Maranatha Care Centre in Benoni uses a Ceccato compressor donated by Atlas Copco to do various repair and maintenance jobs around the facility including building fences, putting up burglar bars and even pumping tyres. “We help to create employment opportunities for jobless and homeless people by assigning this type of work to them,” explains Lukas van den Bergh who founded the Care Centre in 1991.
Maranatha Care Centre is a haven for the homeless and destitute, providing much needed food, shelter, clothes and counselling. “We also provide transport to and from doctors, dentists and schools and we even monitor and assist learners with their homework,” adds Lukas. Lukas explains that the aim of the Care Centre is to assist people in such a way so that they are able to again enter the workplace.
The facility is currently caring for approximately 46 adults and 12 children residing independently on plots in Brakpan. “While they are basically taking care of themselves, we have provided temporary homes and we also send weekly food donations to assist them until they get back on their feet,” explains Lukas. “We can accommodate approximately 80 people in total,” he adds. Kgothatso Ntsie Corporate Communications Manager Atlas Copco Holdings South and Sub-Sahara Africa, accompanied by Multi Brands’ Sibongile Mtaopane, Business Line Manager and Katlego Ntsie, Sales & Marketing Specialist, handed over the Ceccato Beltair Pro 90 compressor to Lukas on 30th May 2016.
“Suitable for any application that requires dry air, the stationary two-stage belt-driven piston compressor features a pre-installed and tank-mounted dryer to deliver top performance and quality air,” says Sibongile. “This all-in-one quality air solution will save Lukas both time and costs while the machine’s reduced footprint also offers the advantage of space saving during storage.”
Thanking Atlas Copco, Lukas points out that the importance of carrying out regular maintenance to ensure that everything is in good and safe working order. “Like any facility, the Care Centre is always in need of repair work so we are very grateful for the compressor. It will go a long way in assisting us to get the work done quickly and effectively. We do not receive any assistance from the Government and we are therefore reliant on donations. Any form of saving is extremely welcome especially in these terribly difficult economic times that we are currently facing. The time and money that the compressor will save us will be put to better use in helping the homeless,” concludes Lukas.
“There are so many people in South Africa that are in need and it is a trend that is more likely to increase rather than decrease,” says Kgothatso. ‘While there are many organisations out there doing really good work in helping the needy, donations from individuals and companies are fundamental to ensuring that their efforts are sustainable.
Our support of a number of organisations goes beyond once-off donations of cash, products and other goods; we build long term partnerships with them, identify and meet their real needs and we are able to see the progress they make over time; this is how Atlas Copco makes a difference.”
Atlas Copco is a world-leading provider of sustainable productivity solutions and the Group serves customers globally with innovative compressors, vacuum solutions and air treatment systems, construction and mining equipment, power tools and assembly systems. Atlas Copco believes that it is vitally important to give back to the communities within which it operates.