Social Responsibility
At TopFruit we strive to understand and respect the cultural values and laws wherever we operate. We actively support important initiatives in those communities where our employees live and work. This commitment is visible through our contributions to financial and volunteer support. Where feasible, we participate in programs that encourage our employees by supporting initiatives that are important to them.
Education: funda child
FUNDA CHILD was started in December 2005 by brothers Rob and Reyer Meihuizen. The aim of the project is to provide affordable, quality education to deserving and disadvantaged learners. TOPFRUIT has provided a helping hand to deserving children, empowering them to achieve according to their abilities, while striving to avoid a handout or entitlement mentality. Through education they are making a difference in halting the poverty cycle within individual families.
FUNDA CHILD aims to encourage reciprocal behaviour in the children by encouraging them to respond to similar educational needs once they are adults and have the financial means.
Sterilisation project
All too often the plight of animals in our informal settlements goes unnoticed, but two local businesses recently decided to step forward and help. TOPFRUIT and FOUR PAWS WINES share property which borders on an informal settlement in Franschhoek. Both companies have been based in the valley for a number of years and are community orientated by nature. They witness firsthand the suffering of the animals through uncontrolled breeding and the resultant malnutrition and disease.
In August they approached the ANIMAL RESCUE OTTERY. Thanks to the direct intervention of their amazing manager Avril Thomas, ANIMAL RESCUE OTTERY travelled to Franschhoek, collected the dogs and cats, sterilised them, took care of any other health issues, and returned the animals to the settlement.
TOPFRUIT and FOUR PAWS WINES have subsequently made donations to ANIMAL RESCUE and believe that this will be the first of many such projects.
Vegetable garden and soup kitchen
TOPFRUIT has begun a soup kitchen for their staff and unemployed people in the informal settlement bordering on their property. During the cold winter months it is a much welcomed warm meal for everyone. A communal vegetable garden is being established on the TOPFRUIT property. The end goal is to supply the kitchen with fresh vegetables grown in their own garden for the soup, thus instilling a sense of self help within the community.
