A summary of Old Mutual Foundation activities

The Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI)

The table below indicates the REDI investment by province, during 2004. 

The highlight of a very active year was the celebration event in Johannesburg, which was well attended by a variety of stakeholders from government and the business sector. This event marked the first time all the REDI champions have been together since the launch of REDI at the end of 2001. The champions are individuals who have taken on the challenge of developing and protecting their communities.

In the Local Economic Development activities, a significant shift in focus saw funding being allocated to fewer, but larger initiatives with the potential to impact on a greater number of people. An example of a larger initiative was the establishment of a Soya processing plant. In total, 18 new businesses received funding during the year. This brings the total of new businesses established in REDI over the past four years to 211. Of these, 123 are women-owned or managed. It is estimated that in excess of 2 000 new jobs have been provided through these businesses.

The community development component of REDI saw funding being allocated largely to HIV/AIDS and food security projects. A total of 50 individual projects received funding this year. In total, some 140 food security and/or HIV/AIDS projects have been established over the past four years.

AIDS Orphans Programme

The table below indicates the allocation of funds for 2004, categorised by social partner and geographic area.

These programmes support the most vulnerable among us, those left parentless because of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. These children, over 2 000 of them, rely on us for their survival. In partnership with the proven work of the partner-projects that we have chosen, we intend to continue to support these children.

Staff Volunteer Programme 

Established in 1993, and now under the patronage of the managing director, the Staff Community Builder Programme financially assists those of our staff members who volunteer their services to their communities. The Programme also includes an "Adopt" an Orphan component, and a Staff Charity Fund.

The "Adopt" an Orphan component invites staff to voluntarily contribute to the support of orphans through deductions from their salaries that are matched on a Rand-for-Rand basis by the Foundation. The Staff Charity Fund focuses on support funding for abused women and children, the elderly, and animals.

The table below indicates the investment per business unit and the provincial breakdown of the Staff Community Builder Programme.

The staff charity and payroll giving schemes have not attracted the level of new support in 2004 that they have in previous years and actions are under way to significantly enhance staff member involvement in both the "Adopt" an Orphan and Staff Charity Fund components. A new enrolment campaign is being planned and will be launched in March 2005.

Nevertheless, the Fund has 543 staff members committing funds on a regular basis throughout the year. It is gratifying that an average of R100 000 is paid out to various charities and "adopted" orphans on a monthly basis. This includes the Foundation's matching contribution.

An ongoing challenge to the trustees of the Staff Volunteer Programme is to find registered Public Benefit Organisations to work with as many organisations are not yet aware that they have to first be registered to receive funding. This is especially evident with regard to organisations working with HIV/AIDS and abused children.

The provincial breakdown of our general donations between 1 January and end-December 2004 is as follows:

The focus of the educational donations has been on mathematics and science education at primary school level, and on teacher development and training. Community development, on the other hand, has a bias towards supporting AIDS orphans through the establishment of food gardens and other food security programmes. Also classified under ad hoc donations are disaster relief efforts and donations to the arts and culture.