Looking to the future, we realise that there are a number of vital factors that will affect the success of the telco sector and our nation as a whole. These factors include empowering our children through skills development and access to information, as well as ensuring the preservation of our environment. We also realise that empowerment and development can only be achieved through accountable, transparent and effective leadership and so, over the past year, we have focused our support around these factors.

Our CSI strategy remains underpinned by the objective to balance our social responsibility interests with those of our stakeholders and our aim over the coming year is to reinforce and expand on our projects and to ensure that we aid sustainability in the communities that are our future.

We support a wide variety of initiatives and provide services such as internet access and computer facilities to more than 80 schools and educational institutions, as well as supporting initiatives such as The Tomorrow Fund, Helping Hands, MyLife, Junior Achievement, various feeding schemes and Educo Africa, a non-profit organisation that aims to raise the quality of life of people and communities in South Africa.

We have supported a number of special projects during the year under review, as outlined below:

Bateleurs
The Bateleurs programme was started in order to protect our environment. It is a voluntary organisation that transports stakeholders to threatened areas and natural resources that would otherwise be near-impossible to reach.

Rocktail Bay Turtles
Situated along the north-east coastline of South Africa, the Rocktail Bay Turtle Project was initiated by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife as a way to monitor and protect the hundreds of Leatherback and Loggerhead turtles that lay their eggs on this stretch of coastline. Vox sponsors the tracking of 10 loggerhead turtles.


WWF
Vox Telecom is a corporate member of World Wildlife Fund (WWF), which aims to conserve the world's biological diversity, ensure sustainable use of renewable natural resources and reduce pollution and wasteful consumption. WWF is the world's largest independent conservation organisation, with a network of offices in over 100 countries and over 5 million regular supporters.
Photo: courtesy of WWF South Africa


Two Oceans Aquarium
We are a corporate sponsor of the Two Oceans Aquarium in Cape Town, which has established itself as a key player in terms of raising environmental awareness of the marine life found in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans. The Aquarium is rapidly gaining recognition as a leading environmental education centre in South Africa.
Photo: courtesy of the Two Oceans Aquarium

Oliver’s House
Oliver’s House is a charity organisation situated in Benoni on the East Rand of Johannesburg. Established in May 2001, today – with the help of support from businesses such as Vox Telecom - successfully manage two feeding programs, a children’s care centre, an education centre, a computer training centre and create employment for 33 people.

The Kusasa Project
The Kusasa Project was founded to encourage a brighter future for underprivileged children by facilitating academic, sporting and life skills development. Based in the Western Cape, the core focus is on disadvantaged primary school children, most of whom speak English as a second or third language and who do not have the most basic of resources at home or in school.
Photo: courtesy of the Kusasa Project

Solsa (Seeds of Light South Africa)
Seeds of Light South Africa is a voluntary non-profit organisation established in 2003 that supports projects that attend to the needs of abused, orphaned and vulnerable children. Seeds of Light South Africa collects and distributes clothing, food and equipment to organisations such as Home of Hope in Hillbrow.

Hitekani School
A number of our staff members have been involved with various development projects at Hitekani School, which include the building of a wall around the playground. The parents of many of the learners at Hitekani are unemployed and depend on the support of businesses and individuals to ensure that their children receive the education they deserve.
Photo: courtesy of Alison Miller

Alexandra Baseball Association
We continue to support under-funded sports teams and individuals, who would otherwise be unable to compete in their various disciplines. One such programme is the Alexandra Baseball Association, which is South Africa’s first fully empowered baseball association. The main purpose of the association is to introduce baseball to under-privileged youth in township areas throughout South Africa. The association already has a strong membership, with over 200 children and young adults attending regular baseball clinics and games.