Youth Development
Management of the company is committed to the development of our youth.
School holiday programmes are in place. Registered creche facilities with trained personnel are run on the production sites to assist with babies and toddlers when the parents are at work. Programmes are used to get the little ones ready for school and socially developed in their age groups. Elize September always had a passion for youth development and was appointed in 2016 to fulfill this important role on both farms. She co-ordinates the creche, pre-school and CAMI programmes. She will identify primary and secondary learners in the community who has special needs or who shows specific aptitude for better schooling. Management will then identify better or specific learning opportunities at other institutions and assist with this development, also with financial aid.
Grade 11 and 12 pupils are assisted with Tertiary development and applications for financing of further studies. Matriculants are honoured by putting their names on a permanent display board.
– A private library is in use for all the children on the farms at no charge.
– Youth workers work in conjunction with the portfolios to develop life skills.
– Holiday work can be made available to our tersiary students.
– A pensioned teacher allows the youth to attend after school class for doing home work and get much needed aid.
Development of our adults
The company has a commitment towards developing and aiding their work force with life skills and the necessary tools to equip them for a better future. We do not only accept them as employees but as fellow human beings in society. Free short courses or even NQF courses are arranged. The company ELI Management based in Somerset West suggest and arrange most of these.
Waitrose & CAMI
We are a supplier to the British company Waitrose. Because of this an annual allocation of funds is made to the company’s worker community. A seperate committee apart from the workers committees handles these affairs through communication with the community and workers committees. They then decide on projects to further develop the community or concentrate on enhancing their skills.
Projects already handled on the farms are:
– Sewing classes with all equipment purchased
– Outdoor gym equipment
– Marimba classes with own equipment
– Cricket field with equipment
– Pool tables
– Internet availability for school projects
The company has made two rooms available at the production units where free computers and printers were set up by the foundation. A learning program (CAMI) to enhance various skills at different levels from pre-school to matriculant level is received from the foundation weekly and used in organised after school classes.
Due to changes in trade relations the funds sponsored by Waitrose Foundation to our community has been stopped in February 2019. The management of Bo-Radyn has however started negotiating with the current exporters to ensure an income to the community to enable them to sustain the current projects.
Walking the extra mile
Permanent workers are given a free copy of “Landbouweekblad” weekly. Permanent and long term workers become part of the company’s Provident Fund. An employee contributes 7% and the employee 7.5% of the employees monthly salary. One free annual attendance of employee, spouse and children of a Waterval-Life Skills camping weekend in Wellington with free transport and food included. At the end of the week all employees may have a box of fruit from the pack house, free of charge.
Before the holiday closure a “Harvest Off” braai is held for all the workers where our own marimba band usually provides the entertainment. The company’s “birthday” is usually celebrated with big birthday bashes.
Medical & Other Expences
All workers are assisted with medical expenses. A qualified medical nurse visits the farms on a fixed schedule. The company pays her salary. She does free medical examinations on request and sees to the health issues of all employees as well as the pensioners of the company.
Qualified first aides and health workers are on site and on duty after hours, also for the workers not staying on the farm. On duty officials are in possession of a company cell phone to make the organizing of transport and medical assistance as easy as possible.
When seeds and feeds are bought in bulk the employee may pay this back in installments as agreed upon. This brings about better pricing for all involved.
If a worker has saved money towards a goal, the company will meet them half way in buying the furniture or vehicle. They can pay this back in installments as well.