Liberty Life is committed to supporting development in South Africa and Africa. They believe that their Corporate Social Investment (CSI) initiatives should contribute to building the thriving economy that is vital to our collective destiny, and which will light the way to financial prosperity for generations of South Africans and Africans.

With Education at the core of Liberty’s CSI initiatives, Liberty on the Go wants to make a difference to communities around the country through education. They believe that literacy is the key to unlocking learning, imagination and potential. In this spirit, each Liberty branch and representative embarked on a countrywide drive to collect books and raise funds. The employees and/or business units embraced the Liberty on the Go Book Drive with their customary enthusiasm and commitment. The donation goes to a local charity of their choice to further education in the communities in which they, as Liberty, operate.

Liberty understands that South Africans need to be educated and equipped with appropriate skills to be able to take advantage of and enjoy the industrial and technological challenges and opportunities that are offered locally, as well as internationally.

On Monday, 4 April, the Bloemfontein Liberty branch, spearheaded by Branch Manager, Albert Latsky, and his team, hosted a fundraising event and proudly collected R 5 000. The funds will be donated to Martie du Plessis School.

The Martie du Plessis School is an extremely complex school and the only one of its kind in the whole Free State. They accept learners from the age of three up to grade 12 with cerebral palsy, physical disabilities and learning problems. The school is a parallel-medium school with English and Afrikaans as the language of teaching but also have Sesotho as a subject from grade 10. Subjects presented at the school must accommodate learners with physical problems as well as learning problems. There are learners who can use only one hand or only their feet. For seven years over the last 10 years the school had a 100% pass rate. Martie du Plessis follows the same curriculum as mainstream schools. The school offers the following services to their learners in order to assist them to achieve their full potential; Physiotherapy, Occupational therapy, Speech therapy, Support teaching, Psychological services, a full time sister, a social worker, the services of a part time neurologist, a group of well trained, committed teachers.

As mentioned, Martie Du Plessis School is very close to the hearts of the Bloemfontein Liberty Life branch as one of their graduated student’s mother works at Liberty. Branch Manager, Albert Latsky, proudly explains: “We chose Martie du Plessis School as we have personal experience and ties to it. Paula has been working here for many years, and her son was at the school from Grade 3 through to matric. He is now studying Game Ranch Management at University! Over the years we have watched him grow, blossom and simply excel at whatever he puts his mind to. His courage and confidence can be attributed to supportive parents and of course the school which empowers children. We jumped at the opportunity to support our local community through the Liberty on the go project”.

In this picture from left to right:
• Albert Latsky (Liberty Life, Branch Manager, Bloemfontein)
• Tjaardina Breitenbach (Martie du Plessis School)
• Hennie Botha (Liberty Life Executive Consultant)

To date, Liberty’s CSI initiatives have had a positive and measurable impact on levels of education, empowering individuals to be self-sufficient and to play more constructive roles in society. The Liberty on the Go Book Drive’s donated books and funds will significantly build, enrich and empower the lives of those who read them.