Social Projects

Lollypop is a partnership project between NPC Trust and Khulisa Social Solutions. Lollypop is a fully functional preschool situated in Osizweni, a township on the outskirts of our Newcastle Plant.

The preschool provides the much needed early stimulation to 285 children from 2 – 5 years. Khulisa has provided support to the school for the past two years and is responsible for engaging relevant partners for the effective implementation of the ECD model at the preschool.

Khulisa is also responsible for the implementation teacher training, parental education while the school ensure parental involvement at the school as well as safety and good nutrition for learners.

NPC Trust’s contribution of a new two classroom building with ablution facility will provide a conducive environment for the necessary and effective stimulation of the Grade R (5 year old) children.

Khulisa continues to monitor the implementation of the model and provide progress reports to all partners.

Project Objectives

– To facilitate the provision of a conducive environment for teaching and learning

– To contribute to the transformation of Lollypop from a day care (creche) facility into a functional Early Childhood Development Centre.

Project Partners

– Khulisa Social Solutions

– NPC Trust

– Department of Social Development

– Department of Education

The Model:

> Creche management capacity building

> Teacher training

> Learner support (Books, Edu toys / kit, Equipment)

> Infrastructure

> Health and nutrition

Khulanathi is a Small Medium and Micro Enterprise (SMME) development initiative aimed at creating shared value for its partners and participants.

It is one of the vehicles for our company’s inclusive growth strategy of growing and developing together with our suppliers and communities.

A test phase of Khulanathi was implemented for a period of six months in 2014 with three block manufacturers actively participating in the project.

A number of challenges, lessons leant and engagement with the project partners during the pilot phase, led to a decision to review the pilot model.

The pilot involved working with small enterprises at their sites which proved to be less effective. The revised model of an incubation facility is currently being set-up by the Newcastle Municipality.
A Win-Win approach

Project Objectives

– Create shared value for all partners and participants.

– Create sustainable business in communities

Build sustainable partnership

Project Partners

The Model:

Three years ago, NPC invested over R250 000 to the establishment of a new school library at Murchison Primary School in Port Shepstone.

The aim of this project was to facilitate literacy skills development for learners of Murchison which will improve the quality of education provided to children of Murchison community .

Murchison is a semi-rural community on the outskirts of our Simuma Plant in Port Shepstone.

NPC officially handed over the school library to the Department of Education and the community of Murchison Location in 2013.

The project comprised of a library building with necessary fittings and books for a primary school.

The library is fully integrated into the school curriculum and is being utelised to improve the literacy levels of the learners.

“NPC’s investment has a lifelong positive impact, not only in the lives of the learners, but the entire community. I urged learners and teachers to look after the resource while ensuring effective utilisation!”

Mrs Khanyi Dubazana Director of KZN School Library Services

The Sterkspruit Agrihub is a local economic development initiative of the Social and Labour Plan for Sterkspruit aggregate.

The project is situated a few km away from the mine. – it is a partnership agriculture project funded by NPC and Ethekwini Municipality with implementation by Partner Farmer. The project aims to ensure food security for families as well as develop growers into small scale commercial farmers.

Project Components

– Skills Development and training on organic farming practices

– Monthly mentorship visits

– Access to seedlings at a discounted rate to farmers who are part of the programme

– Enterprise development training and mentorship for commercial growers

– Access to markets

Sebenza Block Makers is a pilot project which aims at developing a number of small enterprises who are operating in the block making industry in South Coast.

Selected block makers are put in a 1 year structured programme. These businesses receive practical and on-site mentorship and training, and business skills training empowering them with hands on knowledge on how to successfully run and grow their businesses.

Key objectives for the Project include:

• To mentor and train each business to become a financially and technically sustainable business
• To increase the management capacity within each business
• To increase and build job opportunities
• To facilitate access to non-financial support resources, products and services
• To improve the efficiency and effectiveness of each business
• To improve SARS Compliance
• To increase the Turnover in each business
• Improve production and quality

The Project has made a substantial amount of progress since its inception, which has seen involvement from a number of stakeholders who have been brought in to bring in their expertise in various fields such as Master Builders for Technical Process for making blocks.

SEBENZA ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT SUPPLIER DEVELOPMENT TEXTILE

The textile industry is the largest contributing employment sector, with over 42% of total employment in manufacturing.

NPC supports textile SMMEs in Durban & Port Shepstone keeping 2 objectives in mind:

• To facilitate skills development in the textile and clothing manufacturing industry.
• To facilitate the creation and development of local small enterprises with potential to supply protective clothing to local industries and add to our value chain.

