ESG & Sustainability Multimedia South Africa

Olivia Pharo has no intention of slowing down. When the nurse resigned, she could have taken her pension and travelled the world. But this was actually the start of her bringing better healthcare to Atlantis, a suburb in the Western Cape. Working at a local hospital, Pharo experienced the burden that gang-related casualties placed on medical staff. She grew increasingly frustrated at the disproportionately high number of patients limiting the time and quality of care she was able to give. “It is a human right for every patient to be treated with respect and dignity,” Pharo says. To ensure they receive the care they deserve, she cashed in her pension and used it to open her own clinic. In March 2019, the nurse started Sister Pharo’s Primary Health Care. Read Olivia Pharo's full story...

If your clothes could talk, what would they say? Designer Balini Naidoo believes an outfit can do more than make a statement. Naidoo’s uncle is visually impaired, and she realised he struggled to identify his clothing. Choosing what to wear and reading the size and wash care details on a label can be a challenge for people who can’t see. “Fashion should be inclusive,” Naidoo says. So she began creating garments which enable people to become more self-reliant. With her range of braille apparel, she’s altering the industry. Read Balini Naidoo's full story...

In the spirit of Mandela Day, Bizcommunity staff members volunteered to spend time with learners at Manenberg Primary School in Cape Town. The volunteers interacted and read to 70 learners between Grades R-1. The school is part of the Western Cape Education Department's literacy programme and is an ongoing project in underprivileged communities. In the wise words of the late Nelson Mandela, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."...

Love stories often make for riveting tales. Mahlatse Matlakana’s journey of courage, sacrifice, and passion is one epic romance with an unexpected source of affection – green peppers. At the age of 15, Matlakana supported her family by working on farms in Arrie Village, Limpopo. What she didn’t know was that this act of survival would lead to her owning her own business before she turned 21. Read Mahlatse Matlakana's full story...

Save Our Schools (SOS) did its part for Mandela Day 2019 by launching three initiatives in the Bloekombos community of Kraaifontein. The initiatives were launched in collaboration with Grundfos, Munich Re, and Mountain Falls.

Adidas and Orlando Pirates Football Club gave back on Mandela Day by learning about the importance of adopting sustainable practices and by creating EcoBricks using non-recyclable plastic waste.

Flip-flop art looks better than it sounds. Davis Ndungu’s colourful figures of animals are mesmerising. But their most remarkable characteristic is the artist’s medium of choice – old shoes. Every year, thousands of flip-flops end up in the ocean. Most are made of polyurethane rubber, a non-biodegradable material that’s toxic to marine life. “It is important for us to ask ourselves where the things we discard go to,” Ndungu says. When these sandals wash up on shore, they also disrupt the breeding habitats of sea creatures. To remind us of their plight, Ndungu is using recycled shoes to carve out thought-provoking sculptures. Read Davis Ndungu's full story...

On her bike, Aphiwe Goge is unstoppable. The cyclist speeds through the pump track with coolheaded strength and razor-sharp focus. She’s here to win. Flying past the other cyclists, Goge commands the course. And she’s only 13 years old. Goge was hooked on riding the moment her grandfather taught her to balance on a set of wheels. Taking her talent to a bike park, Goge discovered unprecedented freedom to boost her skills. Now, she’s breaking the barriers to cycling with South Africa’s first black female mountain biking team. Read Aphiwe Goge's full story...

Andrew Patterson wasn’t sure where the road would take him. He’d just been retrenched. Clutching the steering wheel in traffic, Patterson faced the mountain that loomed ahead. In that moment, he had an epiphany. The avid hiker realised he could use his unexpected spare time for a purpose. “I wanted to make sure I was making decisions based out of love and not fear,” Patterson says. He resolved to climb Table Mountain every single day for a year to raise funds for three charities close to his heart. Read Andrew Patterson's full story...

Even from the middle of South Africa, a young Hanli Prinsloo could hear the seaside calling her. Raised on a horse farm, she already had an unbridled love for the environment. But it’s at sea that she discovered how deep her passion was. “Every time I’m in the ocean, it makes me feel connected to myself, to nature, and to the people I share the oceans with,” Prinsloo says. She started freediving and soon broke over 11 national records. Being underwater opened her eyes to marine conservation. Now, Prinsloo’s focus is on changing the tides for kids who live near our coastlines. Read Hanli Prinsloo's full story...

The clay horse towers over its creator. A life-sized artwork, it embodies the natural prowess of the galloping animal. Vincent Da Silva’s sculptures are testament to his deft handiwork. Though frozen in time, the statues have a movement to them. Unlike the smooth marble figures of ancient Greece, Da Silva’s art is cast in bronze and flecked with blemishes from his tools. With his textural monuments, the artist reflects a freethinking philosophy. Read Vincent da Silva's full story...

Behind the boasts of drums, rows of straight-faced schoolchildren stand tall. This marching squad is in formation and they mean business. For Athrah Lakay, it’s a place of comfort beneath the tough veneer. In the face of uncertainty, the routine of the drill helps the 15-year-old pupil gain confidence in her next step. Marching bands are well-loved within schools in the Mitchells Plain community. It’s a celebrated tradition in the Cape Flats, commemorated in the annual Kaapse Klopse festival. At Spine Road High School, Lakay and her schoolmates assemble every week to practise. Read Athrah Lakay's full story...

Famram Solutions founder and CEO Shamila Ramjawan recently handed over PrincessD Menstrual Cups to students at the Spearman Primary School in Sydenham, Durban. An educator from the school, Shamilla Singh, had made the sponsorship request, which was honoured by the United States of America Organisation of World Leaders, the Orchids and Famram Solutions as part of the "keeping girls in school" project.

Vanessa Martin’s heart shattered when she saw the stray dog outside her office. The creature was emaciated and alone. Martin couldn’t just stand by and began feeding her. But this puppy wasn’t the only one in need. The streets were filled with homeless dogs and cats. Martin started picking up strays on her way to work, hiding them in the toilet cubicles until she could take them home. But that wasn’t enough. After 21 years of working as an administrative clerk, Martin had a renewed sense of purpose. So she quit. “Now I’m doing what I was created to do: rescuing animals,” she says. Read Vanessa Martin's full story...

Jean-marc Johannes designs his own rules. On his skateboard, he carves a playground out of the city of Cape Town. “No one can define my capabilities but me,” Johannes says. His attitude is his eternal win. But it comes with a background of crashes and falls – one that goes much deeper than failed tricks on a board. Johannes initially wanted to be an athlete. But traditional sports just didn’t give him enough space to move. So at the age of nine, Johannes turned to skateboarding and took control of his destiny. Read Jean-Marc Johannes' full story...