Eqstra awards R100 000 cash prize to assist community leaders

Photo Caption: Professor Elain Vlok, who heads up the successful Clover Mama Afrika programme and is manager for Clover’s corporate services,  Jacqui Carr, CEO of Eqstra Flexi fleet and Johann Vorster Chief Executive at Clover.

Since 2004, Clover Mama Afrika has provided essential skills and equipment to hardworking, deserving women who serve communities in each of the nine provinces of South Africa. Affectionately known as ‘mamas’ these community leaders collectively care for over 15 500 children and 2 500 elderly since the project’s conception.

Hugely important to the success of Clover Mama Afrika is the open-hearted attitude of the programme’s corporate partners and sponsors, who assist in making a meaningful difference to so many needy people across South Africa. Transport and logistics solutions company Eqstra Flexi Fleet, has been a valuable friend of the project for many years, impacting the lives of 16 Clover mama’s since 2007.

“Through the fantastic support of Eqstra Flexi Fleet, we have been able to donate 10 vehicles to the winning mamas between 2007 and 2012 in our lucky draw programme. This has enabled them to gain much needed mobility to run their community assistance programmes. Not all of our mamas have drivers’ licenses, so over the past four years we decided to award cash prizes that can be used towards helping our mamas to improve their facilities and services to their communities,” explains Professor Elain Vlok, who heads up the successful Clover Mama Afrika programme and is manager for Clover’s corporate services.

Between 2015 and 2016, four mama’s each won an amazing R100 000 cash prize from Eqstra Flexi Fleet, towards upgrading their community centres.

Mama Thokozile Ndlovu of Vukani Traditional Centre in Ixopo is responsible for an area of 6 500 hectares, which covers 11 schools, she used her prize money to build new pens for her piggery, she also bought a Jojo tank and painted her bakery. The piggery and bakery provide the much needed income that helps mama Thokozile care for elderly and children in Ixopo.

Mama Mirriam Toni of Ncedisizwe Centre in Mbekweni used her prize money towards improving her catering business, which helps her feed the children in her care and create employment opportunity for people in her community. Toni bought audio visual equipment to capture events, a sound system, catering essentials and for the first time, she bought new clothes for the children. Mama Mirriam cares for 36 children full-time, feeds 101 children daily and employs 20 full-time staff.

Thanks to the prize money from Eqstra Flexi Fleet, mama Pauline Mokae was able to revamp Nkgo ya Metsi Centre in Randfontein and pursue her long life dream of caring for the elderly. Pauline started the centre to help the many youngsters in the community with an after-care that can help them with homework and to keep them off the streets. She also assists with teenage pregnancies and provides preventative education.

Mama Mirriam Makamu of Sipho & Mary’s Bakery in Tembisa started her bakery in 2004 with a vision to serve the community by providing nutritious, affordable baked goods. The space at the bakery had become too small and her grand prize money was used to restructure the bakery which has been a dream of hers for a long time. Marriam’s bakery employs six permanent staff and five casual workers.

“We are proud of our long standing relationship with the Clover Mama Afrika project. We recognise the efforts of these amazing women and the work they do in their respective communities. The successes achieved and the resilience shown by these mamas, often against the odds, speaks volumes about the character of these ladies. We at Eqstra are committed to supporting this programme and we look forward to many more years and many more mamas to benefit from this remarkable program” says Jacqui Carr, CEO of Eqstra Flexi fleet.

To date, Clover Mama Afrika has appointed 42 Mamas around South Africa who assist the most vulnerable in their communities – especially children – through increasing their self-sufficiency, sustainability and income-generating potential.

About Clover Mama Afrika
The Clover Mama Afrika project started as a humble project 12 years ago and has since developed into Clover’s flagship CSI programme. The project has to date appointed 42 Mamas throughout South Africa. These remarkable women collectively care for over 15 500 children and 2 500 elderly people, many of which are abused, orphaned, homeless and vulnerable.

Clover’s part in this project is to empower these Mamas with vital skills such as: cooking, baking, sewing, crocheting, business management, food gardening and bread baking skills. Over and above the training sessions these women are all supplied with the necessary tools, equipment and infrastructure to create an income for their communities. For more information on the Clover Mama Afrika project visit: www.clovermamaafrika.com

About Eqstra Flexi Fleet
Eqstra Flexi Fleet provides transport and logistics solutions for some of the largest work fleets in South Africa, supported by our own national network of commercial vehicle workshops and panel repair shops.