On this International Literacy Day, AVBOB feels a profound sense of commitment to the education of disadvantaged youth in South Africa, through the promotion of literacy and the development of school infrastructure.

AVBOB is all about people.

What sets us apart is that we are truly embedded in our communities – we are always there for our people during one of life’s greatest transitions. But our commitment goes far beyond this. We have always believed that education provides emotional and intellectual upliftment for people, liberating them from the difficulties of daily life and providing them with hope for the future. As AVBOB CEO Frik Rademan says, “As AVBOB, we want to play a part in educating our future leaders, because an educated mind is a strong mind that can open doors for learners.”

It is this very sentiment that motivates our every initiative at the AVBOB Foundation. Ever since we first pledged to do so in 2013, the Foundation has donated no less than 43 mobile libraries to underprivileged schools, each containing approximately 2 500 books – that’s a total of 107 500 books donated. Because we believe that literacy is the key to unlocking a meaningful and productive future for all our young people. As the adage goes, ‘when you open a book, you open a new world.’

Moreover, we are planning to take this a step further during our 100^th birthday celebration in 2018. AVBOB in partnership with the Department of Basic Education (DBE) announced its intention to invest R150 million for the renovation, refurbishment and building of schools across the nine provinces in South Africa.

We believe that these initiatives show our hearts to our people. Our slogan promises, “We’re here for you”, but because actions speak louder than words, we trust that efforts like these show that we sincerely care for you.