Current CSI/SED programmes under the LET ME LEARN™.:

Business Connexion criteria for supporting CSI/SED projects are:

• Projects falling into one of the two categories that Business Connexion will support (Projects in line with the guidelines of the ICT Charter)
• Project allowing Business Connexion to demonstrate its core business offering
• Projects that  have national appeal to allow for national and regional activation

Business Connexion will not support CSI/SED project which are:

• Supporting individual or party political gain and that have religious or cultural prejudice or bias
• Relating to Business Connexion employees and/or their family members
• Requests for donations/financial support in respect of foreign enterprises and organisations, conferences, study tours, research, sports tours, debutantes, exchange student's programmes, individuals or causes that is not in line with the overall Business Connexion CSR strategy and policy

Business Connexion's National CSR projects during the 2011 financial year were:


1.    School Development Programmes - IT Labs
The majority of Business Connexion’s CSR funding is allocated towards the implementation of IT laboratories at and in partnerships with schools, focusing mainly on rural schools that are in underprivileged communities. 

The vast majority of schools in South Africa still do not have access to computers or any other form of information technology and this is mostly prevalent in the rural areas. In an effort to address this issue as part of the educational challenges within the country, Business Connexion has decided to provide the necessary infrastructure. The investment of these IT laboratories extends further than merely infrastructure implementation; it also includes a two-year commitment from Business Connexion to partner with the schools to ensure full understanding of the IT technology. This commitment also includes the development of metrics for the success and ongoing sustainability of its investment once Business Connexion starts to minimise its involvement with the school.

In the 2010 financial year, Business Connexion has managed to provide two schools with a fully fitted iLab Solution and assisted one school in Limpopo with the implementation of two IT laboratories. Business Connexion’s commitment towards these schools was extended during the 2011 financial year with ongoing involvement and support.

During the 2011 financial year Business Connexion has refurbished another existing classroom at the school in Limpopo into an IT Lab, now supporting three IT Labs at this school. Our commitment at this school includes repairing the classrooms and fitting a completed IT infrastructure in order to add an additional 25 computer workstations at the school, now totaling 75 computer workstations to assist the educators in providing the National Computer Aided Technology curriculum to Grades 10 to 12.

In addition we have implemented four iLabs at four different schools in the Free State, North West, Gauteng and Eastern Cape Provinces respectively. Business Connexion now supports eight schools as part of the School Development Programme.

Examples of Business Connexion’s contribution: 

Matladi Project School in Limpopo Province:
School Building Re-painted

Computer equipment donated in one of the three IT labs 


Gatelapele Secondary School in the North West Province

2.    Soweto Canoe and Recreation Club
The SCARC programme focuses on the development of underprivileged youth in the Soweto area to ensure that these children have access to funding for their primary and secondary school education. They also support these children with after school care and additional classes, where necessary. In addition SCARC supports the families of these children with monthly supply of food to ensure that these individuals as well as their families have ongoing supply of nutritional food. SCARC uses canoeing as a sport to teach the children important social and life skills that can assist them in their personal development as well as equip them to be successful in their school career.

The children that have been through the SCARC programme and finished school are also assisted in terms of further education and/or finding work opportunities. Some achievements of the SCARC initiative has produced the first two black participants that ended up taking the first and third positions of the Duzi Canoe Marathon in the past five years.

Business Connexion's contribution helps to fund SCARC’s programme. In addition, Business Connexion has supplied SCARC with laptops and these are used to assist the teachers with the extra classes that they provide to learners after normal teaching hours. Also, Business Connexion assists with the implementation of personal leadership and development programmes and on a regular basis spends time with the learners in their environment to determine specific needs as well as provide guidance and assistance, where required.


3.    WWF - Eco-school Programme
Business Connexion is now in the third year of partnering with the WWF-SA in collaboration with the Wildlife and Environment Society of SA (WESSA), which launched the Eco-Schools Programme in the country in May 2003.

The Eco-Schools Programme aims to achieve sustainable environmental management by integrating the environment into the national education curriculum as well as empowering teachers and learners to implement environmental policies at school level.

The Eco-Schools programme extends learning beyond the classroom and develops responsible attitudes and commitment, at home and in the wider community. The programme promotes sustainable living and builds ties with the community, thereby contributing to the SA Government Education Department and NEPAD’s priorities such as human resource development and bridging the education gap.

4.    Rally-to-Read
The Rally to Read programme is an example of how Business Connexion partner with clients to address common socio-economic challenges facing our society. The Rally to Read programme is the Flagship CSI Programme of the McCarthy Group and Business Connexion is proud to partner on an annual basis with this initiative.

Almost all rural schools have one thing in common – lack of educational resources. It is in this need that the Rally to Read provides for. For the past 12 years - sponsors, organisers and participants of the Rally to Read Programme, have visited the most remote and needy schools in rural areas to deliver books, teaching aids, science kits, sports equipment, educational toys and other material – all of which are taken for granted at urban schools. But most of all, the Rally delivers hope for a better future to rural learners, their teachers and their parents.

5.    ITBLP Programme Management
In 1997, the SA Reserve Bank and Business Connexion co-founded the IT Internship/Learnership (ITBLIP) programme with the aim of equipping young PDIs with advanced IT skills. The programme is run under the auspices of the SA Reserve Bank in order to create IT skills and work opportunities for unemployed youth. Business Connexion co-sponsors this programme and also assists with the Programme Management by providing the required human resources on an annual basis.