Presidents Report 2022
It has been a busy year for our staff at LUSA and, although the challenge continues to achieve our financial support, we have impacted many lives, minds and souls throughout our last financial year.
LUSA Community Chest is an excellent example of exponential returns, proverbially stretching the last cent for determined impact.
Our critical, ongoing reflection, internally assessing our impacts and efficiencies and robustness to external factors, helps us to focus on transforming our thinking in a very delicate World. Our strategic focus keeps us buoyant, we are touching wider communities and will need to appeal to funders in those communities, our marketing strategy will streamline our efforts purposefully into value-added initiatives.
I believe it is in our power to ignite the CSI passion once again for many businesses, we see too many NPO’s struggling without the much required financial resources.
LUSA can help facilitate and direct your giving into value added channels that richly benefit the beneficiary directly, significantly impacting your social intervention scorecard.
We still believe in:
- Promoting responsible philanthropy
- Being the vehicle that volunteers can use to get involved and make a difference in community
- Creating synergic partnerships that add value to our stakeholders
- Building capacity through identifying, analysing and addressing the needs of our stakeholders
- Being responsible in our conduct by adhering to our set values, policies and goals
We have made a significant breakthrough in the NPO space through our LUSA Social Entrepreneurship Institute, proudly graduating our first NQF level 5 SETA accredited students. This has been a long term vision in further capacitating the responsible people running our NPO’s, we wish the graduates well in their respective roles.
Our dream is that the successes through our SEI platform also overflow and support the community initiatives brought into the LUSA stable.
Another breakthrough for LUSA SEI is receiving Silver Training Provider Status from COMENSA for our customized coaching program at executive level, we can help large organisations empower their leaders and now have the t-shirt to prove it.
Our new logo has been well received, symbolizing restoration, personal growth and transformation of people in need, rising from self-doubt and breaking through limitations. We empower, breaking chains, setting free in truth and compassion.
It reflects more meaning, it is refreshing and identifies the product of our continuous internal critique, reflecting our transformation into a dynamic forward-thinking enabler.
This is why I continue to serve this organization with pride, my thanks to my fellow board members for their empowering focus, to the staff at LUSA Community Chest for their energy, accepting and owning the vision, powered by their tenacious ability of making things right.
Ian Kennon
President
Executive Director’s Report 2022
It has been 2 years since Covid reached our shores and even tough life has returned to normal, the aftermath is still being felt. However, at Lusa we remain steadfast in our hope and efforts to continue restoring hope and transforming lives.
We are extremely grateful to have our own premises that we can call home. It is something we planned and saved for, for over two decades and are now thankfully reaping the benefits of being self-sufficient and not having to pay rent every month.
The last financial year once again saw a decline in income but we managed to complete various training programmes in partnership with our corporate investors.
We were grateful for the support from funding partners Itirele Charitable Foundation Trust, Almamet and Duttons who made it possible to train, equip and mobilize female entrepreneurs in the Vaal Triangle.
We were also fortunate to receive funding from Sasol for our Capacity Building programme with new NPO’s in the Sasolburg-Vaal area as well as in the Ekandustria and Bronkhorstspruit area. Our Incubator programme has been facilitated for more than 7 years now and it is always a blessing to assist new and upcoming NPO’s, helping them lay the right foundation for a successful and sustainable future. Starting with the end in mind is so much better than walking blindly without a clear destination in mind.
Our Wish upon a Star and Winter Warm community engagement projects have been running for more than 15 years and we are extremely grateful to all the sponsors, with special mention to Arcelor Mittal, Emerald, IFM, Safripol and others who continue to support this project through very difficult times. Close to a 1000 children from more than 20 children’s homes, shelters and care centers benefit each year.
Our Meals on Wheels race was a huge success again this year and I would like to give special recognition to N3TC as the main sponsor and Louis Harmse from Spectrum sport who is the main organizer for this event. Three Meals on Wheels branches benefit from this initiative.
We were able to facilitate two Youth leadership academies for Tolcon in the Mooivaal and Tugela communities. It was well received and we are hopeful to continue this partnership further.
We have had our first group of students complete the NQF Level 5 Community Development qualification. Our accreditation lies with ETDP SETA and we are happy to have a qualification we can offer social entrepreneurs. This qualification is also available on our LMS platform and we are delighted with the feedback received from students who participate in our various training programmes on the ease of use and extensive programmes on offer via the LMS platform. Since Covid most of our training is done online and even students participating in face to face training have access to our LMS platform for additional support and resources.
Our Coaching training programmes are ongoing and we have received our Silver Training Provider status from Comensa. We have customized our Coaching training programmes to specifically empower teachers, executives, leaders and social entrepreneurs.
Through Lusa SEI we are trying our best to build our brand and to market our programmes online. This strategy will enable us to reach further than our current borders. We are grateful for opportunities to empower teachers and learners in Sutherland, Matjiesfontein and Laignsburg through Red Rocket. We are hopeful to use the business to grow and support our NPO impact programmes.
A sad reality is that companies no longer see the need to invest towards NPOs through conduits like Community Chest. Since Covid we have not received any sizeable investment towards the Community Chest that is earmarked for beneficiaries. All investments are specified for spending on specific courses and programmes. Companies now want to fund charities directly and we encourage all our community partners to engage with these entities directly. We have no idea of what is spent in the corporate world towards CSI and it is a sad state of affairs if the NPO’s no longer have a representative in that space to influence, guide and assist companies to ensure better return on investment and minimize duplication.
We endeavour to promote partnerships where possible and continue to distribute Gifts in Kind to our various partners. Our training programmes are also available to staff and volunteers in our networks. We are steadfast in our motive to connect NPO’s and potential investors and have been able to secure support for a few of our community partners in terms of logistical support and much needed renovations.
We also aim to customize various community impact programmes to support companies and businesses in their effort to positively impact local communities.
Although the Vaal Triangle is our home base, we are not limited to the area and remain agile and flexible- willing to go wherever we have to, in our efforts to transform lives and restore hope.
I would like to thank my Board members and Team at the office for their continued support and hard work.
Veronica Kietzmann-Cronje
Executive Director
Lusa Community Chest