Housing matters for economic development. It promotes wellbeing, serves to reduce inequality, poverty and enables wealth creation and savings. This is why in commemoration of Women’s Month, Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) has partnered with Habitat for Humanity South Africa (HFHSA) to build safe and affordable homes for 17 families in Lawley Township, South of Johannesburg.
“At MBSA we believe in the importance of partnerships to effect positive change. This focused approach enables us to have a more direct and targeted impact on those who are impacted by – and impact – the operations of our group of companies,” expressed Abey Kgotle, Executive Director of Human Resources and Corporate Affairs at Mercedes-Benz South Africa.
Under the theme of Women Acting on the Challenge of Housing (WATCH) Build, MBSA’s involvement in this initiative is underpinned by the company’s strategic Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) pillar of community upliftment, which focuses on making a positive lasting contribution to the lives of previously marginalised communities. MBSA’s objective of enabling community upliftment supplements and supports HFHSA’s mission of “breaking the cycle of poverty by improving shelter-related solutions for low-income families”.
“Through a stable foundation, disadvantaged families are empowered to build a brighter future for themselves and their children and to break free from the cycle of poverty. The Build event is only part of the story, and we are proud of this partnership with Mercedes-Benz South Africa. What evolves afterwards is the long-term impact we all hope for,” stated Patrick Kulati, National Director of Habitat for Humanity South Africa.
Habitat for Humanity South Africa’s WATCH Build is a five-day volunteer build event with the Gauteng Department of Human Settlements, Temi Construction and the Lawley community. The Women’s Build event, which will commence on 20 to 24 August 2018, aims to provide the opportunity for women to take a proactive step in serving their communities – offering other women and their families a helping hand toward strength, stability and self-reliance.
Drawing inspiration from one of the company values, Passion, Kgotle concluded: “Our commitment to being a good corporate citizen stems from the passion and belief that we should play our part in ensuring that South Africa continues to grow economically and socially. As an organisation we are extremely proud to do the work that we do within our communities. We are inspired and excited to partner with and support the missions of organisations such Habitat for Humanity, who continue to be the change we need to see in the world.”
