Corporate Responsibility
Growth and empowerment of under-serviced markets
At the core of Psitek’s values is the belief that as a company, Psitek has a responsibility to support the communities in which it is based, while always promoting human rights and dignity. It was from this thinking that Psitek’s Corporate Social Investment (CSI) initiative was born – the founding philosophy being to invest in projects that will assist in the growth and empowerment of under-serviced markets, with specific focus on the holistic development of learner. For this reason, Psitek has become actively involved in various projects which it believes will offer scholars the opportunity to excel at school – securing a bright and hopeful future.
The Sandwich Factory
Based on the principle that hungry minds need full tummies, the Sandwich Factory is a food distribution project that provides lunches for the children at various schools and organisations. On a weekly basis, Psitek employees roll up their sleeves and head for the kitchen to make sandwiches for Vissershok Primary School. One of Durbanville’s more needy farm schools, Vissershok Primary School has 360 pupils, most of them children of impoverished farm workers from the surrounding farms.
Psitek’s Midrand office supports Gauteng’s Heartbeat Centre for Community Development by supplying loaves of bread and tasty fillings on a weekly basis. Based in Thembisa (on the East Rand), the Heartbeat Centre actively promotes children’s rights through its various projects and programmes, working directly with children in impoverished communities whose basic needs are not being met.
Habitat for Humanity
In October 2008, Psitek joined forces with Habitat for Humanity to build two homes in only five days. Habitat for Humanity is an international non-profit organisation devoted to building homes for “families in need, without discrimination according to religion, race or tribe”. With the help of volunteer labour, Habitat for Humanity has built homes throughout the globe and has made a considerable impact on the lives of many people. With the values of Habitat for Humanity so closely linked to those of Psitek’s CSI , it was an ideal opportunity to get involved in our local community and make a difference. Psitek staff members volunteered to help build two houses in Mfuleni – a township located in Blue Downs, on the outskirts of Cape Town. Trading PCs and work clothes for hard hats and gloves, staff members got down and dirty, starting on the Monday morning. By Friday afternoon, two new houses had been built and after a rather touching handing-over ceremony, two families were handed keys to their brand new homes.
Teach-a-Teacher Project
In today’s modern world, IT has taken the lead. However, it had been identified that many historically-disadvantaged teachers have limited training in Maths Literacy and Information Technology curricula, which means that school-leavers are inadequately prepared to study further for careers in the IT sector. In a bid to alleviate this problem, Psitek initiated a programme aimed at educating the educators. The course material was compiled by distance learning specialists and classes were held at Psitek’s Tyger Valley offices, free of charge. 24 Educators from 13 historically-disadvantaged schools took part in this initiative, which proved hugely successful.
Donations and sponsorships
On a frequent basis, Psitek donates school bags packed with essential stationery to various schools throughout the country. This small gesture goes a long way in ensuring learners are equipped with the basic tools needed on a daily basis in the classroom.