The beating heart of Blue Turtle – A focus on giving back
One of the cornerstones of our corporate DNA at Blue Turtle is to look beyond the community that sits within our four walls. But instead, focus part of our efforts externally, and consider how we can support those who form part of the greater community tapestry that is South Africa.
This is important as part of our role as responsible business citizens and critical for the people who make up the Blue Turtle team. We are a team of givers and doers, people who never cease to amaze us with their generosity and their passion.
Here are just a few charitable projects our people have embraced and led.
Khayalami Independent School
This #MandelaDay2022, our team set out to visit the Khayalami Independent School in Thembisa, East of Johannesburg. The school needed some TLC, which is exactly what our team set about doing. They cleaned the grounds, painted classes, and planted fruit-bearing trees. All of which was rounded off with a meal shared with the students and teachers of Khayalami.
It’s moments of giving like this, where our team stepped up and stepped in to help with generous donations, time, and, more importantly, themselves, that highlight the breadth of caring amongst the Blue Turtle team. Perhaps it is fitting to share a quote we wholeheartedly embrace as a company, to sum up how proud we are of our team for selecting this as a cause. “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” – Nelson Mandela.
Combatting Period Poverty
Period poverty affects women and girls worldwide who don’t have access to safe, hygienic menstrual products. The inability to manage their periods with dignity means that about 30% of girls in South Africa miss up to four consecutive days of school every month because they cannot afford menstrual products.
Loss of time in the classroom equates to lost learning, which is why the Blue Turtle team decided to see where they could make a difference. After collecting generous donations from the company and staff, the team set out to Windmill Park Primary School in Windmill Park, Boksburg. The girls most in need at the school are between 11 and 14 years old, and the shared message was that there is no shame in being a woman! Beyond sharing information and humanising menstruation, pads for a few months were donated to each of the girls.
Woodrock Animal Rescue
The Blue Turtle team is no stranger to Woodrock Animal Rescue! Our team has been actively driving monthly (sometimes daily) donations for the animals in need at the rescue centre. Today, we pay the rescue centre a monthly visit to pass on the contributions of food and blankets from our exceptionally generous team.
Our team believes it’s about all living beings, big and small. And their passion for Woodrock is to help those who are voiceless and in need of our help. A registered non-profit, pro-life, rescue, rehabilitation and re-homing shelter, Woodrock assists unfortunate, homeless, abused, neglected, stray, injured, ill, geriatric and unwanted animals (predominantly canines). The rescue relies solely on the donations of the community.
So from us, a massive shout out to the Blue Turtle rescue warriors who continue to show, through their generosity, that life is about giving!
Youth Development
Skills development is so important with the current technology and IT skills dearth. That, coupled with the growing number of unemployed youth in South Africa, prompted us to partner with TUT for the 2023 financial year and to date, we have employed ten students as part of a 12-month learnership programme.
The Blue Turtle intern programme will ensure students access world-class technology and training platforms. Further, they are assigned Blue Turtle mentors with a wealth of expertise and knowledge while also benefiting from hands-on skills development as they are immersed in the work environment. We are also offering our clients assistance with their own internship programmes, providing invaluable skills transfer through practical learning – beyond anything they can learn in a book!
Knowing that you have made a real difference in another person’s life and that it may change their destiny for good. This sense of fulfilment and purpose simply can’t be matched, making the Blue Turtle community projects so unique.