Cape Town International Airport
Freedom Farm
Ubuntu refers to the spirit of caring for your fellow man irrespective of their economic disposition. Cape Town International Airport is living up to this principle through its support of Freedom Farm. Freedom Farm, is an informal settlement that is located adjacent to the Cape Town Airport on airport land. The airport recently built a multi-purpose centre for this community. The centre serves as a crèche during the day as well as a recreational facility for communal use. The airport is currently running a soup kitchen through Operation Hunger a non-profit organisation and educational programmes aimed at teaching the community about HIV & AIDS, alcohol and drug abuse and crime prevention. As part of giving back to its communities the airport hosts an annual Christmas party for children of this community.
There is no better feeling than knowing you can sustain yourself in these economically trying times. Citizens have had to tighten their belts and explore ways of fighting off unemployment. Establishing self-sustaining businesses is one ways of eradicating the scourge. Despite the challenges associated with starting your own business, forty people have become entrepreneurs in their own right through projects like Charitable Heart. The project has given an opportunity to the people of Philippi, Khayelitsha and Kayamandi to start their own vegetable supplier businesses. Vegetable gardens have provided many people with subsistance farming and earning potential from a natural source. This contributes directly to the well-being of the people in areas like Philippi and Khayelitsha where unemployment is an obstacle. Supporting different crèches, feeding schemes, educare centres, after-school centres and organisations from several disadvantaged communities is an essential investment towards building better communities.
Ubuntu in the office
In another community based project known as “For the staff, by the staff ” the airport employees can nominate an organisation that they are involved in and needs support. The initiative is an inside-out approach as employee involvement is at the heart of socio-economic development (SED) projects. In this way, the airport has a presence in the heart of its communities through the people who work there.
Pass right, your future is bright
Community interaction through education has proven to be an effective nation building tool. When disadvantaged schools perform well, they deserve to be recognised because they manage to excel despite all the odds that are stacked up against them. Top performing schools were identified and received educational supplies to help improve the pass rate at the schools. Interactive white boards, educational software and training aids for teachers were given to eight schools. An annual event to encourage and thank the schools is held at Ravensmead School to urge the learners to continue with their good work. The schools honoured were Ravensmead, were Elsies River, Valhalla, Florida, Cravenby, Hindle Road, Manyano and Ned Doman.As part of the airports annual Mandela Day initiatives, four top Matric learners from the top eight performing schools were invited to experience the history of Robben Island. The learners got the chance to learn more about Nelson Mandela and all that he had done for the country. It was an extra special day as they experienced a day in the life of a struggle hero on Robben Island and how they as the youth can continue Mandela’s legacy. These are just some of the numerous projects which form part of Cape Town International Airport’s strategy.
Other annual projects that keep the airport busy include Arbor Day, KFM Truck of Love and Christmas Wish Campaigns, the Mitchell’s Plain Festival and Cape Town Carnival. The airport staff continue to support these projects, motivated by the motto they live by: “Giving back to the community is not something that we do; it is something we cannot do without”.