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Is your CSI project creating or sustaining poverty?
 Muhammed Yunus, author of the book, Creating a World without Poverty, challenges us to consider a powerful perspective that can revolutionise much of what is currently being done in communities around the world. He motivates us to consider whether CSI initiatives are actually perpetuating poverty?
In essence, he says that organisational policy-makers miss the tremendous potential of the poor, particularly poor women and children. Why? Because these organisations worry about health-care, education and jobs for the poor but cannot see that these people can be ‘actors’ themselves. In other words, the poor can be self-employed entrepreneurs and create jobs for others.
CSI could contribute in a hugely appropriate way by partnering with projects that are designed to solve the problems through empowerment of these very people. Mohammed Yunus says: “The only way to get people out of poverty is to create an enabling a self-sustaining environment for them. Once the poor are allowed to unleash their energy and creativity, poverty will disappear quickly.”
OUR OFFER:
Soil for Life can help you and your company:
- Evaluate your current programmes and
- From this data analyse your R.O.I. (What is this?)
- Develop a strategy to institute self-sustainment versus potential poverty-enablement policies.
- Assist in their implementation
How will we do this?
A Soil for Life success story...
Levana Growers – Lavender Hill, Western Cape.
 The story is about the Levana Growers – a group of amazing individuals - and Soil for Life. It’s about how a group of people and a small organisation have come together, combined resources and touched the lives of children and their community in Lavender Hill.
The story started eleven months ago with the support of Thatu, a UK-based charity organisation. Four home gardeners (three women and one man) made a life-changing decision to launch into the world of entrepreneurship, having seen the potential of their new-found skills.
With the help of a team of people from the Cape Town International Convention Centre who joined our “Sustainability Back to Basic Schools Programme” and gave freely of their time to support the Levana Growers in their endeavour. They helped them put up a nursery, dig trenches, make vegetable beds and plant seedlings. They literally helped to break the ground and this piece of land at a local school is now fully cultivated and Levana Growers are marketing their wares – vegetables, seedlings and compost - to the surrounding community.
They are making themselves a fair monthly income, which promises to increase as the number of home gardeners in the area grows. This is the type of self -sustaining programme needed to help people to realise their innate potential.
But it doesn’t stop here. There is a spin off to this initiative and that is that the children heeded the clarion call to action. They have also grown a beautiful garden and are eating nutritious brain food on a daily basis. Those that are reeling under the weight of social problems are finding their healing in the food gardens and the school is acknowledging the therapeutic value of this new activity.
Soil for Life is proving the success of Yunus’ philosophy at micro- and macro-levels. We invite the heads of CSI departments to measure their current initiatives and to ask themselves whether their contribution is one of poverty-enablement or wealth-creation amongst the poor.
“When we started this organisation eight years ago we thought it was about growing food but we soon realised it was more about growing people” - Pat Featherstone, Director Soil for Life
GREEN FASHION TRENDS.
Being green is in from housing to now fashion, eco-friendly living is making a huge impression. Recently, companies have been making a huge effort to create eco-friendly products and an equally huge effort to market the fact that they are doing so.
Thus, it is now becoming easier and easier to care about your environment, here are some fashion trends that are sure to have a low impact on your mother earth. http://greenologymag.com/?p=511.
DARN THOSE BIRDS!
Re-use, Re-cycle
Old CD’s, foil chip packet ribbons swinging from dried branches stuck in the ground make the most wonderful “scarecrows”
Or have some fun and make your own.
Is your company getting dirty?
Yes. This exciting new trend of building a ‘green team’, where companies are prepared to ‘walk their talk’ and get their hands dirty, is taking off. Employees from local companies leave their offices for a morning or a day and get-together in nature to re-connect with each other and the earth. They help a school or community turn a barren piece of land into a verdant vegetable garden – the most amazing make-over to be a part of.
When the day is done people are moved at the changes they see in themselves, at the shifts in their attitudes towards their colleagues, their understanding of how others live. Their attitudes of entitlement are transformed to hearts of gratitude. This is powerful, green and life changing experience. Behind them they leave a strong message of sustainability and a commitment be green.
We want to get to know your needs and interests so join us on facebook and stay in touch. Also if you would like to make a donation or become a member please visit us at www.soilforlife.co.za.
TEAM BUILDING EVENTS
Book your next team-building event with Soil for Life. Call Penny on (021) 794 4982 or 083 302 4948, or email now for more details to penny@soilforlife.co.za
Find out more about Soil for Life training and empowerment activities – visit www.soilforlife.co.za
Soil for Life - award winners in the national 2010 Climate Change Leadership Awards.
Stables Lane, off Brounger Road, Constantia, 7800. Phone/Fax 021 794 4982.
Soil For Life is a registered Non Profit Organisation (028-256 NPO) and Section 21 Company (2002/020596/08).
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