Following the success of the West Park Community Library sponsorship, Sabinet, in partnership with the Tshwane Library and Information Services, has identified another Tshwane community library which it will also take under its wing during 2006.
A highly commendable development has been the launch of a separate initiative by the staff of the company to support the Itumeleng Street Children's project in Sunnyside, Pretoria. The Chairperson's Fund has undertaken to contribute R1 for every R1 donated by the staff. This intervention is a significant step in the company's social investment portfolio.
"We are also currently investigating the possibility of supporting Oliver's House, a PBO in the East Rand area, with their ABET programme for adults who want to acquire basic literacy and numeric skills," says Sanet Vos, Sabinet's Marketing Manager.
Sabinet has also invested in the Fotim's Disability Conference and is assisting the Ga-Phaahla and Soetfontein Libraries in the Limpopo Province to establish Internet connections.
This dynamic online information service provider also gives ad hoc donations to various worthy causes. Some of the organisations which have benefited from these donations are St Luke's Hospice, Captain Crime Stop and AKMK Children's Home.
"The aim of the Chairperson's Fund is not only to provide financial assistance to needy causes, it is also about playing a value-adding role to the sustainable development of these communities," adds Motau.
For more information on Sabinet's projects and its business initiatives, please visit www.sabinet.co.za.
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