Gondwana launches welfare initiatives

The Gondwana Care Trust and Meal for Two ,in partnership with Bank Windhoek are the latest corporate social responsibility initiatives introduced by The Gondwana Collection at the Namibia Tourism Expo this week.

As most people in the country often sleep on empty stomachs, the Gondwana Collection and Bank Windhoek aim to reduce the number of people for whom this is a daily reality.

The principle of Meal for Two has already been in action for some time now. Through Gondwana’s Self Sufficiency Centre – a working farm in Stampriet that supplies 70% of fresh products consumed at their lodges, they provide ongoing support to many feeding schemes with meat and vegetable donations.

Former Managing Director for Gondwana-collection, Manfred Goldbeck at the event said, “Our intention is to expand on this annual food donation through the creation of the Meal for Two project in partnership with Bank Windhoek.”

“What this will mean is that every time a guest enjoys a meal at one of our lodges, an additional meal will be provided to someone in need. In this way by simply staying at a Gondwana Lodge, guests will be helping to improve the life of an underprivileged Namibian,” he added.

The two entities at the event also launched their Faces of Namibia campaign, aimed at celebrating the stories and impressions that locals hold dear, with the eager involvement of the “Gondwana Memes & Tates”, a group of dedicated men and women, Goldbeck said.

Furthermore Gondwana MD, Gys Joubert said lodges are run as tight-knit groups with close connections to their surrounding communities.

“This makes our commitment to social responsibility and community support fundamental to the way our company is run as we have always strived to make a positive difference to our environment and communities,” he added.

Encouraged by the success of their other initiatives, Joubert is upbeat with the manner in which they have formalised and structured their focus by establishing the Gondwana Care Trust – a dedicated Corporate Social Initiative (CSI) fund.

Jourbert said that this new and formal operation will be responsible for the management of all CSI initiatives Gondwana engages in.

The Gondwana Care Trust currently supports more than 20 projects across Namibia. Their efforts include; donation of food, clothing, bedding, educational products for schools, and support of important environmental causes, like the Wild Horses Foundation.

By establishing the Trust, they hope to increase public awareness of these projects and to provide a channel for other like-minded people and businesses to get involved and enhance the good they are able to provided.