BIHL Trust and the importance of sustainability for building legacies

The vast blue chip insurance company, Botswana Insurance Holdings Limited (BIHL) through BIHL Trust, make a positive impact in the local communities, across the variety of spheres contributing towards socio-economic development. Established in 2007, the BIHL Trust was formed to make a positive impact with communities in need, through sustainable development initiatives. Thus, 1% of BIHL Group’s post-tax profits are channeled towards the BIHL Trust to make the meaningful impact across the variety of spheres.

BIHL Trust was established in 2007 in a bid to give back to communities sustainably while supporting worthy causes. We wanted a structured, dedicated way to make a difference and recognized that our communities and our people are “ amongst the most important to why we exist, and so we focus on the pillars of Education, Social upliftment, Economic Empowerment, Public Health, Recreation and Conservation of the Environment to carry out our bodies of work,” says Ngwatshi Enyatseng, BIHL Trust Chairperson. “The meaning and practice of CSR is usually misconstrued as how the companies spend profits (charity) but not about how they make their money. CSR is supposed to be more about a good business for a good society today and tomorrow. It needs to involve the employees as does the Trust, and it needs to be well researched and focused with feedback and recording on impact. CSR should unite all sectors of society towards making a positive impact. We ought to see Private sector, Government and civil society collaborating towards development as opposed to each operating in silos. For the CSR to be done right it requires a proper community needs investigation, collaboration, impact assessments,” she further elaborated on how the notion of sustainability is viewed at BIHL Trust. Today, 1% of the BIHL Group’s post-tax profits are channeled towards the BIHL Trust to be used to make a meaningful impact across a variety of spheres. Over the past 10 years, BIHL Trust has established relationships and partnered with organizations that help others in need in a way that empowers them positively. UNPACKING THE PILLARS FOR IMPACTFUL GIVING Education The trust has partnered with the government, private sector and non-Governmental initiatives in different initiatives aimed at making a change. Recently, BIHL Trust came together with Ministry of Basic Education (MoBE) and Stepping Stone International through an “adopt-a-school initiative” where BIHL

Trust sponsored prize giving in all the schools the Trust adopted.

“We identified the 11 underperforming schools to support them in introducing a literacy program where the teachers are enrolled in training to teach students how to read and write. We are currently in a partnership with Ministry of Basic Education to sponsor essay writing competitions in schools,” said Enyatseng.

She further said that the BIHL Trust have partnered in the innovation initiatives citing the Mogwebi Gaming APP to champion financial literacy and combating youth and a graduate unemployment. Through this interactive platform, the gaming app educates the users on efficiently running a successful business while also testing user’s knowledge on financial literacy. It is also readily available for all Android and iOS in the relevant Play and the App Stores.

Social upliftment In the past Enyatseng said BIHL Trust contributed P1. 5 million towards a housing appeal, building one of the houses in Mathangwane village as part of a fulfilling the social upliftment pillar of the organization’s CSR strategy. An additional yet key milestones is the Khawa guesthouse which the trust assisted with its renovations.

BIHL Trust was approached by Council as the guesthouse was not up to hospitality code. The village guesthouse needed some work done so that it could maintain competitiveness and general appeal to the public and so the Trust’s contributions were instrumental in the property’s refurbishment. The premises is now fully functionally such that it now experiencing bookings to full capacity through individuals looking for accommodation as well the meeting rooms attracting workshop bookings. As the guesthouse is operated by the Village Development Community (VDC), revenues generated benefit the community.

Building towards Economic Empowerment In Ghanzi BIHL Trust donated baking equipment to a bakery run by a consortium of women. The women are distributing bread to schools around Ghanzi schools and are working together to increase their capacity to supply more bread to additional schools. Moreover, the Trust also identified another team of women in Ghanzi who are knitting school uniforms for primary schools in the region. They contributed the 10 sewing machines the women used, further submitting a bigger sewing machine that BIHL Trust proceeded to sponsored.

Recreation & Conservation of the Environment To drive awareness on the importance of environmental and wildlife conservation, BIHL Trust launched a campaign in Maun and Francistown at a time when rhino poaching was spiraling out of control, focusing the campaign on rhino protection in collaboration with Khama Rhino Sanctuary.

Public Health BIHL Trust collaborates with Autism Botswana for support in driving awareness on autism spectrum disorder and the need for inclusion of people living with or affected by the condition. Initiatives to date include members of the Trust’s administrative team marching in solidarity with the autism community and supporters in the 3km Autism Awareness Walk, which was centered within the Central Business District (CBD) area in Gaborone.

SUSTAINABILITY AS A FOCUS FOR LEGACY BUILDING “We get feedback from the people we assist and will therefore say we place the trust at around 90% in terms of achieving its sustainable outcomes with our CSI projects,” says Enyatseng.

“There are things that if done better they would be sustainable and therefore aim for continuous improvement. Sustainability is key and as an organization, we are keen to build legacies, though we note that there are still some of the organisations that view CSI as charity focused work. For us, we look at it as our commitment to creating and sustaining legacies. We just don’t fund to give out money, but we are more interested in the lifelong effect a project will have even after we have exited it financially,” she adds.

Another key element that is critical to effectiveness in driving sustainability is collaboration by all the key stakeholders, particularly government, the private sector, and Non-Governmental Organisations. BHIL Trust’s is guided by a strategy that is continuously reviewed, ensuring alignment with pillars, timelines, and availability of partners collaborate with as well as community involvement.