Sub-Saharan Africa - Sustainability

Sustainability

The Dow Education Fund for Thokomala

THOKOMALA Orphan Care Organization is a non-profit company based in Durban, South Africa serving orphaned children who are infected or affected by HIV and AIDS.

Their mission is to give these children a life free from the stigma and discrimination surrounding HIV infection and at the same time, provide much needed support to counteract the emotional and social scars caused by losing one’s parents.

The fund supports HIV/AIDS orphans in training for life skills, understanding technology or preparing themselves for university.

Ground Hornbill Programme

Issue
The Associated of Private Nature Reserves Ground Hornbill conservation programme was established to protect the endangered Ground Hornbill bird species. These prehistoric-looking birds have become endangered due to bush encroachment and as associated lack of proper natural nesting habit.  Adult Ground Hornbills adopt territories in excess of 70 square miles! 

How we help
Dow supports this programme by contributing to operational costs, research and development.  The APNR programme has proved to be very successful with breeding populations having increased by over 30% over the past two years. 

Rehoboth Children’s Village

Issue
The Associated of Private Nature Reserves Ground Hornbill conservation programme was established to protect the endangered Ground Hornbill bird species. These prehistoric-looking birds have become endangered due to bush encroachment and as associated lack of proper natural nesting habit.  Adult Ground Hornbills adopt territories in excess of 70 square miles! 

How we help
Dow supports this programme by contributing to operational costs, research and development.  The APNR programme has proved to be very successful with breeding populations having increased by over 30% over the past two years. 

Osizweni

Osizweni is an NGO that offers Science tuition to schools in rural and underserved communities in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province.  Traditionally, scholars at these schools have produced very poor results due to a lack of proper laboratory facilities and in some cases, inadequate teaching skills. Chemistry is a particularly challenging subject at schools in such areas because they invariably can’t offer practical experiments to scholars.  In South Africa, there is a significant shortage of scientists, engineers and chemist, making this project highly beneficial towards the country’s continued development. Dow has supported this project through the provision of a mobile science laboratory.  This vehicle has been colourfully branded and is kitted out with an extensive range of science and chemistry equipment and paraphernalia.  The mobile lab visits an extensive list of schools, where qualified science educators as well as volunteer university students offer extra-curricular tuition to scholars, assisting them with their studies. 

 

Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE)

Dow operates in South Africa through a number of subsidiaries, including Sentrachem Limited, Dow Southern Africa (Pty) Limited and Dow AgroSciences Southern Africa (Pty) Limited. At Dow, we are committed to economic transformation in South Africa and the broad principles embodied in the BBBEE framework. Our South African companies adopt a thoughtful and consistent approach to BBBEE, taking into account the interests of all stakeholders.

2009 B-BBEE self assessment presentation for external purposes (85KB PDF)