While CSI projects stretch across the Group, the Mkhondo Paper Mill in Mpumalanga continues to serve as an example of what community involvement and care embodies, having made a sustained and significant contribution to local people in the surrounding areas. Initiatives range from training and the support of essential healthcare services to ensuring the supply of water to the mill’s communities. Over the years, the mill has supported a number of impactful projects on a continuous basis.
Included in this is the ongoing contribution towards mobile clinics servicing remote villages on a monthly basis to provide health care to communities who, due to their location, do not have access to permanent clinics. This initiative was started in 2018, when Mpact was approached by Thol’ulwazi Thol’impilo, a non-profit organisation working with the Department of Health to create awareness about HIV/AIDS and to provide primary health services. In the past year, the assistance has extended to include a monthly contribution towards diesel costs, and is further supported by ad hoc donations of clothing, toys and non-perishable foods organised by the mill’s Transformation Committee for the communities serviced by the clinics. The clinics service 31 communities.
The mill also continues to contribute to the Cathuza (Driefontein) and Thuthukani (Thandukukhanya) Stimulation Centres, which cater for children living with both mental and physical disabilities – currently 70 children benefit from care provided by these centres. The mill also donates stationery and groceries on a monthly basis.
A major intervention is the Siphamandla Centre, which provides onsite sewing training to women from the eMaphepheni community and nearby areas. Currently, there are eight students enrolled, who will train for a period of three years. The mill provides training materials, the sewing machines, and pays the salary of the facilitator. Over 21 community members have benefited from the course over the years this initiative has been active. The mill is currently assisting some of the women to set up their own businesses, supported by business skills training.
Furthermore, the mill supports the Asibambisane Impact Platform, a programme dedicated to empowering communities for restoration, resilience, and growth by providing capacity building and entrepreneurship opportunities. Within this initiative, community organisations can utilise a web-based skills portal to receive training in soft skills. Moreover, youth entrepreneurship is a central focus, with the recruitment of 20 young entrepreneurs in the initial training round. These individuals have since launched their businesses and are actively engaged in practical sessions, receiving guidance on developing a business model and presenting to potential investors.
The mill also hosts a summer holiday programme to provide field work opportunities for local engineering students. Students are exposed to manufacturing plant processes and potential challenges that require problem-solving. This is aimed at having them focus on the first engineering principle of decision-making. In addition to cultivating their own creativity and innovation, students are taught practical methods to integrate theory which they learn at university with established standards for decision-making applicable in industry
In line with Mpact’s commitment to create awareness on GBV and the empowerment of women, the mill provides financial support to Greater Rape Intervention Programme (GRIP) every month to ensure that it continues to provide confidential, sensitive and comprehensive trauma counselling and support to rape, sexual assault and domestic violence survivors. It has been supporting this programme since 2010. GRIP also runs a comprehensive campaign during the 16 Days of Activism period, and offers “NO MEANS NO” sessions, which focus on empowering both girls and boys with skills to prevent sexual assault and challenge sexual violence. It also provides mentorship to approximately 9,000 adolescents, educating young adults to ensure that they have access to vital information about GBV, sexual and reproductive health as well as basic financial literacy. Amongst its many initiatives, GRIP participates in “Open Days” at several hospitals in Mpumalanga in conjunction with the local Department of Health, raising awareness about GBV and sharing insights into the essential services it offers to the community.
Knowing that communities thrive when they work and play together, the Maphepheni Soccer Field, which was built by Mpact in 2013, continues to be maintained to provide muchneeded sports facilities and a safe recreational space for the community.
Occasionally, Mpact extends assistance to the local municipality by deploying our workforce to address major breakdowns affecting the Mkhondo municipality. This support includes conducting tests for the construction of a borehole utilised by the eMaphepheni community and supplying water to surrounding communities through the mill’s pump station.