365 days of building communities.
Since their launch in October 2021, the Hollywood Foundation and their passionate team have left the special purple touch across various organisations, sports teams, schools and businesses across South Africa. When the decision was made to launch the fully-fledged non-profit organisation, the goal was to bring hope to local communities through collaborative efforts that make a sustainable impact. Fast forward to a year later, the Hollywood Foundation and the team across the country have wholeheartedly reached this goal, and by doing this, men, women and children from various age groups, backgrounds and capabilities, have received a helping hand and much-needed support.
One of the key moments of the year was welcoming Proteas spin bowler, Keshav Maharaj, as the first Brand Ambassador. Keshav’s partnership with the team allows grassroots sports to be elevated, a key focus for the Hollywood Foundation.
The Back to School campaign was launched at the start of the year, and over 200 schools received school shoes and stationery for learners who come from households where parents cannot afford these staple school requirements. Education remains a core pillar, and the Future is Bright bursary programme afforded many students an opportunity to achieve their tertiary academic goals and look forward to the prospect of entering the workforce in the future.
The Hollywood Foundation was indeed established at a significant time in South Africa, and the team were very quick to respond to socio-economic challenges that affected communities. In April, KwaZulu-Natal was left reeling after the floods caused severe damage to infrastructure and affected households. For this reason, the Hollywood Foundation launched their #HandsOfHope campaign, and donated R5 million worth of fresh drinking water, food parcels and blankets to affected communities, as well as conducting structural repairs to schools.
In an effort to ensure that many communities receive clean drinking water and sanitation, the Hollywood Foundation launched the #BarrowsOfPower campaign to commemorate Nelson Mandela Month this year. The campaign is a one-year commitment, where a total of 67 barrows will be distributed to each of the nine provinces in the country, from 18 July 2022 through to 18 July 2023. The water barrows will enable people in various communities to transport water easily and keep the water sealed and hygienic. Through this heartwarming campaign, many elderly community members were prioritised, and their long journey to gather clean water on a daily basis, was shortened.
The uncertainty of the economy and the crippling effects of COVID-19 has shown that small and medium black-owned businesses require assistance to grow and transform. Investing in SMMEs is a priority for the Hollywood Foundation, and the Enterprise and Supplier Development team aims to offer financial aid or equipment to various businesses across the country. By doing this, young entrepreneurs and developing businesses are given an opportunity to thrive in the business sector, thereby creating employment opportunities. The upliftment of women is an aspect very near and dear to the team, and in August, the Hollywood Foundation partnered with Nomzamo Mbatha’s Lighthouse Foundation, for the #EmpoweringHER Women in Business Awards. The campaign succeeded in its goal of highlighting the hard work and determination that is invested into female-owned businesses in South Africa.
To celebrate the Hollywood Foundation’s birthday, Magic Spaces was launched in October in three provinces, Gauteng, Western Cape and KZN. The initiative included the installation of jungle gyms at creches to promote early childhood development and the overall cognitive functioning of children. The teams from these regions enjoyed a fun-filled day with the children, and engaged in indigenous games, face painting, singing and dancing, and celebrations with a cake and candles. In KZN, a brunch was held at Kingsmead Stadium, and included the presence of well-known figures, including Siyanda Ntenga and Janice Benecke. Beneficiaries from the past year also attended the mid-morning meal and were afforded an opportunity to speak about the change that the Hollywood Foundation has brought into their lives
