The Free State Petroleum Distributors (FPD), a Astron Energy-branded marketer in the Free State, held its Corporate Social Investment Initiative on Wednesday, 12 February, at the Marallaneng Secondary School in Ficksburg.
Thabo Seretse, managing director for the FPD, grew up in Ficksburg and said the reason behind choosing Marallaneng was inspired by the slew of challenges faced by its learners and community.
The Social Investment programme is centred around a “dignity pack” for disadvantaged girls across the Free State.
As a branded marketer of Astron Energy, the FDP’s social investment programme in the Free State promotes sustained socio-economic growth through two key focus areas which is education and health.
It is very clear that due to increasing levels of unemployment, low levels of economic activity, and low-income levels it has become even more critical for organisations, big or small, to be good corporate citizens Z particularly in the communities where they operate.
As Astron in the Free State, they have decided to support young girls who cannot afford sanitary products and end up missing school during their monthly cycles, which clearly sets these girls back from their growth and development.
The Mina menstrual cup is a sustainable solution to stop them from missing school, simply because these disadvantaged young girls cannot afford what is called a “dignity pack.”
The Gr. 8 learners received a Mina journal, and 512 Gr. 9 to Gr. 12 girl learners all received a Mina cup at the event last week.
The Mina cup is made from 100% medical grade silicone. It is bio-compatible, and lasts up to five years.
The local government which includes the office of the mayor’s programmes, the Department of Health, and the Department of Education were invited to attend the event.
This branded marketer of Astron Energy also invested in the school’s feeding programme for the day. In total, 1 049 children of Marallaneng were fed through this initiative.
Seretse went on to encourage the girl learners in attendance with these words: “You might struggle now, but everything will come together through perseverance, determination, faith, courage, hard work, and study.”
