With all that I am: Momentum Group’s 9th annual Lesedi Awards recognises the most active and dedicated volunteers

14 November, Johannesburg 2024: With all that I am was the theme of this year’s ninth annual Lesedi Awards, hosted yesterday in Johannesburg on World Kindness Day. The Lesedi Awards is an initiative by Momentum Group that serves to recognise its employee volunteers who selflessly volunteer their time, skills or resources to better the lives of others. The theme embodies the power of what a com-mitted, dedicated and supported volunteer force can have and the individual impact each volunteer can make.

Employee volunteering is one of Momentum Group’s Corporate Social Investment’s (CSI) pillars of focus, with a dynamic staff volunteerism programme (SVP) that provides opportunities and resources for employees to support any charity or non-profit organisation (NPO) they choose. This enables em-ployees to connect with causes and communities around the country that personally resonate with them or are physically close to where they are.

The Lesedi Awards is an annual event held to honour these efforts, and those recognised as the most dedicated and active volunteers walk away with prize money, which is donated on their behalf to-wards the charity or NPO of their choice.

Tshego Bokaba, CSI Manager at Momentum Group, says: "Momentum Group’s CSI mandate remains rooted in youth upliftment, but we also recognise there are other causes that might be close to the hearts of our employees. We want our staff members to feel connected to their communities; to something bigger. Through our staff volunteer programme, dedicated CSI leave day that is granted to facilitate staff’s volunteer efforts, and our annual Lesedi Awards, we empower our employees to make a meaningful, transformative impact.”

An extra day of leave is granted to all permanent Momentum Group employees for volunteer work, re-sulting in a potential of approximately 16 000 days or 128 000 hours of time and skills that could be spent helping others in need. Employees can choose where they volunteer, and many have teamed up with colleagues and used their day’s leave as a team-building volunteering exercise.

This year’s Lesedi Awards saw eight winners announced across various categories, such as Lesedi Individual Volunteer, Lesedi Business Leader, and Lesedi Team Volunteer, with a wide range of causes represented, such as education support, land access, disaster relief and more. The winners were an-nounced at a ceremony last night in Johannesburg.

Gallium Brandt, New Business Administrator at Metropolitan Namibia, was named the 2024 Lesedi Spirit of Volunteering Award winner – an honour that serves as testament to selfless service, and which is chosen from top achievers across the eight Lesedi categories.

As founder and CEO of the Saamstaan Community Foundation, Brandt strives to assist landless community members seek and acquire land. This involves managing the application process, ensuring land is ready for hand-over, and allocating land to beneficiaries with the help of the town’s local au-thority, helping members of the organisation become landowners. Under his leadership, the organisa-tion has successfully secured 319 residential homes for its members, creating opportunities for land ownership and a sense of security within the community.

Says Brandt: “The road we walk at Saamstaan is not an easy one; land deliveries are a challenging process with lots of hoops to jump through. So much is involved – engineering, land surveying, archi-tecture and having the ability to get people on your side. But once people see you have good inten-tions and learn to trust you, they start believing in you – which makes it all worth it. I am honoured to receive the Lesedi Spirit of Volunteering Award.”

Concludes Bokaba: "Living a meaningful life of service not only makes an impact on our immediate communities but the effects of this kindness ripple more broadly – throughout the country and even the world – something that is more important than ever in these times.

“This year's Lesedi Awards celebrate those who brought their whole selves to serve those around them.”

Full list of the Momentum Group’s Lesedi Awards winners:

Lesedi Spirit of Volunteering
Gallium Brandt, New Business Administrator: Metropolitan Namibia
Support for landless community members
NPO: Saamstaan Community Foundation

Lesedi Individual Volunteer
Wavela Makunga, Actuarial Specialist: Momentum Retail
Education support for learners
NPO: SWM Foundation

Lesedi Volunteer Business Leader
Sanesha Govender, Service Manager: Momentum Health
Support for tornado victims
NPO: Haven of Rest Tongaat

Lesedi Team Volunteer
Katlego Mashego, Organisational Effectiveness Consultant: Momentum
Support for unemployed graduates
NPO: National Graduate Employment Solutions (NGES)

Lesedi International Volunteer
Gallium Brandt, New Business Administrator: Metropolitan Namibia
Support for landless community members
NPO: Saamstaan Community Foundation

Lesedi Exceptional Volunteer Champion
Sanesha Govender, Service Manager: Momentum Health
Support for tornado victims
NPO: Haven of Rest Tongaat

Lesedi Most Consistent Payroll Giver
Nadia Kirstens, Group Lead: B-BBEE Transformation, Momentum Group
Various NGOs that focus on crucial issues such as gender-based violence (GBV), disability, disaster relief and mentorship programmes.

Lesedi Most Engaged Volunteer on Momentum Group Volunteer Platform
Maureen Edwards, General Sales Manager: Momentum Health
Support for women and children
NPO: Frida Hartley Women Shelter