Nozulu Pop Up Shop

The parents of Chesterville students have a new option for the acquisition of school uniforms at affordable prices, with the creation of Nozulu School Uniforms, from micro-entrepreneur Fikile Magudu.

The action generated 12 direct jobs for women and young people in the community where the production unit is located. This is the kind of enterprise that satisfies us to encourage by generating jobs and income directly to the community

SEBENZA ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BUSINESS TRAINING

BUSINESS TRAININGS

The main intention of the business training is to gather the business information of the SMME’s in around our operations. The information obtained in the workshop is gathered, compared and used to map the training interventions necessary to assist the SMME’s with essential business skills, mentorship and other necessary assistance deemed related by NPC and other relevant stakeholders.

Currently, there has been a need for interventions in the following areas:

1. Emalangeni
2. Cliffdale
3. Montclair
4. Cator Manor

NPC has then made a commitment to support dreams of the SMMEs and driving economic growth for 68 SMMEs.

Education

Our education initiatives focus on the development of Maths, Science and English language skills, Early Childhood Development (ECD), and Career Guidance. Our programmes provide: content knowledge and support for curriculum delivery to Subject Advisers at district level, Curriculum managers in schools,  classroom support for teachers and learner support for our programme beneficiaries.

Over 10 000 children have benefited from the programme and more than 250 teachers received teacher training and support through the Lead Teacher cascade model in UGU district since 2016 .

Youth Development

The NPC supports youth development programmes which focus on personal mastery, work readiness skills such CV writing and interview skills, communication, numeracy skills and work experience. We believe that young people who possess work readiness skills are more employable and are better equipped to succeed in the world of work.

NPC offers work experience and internship opportunities to learnership and skills development programme participants in partnership with various training providers, FET College and university graduates.

The company also offers learnerships  to FET graduates in the following trades: Millwright, Boilermaking, Fitting and  Electrical, in partnership with the Artisan Training Institute in Port Shepstone.

Agriculture

NPC’s Agribusiness Development Programme aims to support the development and growth of agricultural small enterprises and cooperatives in rural communities in Cliffdale / Sterkspruit and Port Shepstone. The programme is implemented in partnership with communities, tribal authorities, non-profit organizations (Siyavuna Abalimi Development Centre & Partner Farmer), government agencies, and municipalities (Ray Nkonyeni & Ethekwini). the key objective of the programme is to develop subsistence growers into small scale commercial farmers. The programme focuses on training in organic growing and permaculture, business training, mentorship and the facilitation of access to markets through agri-hubs.

Open Doors

As part of our commitment to sustainable development and partnerships, NPC offers guided tours at our manufacturing Plants. The aim is to give our partners – communities, schools, universities, employees families and other stakeholders the opportunity to experience our operations, a live production and manufacturing processes of our high quality cement products.

Over 360 visitors from our communities in Simuma, Durban and Newcastle attend the Open Doors Programme every year. 

Employee Community Involvement

DODG CIVICI/GAIV

NPC launched its Employee Community Involvement programme in 2013. The programme encourages employees, their families, suppliers  and customers to develop a culture of volunteering and giving to communities where we operate. Employees form volunteer groups (GAIVs) who are supported by Community Interaction and Volunteer Involvement Committees (CIVICOs) in each Plant. Together with their families our employees give off their time and skills to the company’s annual volunteer event known as the Day of Doing Good.

The social wing of  WEF has since empowered 82 girl children of our employees and from the communities in Durban, Simuma and Newcastle through the Take a Girl Child Day programme during the school holidays. The event aims to inspire, empower and give the young girls exposure to world of work. Unlocking girls potential was the theme for 2017 where topics such as Leadership and Personal Mastery were presented.

“The most beneficial aspect of the programme for me was job shadowing because I got to experience what it’s like to be in a working environment.” Girl Child

“Ensuring the wellbeing of our children is of the utmost importance and this initiative has played an important part in restoring joy and smiles to their lives, and helping them believe that they are important, cherished and not forgotten.” Malvern Children’s Home

     Big Sister Session

The WEF GAIV has been set up by a group of NPC female employees who are passionate about the development and empowerment of a GIRL CHILD. The programme aims to empower young girls through a monthly Saturday life skills  programme that will build confidence, dignity and pride.

We believe we can make a difference, bring hope and teach them life skills that can break the negative cycles for them and their families. The sessions take place once a month, where two volunteers present a topic and encourage dialogue between the girls and their newly found ‘big sisters’.

As we build relationship and trust the girls are encouraged to talk about issues that bother them privately or during the sessions.

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