About
Through partnerships, with likeminded individuals and businesses, we have been able to facilitate projects that improve social wellbeing and quality of life.
We seek to leverage the concept of asset-based community-led development (ABCD) as a methodology for sustainable development, and this approach has seen us facilitate a number of essential projects, that are making a real difference in peoples’ lives.
Our successful implementations include the construction of a safe haven (and extension) for vulnerable women and children, that serves the community of Bredarsdrop and surrounding towns. This project is extremely relevant for the Foundation, as it is the benchmark of the type of vital social infrastructure that we would like to see rolled out across many more rural communities.
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The ASLA Foundation was established by the ASLA Construction Group in 2021 to help the group realise its vision of scaling up social investment through projects beyond a level that it is able to achieve with its own resources.
The ASLA Foundation, and NPO, facilitates social impact investment, that contributes to a community’s ability to be self-sustaining.
Our foundation’s key objective is to provide fixed infrastructure and resources that enable self-sustaining communities.
- Social Infrastructure that serves children, youth and the vulnerable in communities through housing, educational facilities, hospitals, and clinics, places of safety, and sports and culture infrastructure.
- Entrepreneurship and Job Creation initiatives that provide practical experience and opportunities for emerging construction sector companies.
- Training and Development initiatives that support skills for basic business training and homeowner education in communities.
Vision: Self-sustaining communities made possible through innovative infrastructure and skills development.
Mission: To pioneer collaborative partnerships that deliver integrated infrastructure, resources and skills for sustainable community development.
At the ASLA Foundation we seek to:
The Team
Mervin Green (foundation administrator) has over 40 years of experience in the Public, Private and International Sports Sector. After working in Education for two decades, he joined the South African Rugby Union as General Secretary, and later Namibia Rugby (Pty.) Ltd as Chief Executive Officer. This afforded him exposure and access to the international sports arena, where he advised and engaged with various regional, provincial national and international bodies and sports federations (including South African Sport and Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), SA Sports Trust, African Games Federation, Commonwealth Games, IRB now World Rugby) as a strategic advisor, consultant, and project manager. Mervin puts his professional communication, negotiation, people and project management skills into play for the ASLA Foundation, and is instrumental in stakeholder relationship building and engagement.
Pierre Blaauw is an economist, solutionist and built environment specialist who joined ASLA in 2010 as manager of its property development subsidiary (DEVCO). Prior to joining the group he represented the interests of the construction industry as chief economist of the South African Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors and was a contributing member of the team that negotiated the Construction Sector Charter. Throughout his career Pierre has engaged with various stakeholders including government, investors and industry bodies. His current role sees him managing a team that provides a holistic human settlements service (with regard to basic infrastructure, housing, service delivery) to public sector clients.
Marius Botha is a finance and governance specialist with general management experience incorporating people management skills, strategic and visionary leadership. He has a passion for education and experience in serving on governing bodies of schools and a trust for advanced education. Marius has served on the national council of a school governing body association assisting their governance by chairing the audit committee. Creating an understanding for finance across all levels to ensure all stakeholders participate in the decision making.
Sbusiso Kumalo has accumulated over 20 years’ of international and local experience in sales, marketing and market analysis within the FMCG, direct selling and financial sector, with most of his experience gained within the black middle-class market. He is currently Chief Marketing Officer for the African Bank, and a board member of NPO Ikamva Youth. His career has exposed him to brand management, communication strategies, media strategy and product development and design. He specialises in union sponsorships, government liaison, CSI, sponsorships, brand building, marketing, promotions and events.
Lolita Barends is communications and PR specialist with a broad base of experience across various industries. She specializes in communications and CSI strategy development and execution, stakeholder partnership management, sponsorships, and events. Her current role includes supporting the business strategy by creating and implementing internal communication strategies to influence leadership and employment behaviour and engagement.”
