Mobile technology group, Blue Label Telecoms, has created a new non-profit organisation (NPO) called Trust Blu Foundation to serve as the conduit for the group’s investments into community development and entrepreneurship. Trust Blu Foundation will partner with social entrepreneurs and other NPOs to drive large-scale socioeconomic development across South Africa.
The Foundation will focus on reducing unemployment and inequality of opportunity in South Arica by enabling informal, micro and small enterprises to grow. In particular, it will leverage Blue Label Telecom’s financial resources and technology to bridge the digital divide and help to build a more inclusive digital society.
Says Bianca Lima-Boekhoud, Group Head of Transformation at Blue Label Telecoms: “Our goal with the launch of Trust Blu Foundation is to work with private sector, public sector, non-profit and community partners to create economic opportunity for youth and entrepreneurs from disadvantaged communities.
“Our ambition is to work with our partners to build a more scalable, sustainable and integrated model that unlocks higher returns from the investments the public and private sector make in transformation and social programmes each year. By connecting community organisations and entrepreneurs with the resources they need to do more, we can create prosperity in South African communities.”
Trust Blu’s programmes and initiatives will draw on the Blue Label group’s technology and innovation to fast-track socioeconomic transformation and drive meaningful participation of blacks, women, youth and people with disabilities in South Africa’s economy. Through funding and access to technology, Trust Blu will help non-profit organisations and social enterprises to amplify their impact, as well as enable informal, micro and small enterprises to develop and grow.
Blue Label cofounder, Brett Levy, says: “The Blue Label group has entrepreneurial roots and we have always had a deep commitment to community development and philanthropy. The launch of the Foundation, however, enables us to increase our impact, ramp up our efforts, and formalise our strategy for partnering with non-profits and social entrepreneurs. We are excited about the opportunity to bring a fresh approach to social investment and philanthropy in South Africa.”
