Company Announcement - Leading infrastructure development company Bigen Africa is thrilled to announce that, through its Akaretsa fundraising campaign and with the generous support of its clients and partners, a full R1 million has been raised in aid of several highly deserving causes.

“It has been an absolute privilege and joy to distribute these funds amongst the company’s beneficiaries,” says Anton Boshoff, Chief Operating Officer. “Living by our company creed of ‘doing good while doing business’, we take to heart the needs of non-profit organisations which provide much-needed services to the destitute, the disabled and other disadvantaged groups of people. In this, we are inspired by our Christian values and principles which also guide us in our business dealings and decision making.

“Doing good while doing business”
The philosophy of “doing good while doing business” supports the company vision of improving the quality of life of all through the development of sustainable infrastructure solutions and does not only drive Bigen Africa’s corporate social investment projects, but is also put into practice on location during infrastructure development projects, where some of the employment and procurement opportunities are channelled to the local communities. In terms of the company’s other CSI activities, the branches initiate individual projects for making a difference to disadvantaged people in local communities, and also participate in company-wide projects generated at head office, such as Akaretsa.

“The purposes of Bigen Africa’s year-long Akaretsa campaign include raising funds for a number of identified beneficiaries and this drive culminates in the company’s annual charity Golf Day for clients and partners.” Bigen Africa announced at last year’s Golf Day that a total of R500 000 had been raised for its beneficiaries, POPUP and Mamelodi Hospice, and immediately challenged itself by doubling the target for 2015. “It was simply an imperative to aim for meeting a wider range of needs,” explains Boshoff, “and this year, we are therefore able to support a greater number of beneficiaries.” During the year, Bigen Africa employees across the branches applied themselves to raising funds through various projects, which included a company-wide raffle.

“Bigen Africa is very grateful to its clients and partners who participated in the Golf Day, which collected just over  R200 000, as well as other donations received,” says Boshoff, “These took the total raised closer to the target. To close the final gap, the company itself contributed an amount while the executive directors and divisional management principals also made generous donations – our personal gestures in ‘doing good while doing business’.”

2015 Beneficiaries
After an exciting and successful Golf Day, well attended by Bigen Africa’s business clients and partners despite a challenging wind trying to create havoc on the course, Bigen Africa had the pleasure of handing over its donations to the following beneficiaries:

• POPUP in Salvokop, Tshwane, which is primarily a training facility offering skills development to unemployed and disempowered individuals. It also manages a social support services programme comprising three clinics.
• Mamelodi Hospice provides specialised home-based palliative care to terminally ill patients and support to their families in the Mamelodi community of Tshwane.
• Funanani is a charitable trust which functions under the auspices of Lewende Woord church in Pretoria. Funanani’s vision is to contribute to empowering impoverished communities towards self-sufficiency.
• A scholarship for an individual beneficiary, Sifiso Kumalo from Orlando West, Soweto, to attend the Michael Surfit Graduate Business School of the University College Dublin in Ireland this year. Sifiso will be studying towards an MSc degree in Management.
• Vanani Primary School in the Amatole district of East London.
• The funds are also enabling Bigen Africa to assist the Word for the Nations Ministries in Bon Accord, Pretoria to acquire a 22-seater minibus. This organisation serves a very impoverished community through mainly clothing and food distribution.

• Lastly, with expansion into Africa being a major goal of the company, it has been decided to set apart an amount for its social partners in Ghana, Zambia and Botswana as well.

“Once again, a heartfelt thank-you to Bigen Africa’s clients, partners and employees who helped to make all of this possible,” says Boshoff. “The time, effort and funds we sacrificed for these causes will make significant differences in the lives of many people facing the enormous challenges brought about by a disadvantaged background or disability.”

Bigen Africa’s growth strategy is strongly focused on expanding its African footprint, which includes seeking strategic partnerships with service providers and suppliers to address key emerging public policy priorities, such as human settlements.

Besides having 15 established offices in South Africa, the company has opened offices in Botswana, Namibia, Zambia and, most recently, Ghana. Providing engineering, management consulting, development financing and advisory services, Bigen Africa has completed many cost-effective, sustainable infrastructure projects in these countries as well as Malawi, Angola, Nigeria, Kenya, Congo, Lesotho and Tanzania.

Bigen Africa provides engineering, management consulting, development financing and advisory services on cost-effective, sustainable infrastructure projects in several African countries. The company integrates the entire value chain in an infrastructure development process through in-house capabilities and strategic partnerships – from feasibility studies through project preparation, management and implementation to development finance and ongoing asset management.

A special word of thanks to our sponsors:

• Landrover SA
• Standard Bank
• Hatch Goba
• RVN Chartered Accountants
• Pan African
• Roadlab
• Afrigis
• Empyreal
• WBHO
• Bridge Capital
• Cresco
• BMW