Discover more about our partnership with Botshabelo, the nonprofit organisation dedicated to educating and caring for abandoned and disadvantaged children.
It’s never been more important for businesses to recognise and respect the social and economic ecosystems they exist within. By giving back to these communities, we often foster our own next generation of talent.
There’s always a sense of satisfaction that comes with living up to this responsibility. But in the case of our partnership with Botshabelo, we got a chance to help address a truly heartbreaking situation. As a result, more vulnerable young people are getting another chance at living happy, fulfilled lives.
Who are Botshabelo?
In the Tswana language, Botshabelo is ‘a place to run to.’ Since 2000, this nonprofit organisation has provided that same place of refuge for society’s most vulnerable children. Botshabelo Children’s Home cares for abandoned babies and finds safe, loving homes for them.
Since 2010, they’ve also provided services for disadvantaged young people who didn’t get a stable education growing up. They’re given these children the opportunity to catch up with their peers, and a fair chance at reaching their potential in life.
The impact of Botshabelo’s work over the past quarter century has been significant:
- 256 abandoned children have been successfully adopted
- 56 children have been reunited with their birth families
- 17,000+ preschoolers from 327 preschools have received educational help
How are MiTek helping give kids a brighter future?
Together, teams from MiTek and Botshabelo have identified areas where extra funding and specialist expertise would make the biggest positive impact:
- Their shelter lacked modern insulation and heating systems. As a result, the babies in Botshabelo’s care often got sick during cold winter months.
- UpliftED, their early childhood teacher training programme in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal, was struggling with lack of funding.
With our help, Botshabelo can now maintain a steady, cosy indoor temperature all year round. Cases of illness (and associated medical expenses) are lower as a direct result.
Meanwhile, MiTek funding has helped expand the UpliftED programme. In 2024, 157 preschools saw 234 women formally trained as early years teachers. An estimated 10,900 children have benefitted from this new, sustainable initiative.
Staying connected to the communities we serve
From day one, we’ve always recognised the importance of giving back to local people whose presence makes our work possible. In 2018, we formalised this commitment as a clear social impact strategy.
Our partnership with Botshabelo is one part of this wider initiative, which rests on three pillars:
- Educate to innovate: Giving people the skills to thrive in knowledge-intensive jobs
- Shelter humanity: Providing safe, inclusive spaces for people to live, work, and play
- Protect our planet: Safeguarding the environment and championing sustainability
We’re proud to nurture the future of our construction industry, at a time when critical skills are in short supply. Initiatives like these create lasting positive change in communities which need it most.
