Gas materials and equipment company Air Products South Africa launched its new R800-million air-separation unit, the G-Plant, in 2014, together with an associated ringfenced corporate social investment (CSI) fund aimed at uplifting the Vanderbijlpark community.

During the past two years, Air Products’ G-Plant CSI Fund accumulated R3.8-million in donations made by suppliers who worked on the G-Plant project, thereby enabling the company to start work on three school-related projects: a new school hall, a kitchen and an assembly area.

The main purpose of the G-Plant CSI Fund was to facilitate better education for learners in the community.

Air Products celebrated the completion of the projects on February 2, 2017, at the Bophelong and Seeiso primary schools, as well as Lebohang Secondary School.

Air Products’ main CSI strategic focus is on youth and education in South Africa and this project highlights the company’s commitment to make a difference in the lives of the learners in the area. The Department of Education played an important role in identifying schools in the Vanderbijlpark community that could benefit from this infrastructure project. Once the three schools had been identified, their needs were assessed and the building projects started.

Bophelong Primary School requested a school hall – one which was received with much gratitude.

Seeiso Primary School required a kitchen, in which meals could be prepared for the learners who are supported by the school’s feeding scheme. Air Products built a kitchen, as well as a water fountain for the children, so that they could have access to clean drinking water at the school during the day.

Lebohang Secondary School requested an enclosed area to use as an assembly point and where the school could host meetings. Air Products assisted in constructing a solid roof structure to provide shelter for the learners and educators in inclement weather.

During the unveiling of the three completed school CSI projects, Air Products MD Rob Richardson said the projects would not have been possible without the support of the suppliers who contributed to the G-Plant CSI Fund: “We are extremely grateful to the companies who decided to join hands with Air Products to make a difference.”

Air Products’ facility, in Vanderbijlpark, was established in 1971, and Richardson thanked the community for welcoming the company and allowing it to make lasting improvements to the infrastructure of the schools.

Air Products has a number of CSI projects which it supports each year and it makes a yearly contribution to each of its facilities located across the country, with the key CSI role-players at each facility identifying projects to support. There are also national projects and yearly donations to organisations with which Air Products has established long-term relationships.

In 2016, Air Products focused on its three-year national WitnessHappiness project, which is exclusively focused on early childhood development centres.

“Investing in education and the youth in South Africa is our way of uplifting and ultimately creating a strong economy for the future, one in which we aim to provide an opportunity for each and every child to excel as an adult,” concluded Richardson.