Momentum Metropolitan Holdings is honouring its employees who are giving back to their communities through volunteering at the fifth annual Lesedi Awards hybrid event hosted in Sandton and virtually on the 18th of November 2020.
The Awards celebrate all forms of volunteering – from payroll giving to face-to-face and virtual volunteering – and how positive change is possible if each and every person does their most, no matter how big or small the action may seem. Lesedi means light, and in a year as challenging as 2020, it becomes even more important to commemorate actions that show real care.
“This has been a tough year, and people are exhausted physically and mentally,” says Charlene Lackay, Head of CSI for Momentum Metropolitan. “Despite this, and the associated challenges with lockdown bringing a halt to physical volunteering and forcing many into isolation, so many of our people showed up and volunteered their time and resources to make a difference to the communities that need it the most.”
The nature of the obstacles that 2020 presented meant that people had to become innovative in showing care. This meant embracing technology to reach out to each other, connect and support each other. “We reached out beyond the isolation that our circumstance wanted to impose on us. We became connected in kindness. We became stronger together, and as a result we chose to focus our awards on the concept of ‘We. Stronger than Me’,” says Lackay. “It shows the power of connection, of combining individual efforts to create a powerful wave of positive change in South African communities.”
Lackay mentions that four themes continued to show up this year. Firstly, volunteers remained connected in kindness in the face of unique obstacles brought about by the pandemic. This meant they had to find and use creative ways to overcome challenges to connect with each other and their communities – another of the key themes. Under this topic Momentum Metropolitan saw employees giving invaluable time and resources to support local and relevant causes that empower communities and build resilience.
Volunteerism filters through all levels of the company and is driven by the company’s leadership – the third theme. The company’s leaders understand that their voice and actions have immense power, and they use theirs for good. This then feeds into the final theme, which promotes citizenship and serving as an active citizen with the company’s support in providing resources, skills and time to make a difference.
Momentum Metropolitan’s culture empowers and supports employees to offer service in many different ways, including volunteering their time, donating goods and offering their skills to a wide range of non-profit organisations.
The company has also partnered with online platform forgood, (www.forgood.co.za) a matching service between volunteers and organisations in need, to make it easier for employees to match with organisation they care about. Employees also contribute through skills-based volunteerism that gives non-profit organisations (NPOs) access to professional skills and services and through match-funding and payroll-giving directly to their communities.
“To see how our people showed up to volunteer in these ways this year was fantastic, and the quality of the award entries was so high. To hear the stories of some of our nominees, and what volunteering means to them, is phenomenal and shows how seriously they take their commitment to make a real difference,” says Lackay.
Keith Naidoo, a finalist in the Business Leader category, for example says: “It’s a privilege to be part of serving communities in South Africa. Over Covid-19, Impophomo Rushing Waters embarked on a food relief programme for the poor and destitute. What stuck out for me was helping a lady close to her 90s, and just to see the hope and ray of light it brought for her. It shows that the little that we do brings hope to those who have no hope, joy to those who have no joy and a dream to those who have stopped dreaming. That’s what makes South Africa beautiful.” Keith is a general manager for Momentum Sales.
“My entry was around the volunteering that I do with detainees between the ages of 12 and 18 at the Juvenile Training Centre as part of Lesotho Correctional Services,” says Maliako Koatja, a finalist in the International Volunteer category. “A highlight for me was when some of the children started calling me ‘mummy’, which shows that there is hope. I believe my volunteering has helped give them a sense of belonging and of being loved. It’s also changed the way I interact with people. I want to offer as much love and support as I can to people.” Maliako is a client service manager for Metropolitan Lesotho.
For Berenice Ogundele, a finalist in the Volunteer Champion category, volunteering means being given the chance to help change lives. “I believe that investing time and resources into the life of someone has the ability to change the person’s life for good. I always tell people that I could be talking to the next president of the country, so I want to know that I was part of that person’s life and journey.” Bernice is a financial administrator at Metropolitan Life.
These are the stories of only three of this year’s 27 finalists. This year, there were 151 nominations, 46 entries, and 27 finalists – with four international finalists. “Although there was a smaller pool of nominations than in previous years – because of the cessation of physical volunteering, and the move to a fully digital process – the quality of work showcased was incredible,” says Lackay.
The Awards have seven categories and an eighth grand prize-winner of the Lesedi Spirit of Volunteerism award is selected from those seven winners.
Winners are awarded prize-money to take back to the communities and projects they support. Winners in each category receive R15 000 towards their preferred NPO. Runners-up receive R10 000 and R7 500 towards their preferred NPO – and even those who don’t win are awarded R5000 for the organisation of their choice.
“Lesedi has always been driven by positivity – and this year, that became more important than ever before. What our people have managed to achieve truly shows that change is possible if each of us does our most, and how when these individual actions come together, we become stronger,” says Lackay.
The eight Lesedi Awards categories are:
1. Lesedi Exceptional Business Leader
2. Lesedi Volunteer Team
3. Lesedi Most Consistent Payroll Giver
4. Lesedi Most Active on MM Volunteers forgood
5. Lesedi International Volunteer
6. Lesedi Volunteer Champion
7. Lesedi Individual Volunteer
8. Lesedi Spirit of Volunteerism
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