O&L Fresh Produce – a subsidiary of the Ohlthaver & List (O&L) Group – partnered with the Otavi Town Council by donating food items to feed volunteers conducting the town’s clean-up campaign over the next three months. The handover ceremony between the two parties was held at Otavi on 16 June 2023.
The handover was led by Wodibo Haulofu, Chief Executive Officer of the Otavi Town Council, who explained the plans of the council to not only clean the town, but also to enhance the overall appearance of Otavi. Haulofu thanked O&L and Otavifontein for coming onboard so quickly after being identified as being one of the key stakeholders of the town. He further explained that one of the key pillars of his office is sustainability and for that reason they believe in the saying of that when you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime. The CEO explained that with the acquisition of a farm in the district, the town council plans to distribute a portion of this land to a youth development program and another portion towards pensioners to be utilised for agricultural purposes and by so doing investing directly into the community of Otavi.
The Mayor of Otavi, Pastor Isaac !Hoaeb, noted that this handover was cementing the relationship between O&L Fresh Produce and the town council, and the presence of the organisation had already been felt in the town over the years through job creation and a donation of land towards Otavi Primary School to upgrade their facilities and sports fields. !Hoaeb stated: “We all should play a part. Otavi Town Council should take the lead, but we should all take part to make this dream come true. Our dream is built on five pillars. First, asset-based community development, every community member is an asset and has something that they can contribute. Second, ownership. We should own our challenges and we should own our solutions. With ownership comes participation. The theme of this clean-up campaign is My Otavi, My Pride. We should be proud of our town, have an environment that is conducive for us and for investors who want to come to our town. Third, sustainable development. We want to be become self-sufficient and not always be dependent on donations. Fourth, food security. Securing food for our community. Fifth, participation. As council, we cannot do it alone. We need the participation of each of our community members including the business community such as O&L Fresh Produce who have responded to our request for sponsorship towards this clean-up campaign in record time and for which we are grateful.”
In his address, the Managing Director of O&L Fresh Produce, Henry Feris, acknowledged the efforts by the Otavi Town Council and stated that the objective of the clean-up campaign and the Purpose of the O&L Group are intertwined in that both organisations commit to “Creating a future, enhancing life”. Feris further elaborated on the Vision of O&L Fresh Produce that is to “Create a greener future for everyone around us”. He noted that the way the company plans to do this is by stimulating growth of the local agricultural sector, ensuring the environment in which they operate is clean and fostering collaboration with the council to create a sustainable future for the community as whole. “The value of this partnership means so much to us and by donating this game meat and vegetables over the next three months towards this initiative, we aim to enhance the overall experience of the volunteers and contribute to their well-being during this significant initiative.” Feris stated.
