Westville foster home welcomes upgrade
The project commemorated the lifetime of service Nelson Mandela gave to South Africans, by giving back to those in need.
IN honour of Madiba’s centenary birthday, FMI a division of Bidvest Life Limited, launched a 100-Day Home Makeover of the Vukukhanye Children’s Foster Home in Westville.
FMI revealed the newly-revamped home in a ribbon-cutting ceremony recently and was celebrated in a family-style braai for staff.
A collaborative staff exercise, this project commemorates the lifetime of service Nelson Mandela gave to South Africans, by giving back to those in need. Home to some remarkable children, Vukukhanye has been a haven for orphaned, abused and abandoned children since 2002.
The Foster Home has been a proud initiative of FMI for more than eight years and is particularly close to FMI CEO, Brad Toerien’s heart, who has personally worked alongside the home for 15 years.
“The 100 Day Makeover gives us a chance to contribute to the future of South Africa by supporting our children, and importantly, carry Madiba’s legacy forward,” said Toerien.
FMI is proud to have two incredible staff members, siblings Nompilo and Sanele Nsele, who grew up in the home and know first-hand the value the home adds to children’s lives.
ALSO READ: Volunteers do more for Mandela Day
“Being on the receiving end of various sponsorships at the Vukukhanye home over the years, especially FMI, has been a blessing,” said Sanele.
“This time around, through this initiative, my sister and I are on the giving end – which is indescribable. I am now married, and I have two beautiful daughters. If it wasn’t for Vukukhanye taking me in, I don’t know where I would be today.”
At the internal project launch in July, Nompilo and Sanele bravely shared their Vukukhanye experience with FMI staff for the first time, proving an emotional kick-start for the initiative that inspired fellow employees to take action.
“It’s FMI’s turn to show our gratitude to Tryphina Mhlanzi and her commitment to the children of Vukukhanye. Her dedication is a powerful lesson to all of us on the importance of purpose before profit – a philosophy deeply ingrained in our culture here at FMI. As a business, our achievements can only be measured by the routes that led us there, and the impact we made along the way. Our future successes are determined by how we behave today,” explains FMI’s Chief Marketing Officer, Grace Winter.
Do you want to receive alerts regarding this and other Highway community news via WhatsApp? Send us a WhatsApp message (not an sms) with your name and surname (ONLY) to 060 532 5409.
You can also join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
