SIOC Community Development Trust (SIOC-cdt) supported the Tswelelopele Club for the elderly in Olifantshoek which is a Non-Profit Making Organization focussing on wellness and awareness of healthy lifestyles through participation in physical training of elderly people. The support provided included drilling a solar powered borehole, upgrading of the vegetable garden fence, procurement of two water tankers for water storage, kitchen appliances like chest freezer, fridge, two micro-ovens, gas stove, crockery and cutleries worth approximately R250 000.00. The project benefits about 120 club members by ensuring consistent provision of nutritious meals for sustainable wellness of the senior citizens in Ditloung (Olifantshoek) and keeping them physically active. Although the project is meant for the benefit of the elderly citizens, the borehole came in very handy to the broader community of Olifantshoek during the current period of dire water shortage that has seen members of the community drawing potable water from the borehole. That is the real positive impact that SIOC-cdt strives to achieve within its beneficiary communities.
These club members keep themselves active through maintaining their food garden on a daily basis providing them with fresh vegetables for own consumption with the excess being sold to the local community to augment the Club’s income and sustainability base. The active physical lifestyle of the Tswelelopele members is not only limited to food gardening maintenance, they also participate in sports and wellness programmes organised by the Department of Social Development (DSD) from the district to national level, which has a positive impact in their general wellbeing and prolonged life.
About SIOC-cdt
SIOC-cdt was established in 2006 by Kumba Iron Ore Limited to invest in the development of the communities in which the company operates. The trust focuses primarily on beneficiary communities adjacent to the Sishen Iron Ore Company (SIOC) mining activities in the Northern Cape and Thabazimbi local municipality in Limpopo and has invested significantly in community development projects aimed at ensuring sustainability beyond mining operations.
SIOC-cdt has substantiated its stated intention of “defining ourselves through actions not words” by investing over R1 billion in socio-economic and community development projects in its beneficiary communities.
ENDS
Issued on behalf of the Board of Trustees by:
Refilwe Sebogodi Stakeholder Relations and Communications Executive
082 901 8364 refilwe@sioc-cdt.co.za