Education is one of Sasol’s key pillars in our Corporate Social Investment strategy and one of the programmes supported under this is Early Childhood Development (ECD).
The aim of the ECD programme is to improve access to quality early learning opportunities for children in the communities closest to our operations and retail sites. This is in line with one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, which aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all; as well as the National Development Plan’s (NDP) mandate to provide every child with a minimum of two years of pre-primary school exposure before they enter basic schooling.
At Sasol, we believe that education is fundamental to transforming our society and that ECDs must be strengthened to provide a strong foundation for learning and development. Access to adequate and consistent nutritional and literacy support is crucial, which is why the Sasol ECD programme has taken on different multiple interventions to mitigate literacy and nutrition risks.
The Social Impact team at Sasol was approached by our Sasol Hammersdale franchisee, through the Friendly Neighbour Programme, to support the Devine Connection Pre-School in Hammersdale with learning material. This preschool is situated 5km from the retail site, in the community of Georgedale.
As part of the Friendly Neighbour concept, Sasol matches a franchisee proposal or co-created concept rand-for-rand. Through this programme, and with the Sasol Hammersdale franchisee, we are providing learning material to the Devine Connection Pre-School in Hammersdale. Sasol Hammersdale will be donating mattresses, educational materials, A4 printing papers, hand paints, as well as paint for the classrooms.
The Friendly Neighbour concept is about co-creating socio-economic activities within a specified radius of our Retail sites, focusing on community development programmes such as education, health and environment, and work skills development.
Click here to read more initiatives by the #SasolFriendlyNeighbour Programme.
