At the core of any purposeful organisation lie guiding beliefs. For Ozow, this means a vision of empowerment - using our business to uplift individuals and strengthen communities.
We feel deeply grateful that our growth enables us to give back and support inspirational causes across South Africa. While commercial success drives our operations, our privilege is being able to go beyond this and help transform lives.
This year we contributed to six vital charities and their uplifting words of thanks moved us profoundly. We would like to share some of these messages, which encapsulate the spirit behind our work.
DARG
In February, Jade McDuling kindly contacted us regarding Ozow’s Community Initiative and asked how they could assist us. DARG is a non-profit organisation, and we rely on the public for donations to help us feed and care for the +/-200 animals in our care. DARG looks after 2 large informal settlements in Hout Bay, one of which is directly opposite our main gate. We help these communities to feed and care for their pets, we assist them with veterinary care and medication.
Jade wanted to know how Ozow could assist us in this huge task, and the answer was: pet food. Jade and her incredible colleagues collected a donation of almost R9000 worth of pet food for our cats and dogs! For animals in a shelter with not much stimulation, feeding time is always exciting and Ozow helped us to keep their tails wagging and their spirits high.
Thank you Ozow for choosing to support DARG. You made 2023 a little easier for us and our beautiful animals.
iKhaya Le Themba
It truly was our privilege to have the Ozow team visit our Home of Hope! For an organisation of 120 children, we get a lot of international volunteers offering to visit and help us, but it’s our LOCALS that make our day!!
For our children to feel KNOWN and SEEN by their countrymen, and successful ones at that is such an amazing opportunity. From the moment they arrived, they got STUCK IN!! Getting to know the children, joining in with their games, helping us where we needed help with the food, the lessons, and the free time.
They had beautiful smiles on their faces and so did we! One gentleman even helped me out on my computer to set up our online donations on our website!! Thank you to team Ozow for taking the time out to spend time with us, and thank you for investing in both time, effort, and money into our programme.
May you one day see the next generation achieving their hopes and dreams and know that you played a part in that!
Project Flamingo
We are so grateful for Ozow's generous donation of Pamper Packs, a gesture that has deeply touched the lives of newly diagnosed breast cancer patients within our community. These thought fully curated packs, brimming with self-care essentials, stand as a testament to the power of compassion and the impact that even the smallest acts of kindness can have on those facing challenging times.
In the face of a breast cancer diagnosis, these Pamper Packs serve as a reminder that amidst the struggles, there are compassionate hearts and caring hands ready to uplift and support. Ozow's contribution to Project Flamingo goes beyond the tangible items within the packs; it symbolizes a beacon of hope, a reminder to prioritize self-care, and an assurance that one is not alone in their journey.
We extend our heartfelt gratitude for their open hearts and unwavering commitment to making a positive difference. Their generosity has not only provided comfort to those in need but has also inspired a ripple effect of kindness within our community.
Ladles of love
"Many acts of kindness make one huge impact of love. Ozow's kind donation has allowed us to provide nutritious food to little children at Educare Centres in our impoverished communities. It is heart-breaking to see kids arriving at school hungry as they cannot focus, learn, or play on an empty tummy. We see your donation as an investment in our future leaders and thank you for enabling us to do what we do – provide food relief and touch lives with love, dignity, and respect.” Danny Diliberto, Founder/Director Ladles of Love NPO
The Santa Shoebox Project
What a year 2023 turned out to be! We built our 4th Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centre, we trained almost 700 ECD Practitioners, we provided 60 ECD's with Reading Corners - and we placed 74 169Shoeboxes into the hands of the very children for whom they were pledged. As new adults, in celebration of our 18th birthday, we sure stepped up - and we could not have done any of this if it weren't for our magnificent sponsors!
Simply put, Ozow's contribution of 200Santa Shoeboxes impacted positively on the lives of 200 children-in-need. A Santa Shoebox is SO much more than simply a box of goodies. Each component is chosen with the underprivileged child in mind - imagine living in a home where basic hygiene items like a facecloth and toothbrush are shared, if indeed they are available at all. The mere fact that a Santa Shoebox contains schools stationery for the year ahead sets the child up for success in their immediate future.
The Enduring Spirit of Giving Back
Our Chief People Officer, Oriel Pays, beautifully encapsulates the heart behind our charity work when she says:
"While we contributed funds and volunteering hours across these vital projects, what endures is the human impact created through compassion and understanding. We step into 2024 with a renewed vision of using business and innovation as a vehicle for empowerment. Because as Ladles of Love summarised so perfectly: many small acts of kindness make one huge impact of love."
At Ozow, we are grateful for the privilege of giving back to communities across South Africa. Though we offer monetary and practical support, the real value lies in uplifting others through empathy and human connection. Our charity involvement goes beyond donations; it's about participating in a vision to drive positive change through understanding.
As Ozow celebrated our 9th birthday this year, our teams decided to commit their time to nine random acts of kindness instead of a celebration. From Beach clean ups to volunteering their time at animal welfare organisations this initiative truly encapsulated the Ozow Spirit of giving back as thanks for all we have achieved.
As we enter a new year, we are newly committed to this purpose of empowerment through business innovation. We step forward humble, compassionate, and ready to walk alongside communities to make this vision a reality.
